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

A Blockhouse Somewhere in England
(art) Made by: Duffy, Louis 1943
image: a blockhouse in a rural location. In the foreground there are six girders sunk into the ground, surrounded by rocks and cast concrete forms. In the background there is a row of similar concrete blocks running along the edge of a plowed field on a...
Coastal Defences
(art) Made by: Ravilious, Eric 1940
image: a view looking down into a wide bay from the cliff tops. The curve of the land stretches along the left side of the composition, and a searchlight beams up into the sky further along the coast. Several small boats are seen motoring out to sea from...
Wings Over Scotland
(art) Made by: Henderson, Keith (OBE) 1940
image: An aerial view of the Scottish landscape from an aircraft, with one of the plane's wings in the left foreground. Below are a few buildings clustered together, a few fields, a curved and narrow wood and what appears to be a river.
Plan Your Future - Save With a Plan
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1945
whole: the six images occupy the majority. The title is separate and positioned in the upper quarter, in black. The main text is partially integrated and placed with each image as a caption, in red held within white insets, and separate and located in...
Their Future - Worth Fighting For - Worth Saving For!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1944
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title is integrated and located in the upper left and upper centre, in yellow. The text is separate and placed in the lower third, in blue cursive script, in red, and in brown held within a...
Worth Fighting For - Worth Saving For!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1944
whole: the ten images occupy the majority, held within white insets. The title and text are separate and placed at the centre, in dark red, and along the bottom edge, in red and in black. Further text is integrated and placed beneath each image as a...
For Britain - Keep on Saving
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1945
whole: the nine images occupy the majority, held within white and grey borders. The title and text are separate and placed in the upper centre, centre and along the bottom edge, in red cursive script. Further text is partially integrated and placed...
Why Spend Your Money Like This?
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1943-05
whole: the two images are positioned in the upper four-fifths. The title and text are separate and positioned in the upper fifth, in green, centre right, in red, and in the lower fifth, in white held within a green inset. All set against a white...
Man the Barrage
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper half. The title and text are separate and located in the lower half, in red, in blue and in black, set against a white background. image: a depiction of two barrage balloons moored with cables to three motor...
For Britain
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the upper three-quarters, held within a yellow border. The title is integrated and positioned in the upper left, in yellow. The text is separate and placed in the lower quarter, in brown and in black, set against a yellow...