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.

Main menu

IWM London
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM North
Manchester
Open daily 10am - 5pm
Last admission 4.30pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December

Admission is free
- What's On
- Visiting Information
IWM Duxford
Cambridgeshire
Open daily

Summer 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm

Winter 10am - 4pm
Last admission 3pm

Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
Churchill War Rooms
London
Open daily 9.30am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information
HMS Belfast
London
Open daily 10am - 6pm
Last admission 5pm
Closed 24, 25 and 26 December
- What's On
- Visiting Information

Collections search

Get in the Scrap
(posters) Made by: Unknown
whole: the image is positioned in the upper four-fifths. The title is separate and placed in the upper fifth, in red. The text is partially integrated and located in the upper centre and upper right, in blue cursive script, and in the lower left, in blue...
World 1946 - Trusteeship
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1946-06
whole: the main image occupies the majority, with a smaller image positioned in the centre left. The title is separate and positioned in the upper left, in blue, and in white held within a black inset. The main text is separate and placed in the upper...
Two Plays with a Punch
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1946-05
whole: the seven images are located in the upper three-quarters. The title is separate and positioned in the upper right, in black. The text is separate and placed in the right three-quarters, in black, and in the upper left and right half, as captions,...
Smash Japanese Aggression!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the upper three-quarters. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a white background. image: a depiction of Indian troops attacking a Japanese position in a clearing in the...
Smash Japanese Aggression!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the upper three-quarters, held within a narrow brown border. The title and text are separate and positioned in the lower quarter, in black. All set against a white background. image: a full-length depiction of an Indian...
Pacific War Map
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1943-12
whole: the image occupies the majority, held within a narrow black border. The title is integrated and positioned in the lower right, in yellow outlined black. The main text is separate and placed across the top edge and bottom edge, in black. Further...
The Patriotic Pack of Playing Cards - Play the Game
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the centre, with the title positioned in the upper quarter, and the subtitle positioned in the lower quarter, both mainly in white outlined blue, on red ribbon-like strips. The text is integrated and positioned in the...
Victory in the West
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1945
whole: the 12 images occupy the majority. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in white, held within an orange inset. The text is separate and placed beneath each image as a caption, in white held within orange insets, in orange and...
Adui Zetu [Our Enemies]
(posters) Made by: Selal (artist) 1943-01
whole: the four images occupy the majority, with the title separate and positioned across the top edge, in black. The text is separate and placed in the upper quarter and below each image as a caption, also in black. All set against a white background....
Jacobi
(posters) Made by: Ranzenhofer, Emil (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority. The title is integrated and positioned along the top edge, in black. The text is separate and positioned along the bottom edge, in yellow held within a black area. Further text is integrated and positioned in the...