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

Paid Off!
(posters) Made by: Burton, Charles (artist) 1918
whole: the title is placed top left, with the image to the right. The subtitle and text are below in a black square. image: a three-quarter view of a British sailor counting his earnings. text: Paid Off! CHARLES BURTON Buy something worth having WAR...
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 British tank moves from the the background right to the foreground left, over barbed-wire and with its guns firing. In the...
The Tank Tour
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918-06
whole: the main title is placed across the top in blue and held within a scroll design which also provides a blank area for additional text. The text and image are positioned below, all held within a black border. image: a British tank moves from the the...
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: two British soldiers operate a Vickers heavy machine-gun from a sand-bagged position in the foreground right. The first...
'Tell Them to Make It a War Savings Christmas!'
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority. The title is partially integrated and positioned in the upper centre, in red and in black, held within a yellow inset. The text is integrated and placed in the lower centre, in black cursive script, held within a...
The Sky's the Limit for War Savings
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1943
whole: the image is positioned in the centre, set against a white background. The title is separate and placed across the top edge, in red cursive script, and in the lower quarter, in red and in red cursive script. All set against a yellow background....
The Sky's the Limit for War Savings
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the left third, set against a white background. The title is partially integrated and placed in the right two-thirds, in red and blue. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of the head of a smiling RAF...
You Can Hit Back with Your Savings Too!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the lower four-fifths. The title is separate and placed in the upper fifth, in black. The text is partially integrated and located in the lower fifth, in red, held within a blue inset. All set against a white background...
The Sky's the Limit in War Savings
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper left, set against a white background. The title is separate and placed in upper right, in blue cursive script against a white background, and in the lower third, in white against a red background. image: a...
Save! Save for the Brave
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the image occupies the majority, set against a blue background. The title is integrated and positioned in the upper left, in orange, and in the lower quarter, in white. The text is integrated and located in the centre right and lower right, and...