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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Jegyezzünk Hadikölcsönt [Subscribe to the War Loan]
(posters) Made by: Haranghy, Jenõ (artist) 1918
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title integrated and positioned in the lower quarter, in red. The text is integrated and positioned across the top edge, in yellow. image: a farmer ploughs his field with a plough pulled by two oxen. In the...
Erdo Mezo Vidéke [The Country of Forests and Meadows]
(posters) Made by: Olgyai, Viktor (artist)
whole: the image is positioned in the upper two thirds, held within a narrow yellow border. The and text are separate and positioned in the lower third, in black. All set against a white background. image: a wheatfield, with the silhouettes of trees...
Anglo-Österreichische Bank [Anglo-Austrian Bank]
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the five separate images occupy the majority, each held within a narrow black border. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in black, set against a yellow background and held within a narrow black border. The text is positioned...
Aajatok Élelmet! [Give Us Food!]
(posters) Made by: Zádor (artist)
whole: the image occupies the whole, with the title integrated and positioned across the top edge, in orange. The text is integrated and positioned in the upper right and lower left, also in orange. All set against a white background. image: a distressed...
The National Savings Picture Map of the Continent of Europe
(posters) Made by: Paine, Charles (artist) 1945
whole: the image occupies the majority, with smaller images placed at the edges, held within green and white insets. The title and main text are separate and positioned in the upper left, in green, in red and in black, held within a yellow inset and an...