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

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.
War Weapons Week April 8th to 13th
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918-03
whole: the main title is placed across the top in yellow, with the text and image below. All held within a black border. image: a rear view of a biplane flying away from the viewer. The plane carries the insignia of the RFC and flies over the coastline....
War Weapons Week April 8th to 13th
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918-03
whole: the main title is placed across the top in yellow, with the text and image below. All held within a black border. image: a seaplane flying towards the viewer and bearing the insignia of the RFC. The plane flies over the coastline away from four...
RAAF Beaufighters in Action
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1944-01
whole: the image occupies the upper three-quarters, with a smaller image located in the lower left. The title and text are separate and placed in the lower quarter, in black and in red, set against a yellow background. image: an aerial depiction of two...
Pro Patria
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1914
whole: the image occupies the left half. The title is integrated and positioned across the top edge left, in black. The text is separate and placed in the right half, also in black, and set against a white background. image: a full-length depiction of a...
[Arabic text] [The Downfall of the Dictators is Assured]
(posters) Made by: Unknown
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 a raid by British heavy bomber aircraft on a northern Italian...
Back Them Up!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (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 a raid by British heavy bomber aircraft on a northern Italian...
[Persian Text]
(posters) Made by: Unknown
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 a raid by British heavy bomber aircraft on a northern Italian...
Zeppelins Over Your Town
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title integrated and positioned in the upper half, and the text integrated and positioned in the lower quarter, both in white outlined black. A blank text box with a white background and held within a black...
Who'll Help Mrs Harrison?
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper half, with the title and text are separate and placed in the lower half, in black. All set against a white background. image: a shoulder-length depiction of a young girl sewing. The background behind her is...