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...
The So-called 'Higher Race'
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title integrated and positioned across the top edge, in brown. The text is integrated and positioned in the lower quarter, in black. image: a caricature of Adolf Hitler and a monkey stand on top of a mountain...
[The Morning is Wiser Than the Evening]
(posters) Made by: Goryaev, V (artist)
whole: two separate images occupy the majority of the upper two-thirds. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in black. The text is separate and positioned below the title, and in the lower third, also in black. The title and text are...
Maneater
(posters) Made by: Ministry of Information (publisher/sponsor) 1941-02
whole: the image occupies the majority, with the title integrated and positioned at the top, in white. Further text is separate and positioned across the bottom edge, also in black. image: A caricature of Adolf Hitler as a wild beast gnawing on human...
Fonction Peu Enviable [Unenviable job]
(posters) Made by: Goryaev, V (artist) 1941
whole: text and image are integrated, set against a plain white background. The title, in black, is positioned upper right, with the image placed left. The text is located lower right and along the bottom, in black. image: an allegory depicting Marianne...
Il n'y a pas de Quoi [It’s not Worth Thanks!]
(posters) Made by: Radlov, N (artist)
whole: the image is positioned across the centre, with the title separate and positioned at the top, in black. The text is separate and positioned in the upper quarter and in the lower third, also in black. All set against a white background. image: a...
[It's not Worth Thanks]
(posters) Made by: Radlov, N (artist)
whole: the image is positioned across the centre, with the title separate and positioned at the top, in black. The text is separate and positioned in the upper quarter and in the lower third, also in black. All set against a white background. image: a...