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

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...
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...
War Weapons Week
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: the title is placed across the top, within an orange frame design. The text is below in orange and black, arranged in banner form and held within a separate orange frame. image: text only. text: War Weapons Week Help to swell the total for the...
War Weapon Week
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918-03
whole: the main title is placed at the top in red, with the image in black and placed above centre, and the subtitle and text below in banner form. All set against a light blue background and held within a white frame. image: a silhouette image of a...
Tokyo Tank Week
(posters) Made by: Unknown 1918
whole: the title and text are hand written and incorporated into the monochrome image. image: a British tank moves from the background left to the foreground right, its guns firing. Cowering below the tank's hull is a caricature of Kaiser Wilhelm II. In...
War Weapons Week
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: a text box occupies the lower half of the poster, with the image situated above and around. image: a British tank viewed from below, moving left to right firing its guns. text: WAR WEAPONS WEEK, JULY 8 TO 13, 1918. BUY NOW WAR BONDS AND...
[The Tank]
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: a text box occupies the lower half of the poster, with the image situated above and around. image: a British tank viewed from below, moving left to right firing its guns. text: [blank] No.73 Printed by HILL, SIFFKEN AND CO. Ltd. [L.P.A. Ltd.],...