The Battle of Britain

The battle begins, summer 1940
The battle begins, summer 1940

After defeating France in June 1940, Hitler assumed Britain would sue for peace but ordered his armed forces to prepare for invasion. Hermann Goering assured him that a sustained air assault would destroy the RAF, winning the air superiority needed.
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940
A Heinkel He 111 bomber flying over London, September 1940

July 1940 saw German planes target shipping in the Channel, drawing the RAF into combat, before radar stations, communications centres and airfields faced round-the-clock bombing in August. The battle reached a climax with attacks on London in September.
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)
The Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF)

Joan 'Elizabeth' Mortimer, Elspeth Henderson and Helen Turner of the WAAF. All three received the Military Medal for courageous conduct during attacks on Biggin Hill airfield. Biggin Hill suffered a total of ten major attacks between 30 Aug and 5 Sept.
Non-British personnel in the RAF
Non-British personnel in the RAF

A group of pilots of No. 303 (Polish) Squadron RAF return from a sortie. The first Polish squadrons were formed in the summer of 1940. Pilots came from several other countries, including Australia, Canada, Czechoslovakia, New Zealand and the USA.
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford
Sector 'G' Operations Room at RAF Duxford

RAF Duxford was a Sector Station in 12 Group, responsible for defending the Midlands and East Anglia. As the fighting intensified, Duxford's squadrons were called on to support 11 Group's defence of London and the south-east.
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF

Despite incessant attacks, the RAF's defences held. The Luftwaffe could not continue, and in the autumn switched to 'nuisance' raids and night operations. The failure to defeat the RAF convinced Hitler to postpone his invasion plans indefinitely.

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Erecting Camouflage Netting at a Factory
(art) Made by: Kennedy, Cedric John 1942
image: A view looking up at four men sitting in the framework of camouflage netting suspended on poles above a structure painted with a camouflage patterns . The men are in the process of rolling out the textiles over the support.
Men Fixing Feathered Netting over a Factory
(art) Made by: Kennedy, Cedric John 1942
image: A view looking up at two men rolling out camouflage material over the net framework, suspended above an industrial building.
Back Them Up!
(posters) Made by: Krogman, W (artist) 1941
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a British Lockheed Hudson patrol bomber aircraft flying over...
La Chute des Dictateurs est Assuree [The Downfall of the Dictators Is Assured]
(posters) Made by: Krogman, W
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a British Lockheed Hudson patrol bomber aircraft flying over...
Back Them Up!
(posters) Made by: Stone, Marc (artist) 1941
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a British cruiser ramming an Italian submarine. text: MARC...
The Downfall of the Dictators is Assured
(posters) Made by: Stone, Marc (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a British cruiser ramming an Italian submarine. text: MARC...
La Chute des Dictateurs est Assuree [The Downfall of the Dictators is Assured]
(posters) Made by: Stone, Marc
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a British cruiser ramming an Italian submarine. text: MARC...
An Aeroplane, Lee-on-Solent
(art) Made by: Pitchforth, Roland Vivian (RA)
image: three Kingfisher seaplanes stand in an aerodrome consisting of corrugated metal hangars painted with camouflage patterns.
Building the Explosives Section of a Royal Ordnance Factory at Blackburn, 1940
(art) Made by: Rushbury, Henry (Sir) (RA) 1940
image: a panorama, looking down at a construction site surrounded by countryside. To the left is the iron skeleton of a tall building in progress. To the right a number of very long, low buildings painted with a camouflage pattern, surrounded by cranes,...
La Chute des Dictateurs est Assuree [The Downfall of the Dictators is Assured]
(posters) Made by: Pym, Harold
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and located in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of four British infantrymen operating an anti-tank gun under a...