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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Pictorial Representation of a True Aryan
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1941
whole: text and images are integrated and set against an plain white background. The title is placed across the top, in black, with three captioned images positioned across the centre. Further text is located along the bottom in black. image: three...
Save Waste Paper - Don't Waste Paper
(posters) Made by: A J E (artist) 1941
whole: the image occupies the majority. The title is separate and positioned in the upper quarter, in white, set against a blue background. The text is integrated and placed in the upper left and centre left, and separate and placed in the lower quarter...
Every Stamp Blots a Nazi - Buy War Savings
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
No description available
[Tass Window] [PARISIAN PARADE]
(posters) Made by: Radlov, N (artist)
image: Top section: Goose-stepping German dogs parade past Eiffel Tower. Below, cartoon dogs of war, top to bottom as follows: a) Hitler and Goebbels b) Laval c) two mongrels in Sofia d) German dog howling across the Channel. text: Parizhski parad [...
KTO S MEUOM K NAM VOIDET - TOT OT MEUA I POGIBNET
(posters) Made by: Mamadzhanyan, Ashot (artist) 1942
image: from the left of the composition four armed, uniformed figures representing the forces of Germany emerge from a dark storm-cloud. On the back of one of the figures representing Hitler rides an insect-like shape with the face of Goebbels. To the...
THE ATLANTIC RAMPART
(posters) Made by: Astalov, H C (artist) 1944
design: caricature of Goebbels afloat in a lifebouy, looking through a pair of binoculars. He floats behind a rampart made up of nibbed pens and walls of paper. text: see transcription for translation
[Don't Bend the Truth]
(posters) Made by: Zharov, A (artist)
image: In the upper half of the poster a grey faced Goebbels points to a propoganda poster. The scene below shows Goebbels thrown back in surprise by the reality of working Russian industry. text: Don't bend the truth. [Also additional verses in...
And Now for the Second Front
(posters) Made by: Zec, Philip (artist)
image: cartoon by Donald Zec, permission of the Daily Mirror, showing a giant Tommy wading thigh deep in water, cracking Goebbels over the head with a huge mallet. A line of barbed wire separates the two, and Goebbels is clutching a piece of paper...
'Goblin Goebbels Threat'
(art) Made by: Flatter, Joseph
No description available
[Coming from Germany - the circus 'Hitler and company']
(posters) Made by: KUKRYNIKSI (artist)
image: Hitler as ringmaster, holding whips and wearing a bloodstained overcoat, directs eight circus performers (caricatures of prominent fascist figures). Each figure (including Hitler) is numbered, corresponding to a verse written below. Figures...