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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Collections search

Building Planes
(art) Made by: Armstrong, John 1940
image: A view across a factory floor showing men working on the sub-structure of two aircraft. In the background, other figures working at lathes and machinery are spotlighted on the upper and lower floors of the factory.
Keep 'em Moving
(posters) Made by: Folkard-Roberts (artist) 1943
whole: the image occupies the majority, with the title integrated and positioned across the centre, in brown cursive script. The text is separate and placed in the lower half, in black and orange, held within a white inset. image: a stylised depiction of...
Buy War Savings Certificates
(posters) Made by: Burton, Charles (artist) 1919
whole: the image is placed at the top, held within a black frame, with the title and text below. All set against a deep blue background. Image: Under a yellow sky a farmworker, foreground left, drives a tractor, ploughing a field. A red roofed farmhouse...
Buy War Savings Certificates
(posters) Made by: Burton, Charles (artist) 1919
whole: the image is placed at the top, held within a black frame, with the title and text below. All set against a deep blue background. image: a shipbuilding scene, featuring workers in the foreground and the bow and keel of a vessel under construction...
A Sheet Metal Worker from India
(posters) Made by: Unknown
whole: the image occupies the majority, with a smaller image placed in the lower left, held within a blue circular inset. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower fifth, in black. All set against a white background and held within a...
Aircraft Workers from India
(posters) Made by: Unknown
whole: the image occupies the majority, with a smaller image placed in the lower left, held within a blue circular inset. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower fifth, in black. All set against a white background and held within a...
Sam Brierley
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918-05
whole: the title is positioned in the upper left in black. The image is placed upper right. The text is arranged in columnar fashion down the left-hand side and the lower right-hand side. All held within a brown white frame against a white background....
Notice - Recruiting for Overseas Service in the Armed Forces
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1939-11-07
whole: the title and text occupy the whole, in black, set against a white background. image: text only. text: NOTICE. RECRUITING FOR OVERSEAS SERVICE IN THE ARMED FORCES. THE POSITION IN REGARD TO RECRUITING FOR THE ARMED FORCES IS VERY DIFFERENT FROM...
Fighting Fit in the Factory
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority, set against a white background. The title is integrated and positioned in the upper third, in red. The text is separate and placed in the lower fifth, in red, set against a black background. Further text is...
You and the RAF Can Smash Germany
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper half. The title is separate and positioned in the lower quarter, in white, and held within a red panel. The text is integrated and positioned in the upper half, in black. All set against a blue background...