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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The Best Investment in the World
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1919-01
whole: the title and subtitle are in orange, with the text in white. All arranged in banner form, against a blue background and held within a white frame. image: text only. text: THE BEST INVESTMENT IN THE WORLD 5¼% Compound Interest Free of Income Tax,...
Feed the Guns with War Bonds
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: the title is in yellow, and is positioned across the bottom and laid over the image. image: the London skyline, featuring St Paul's Cathedral, silhouetted against the night sky. Three searchlight beams stretch from the city to illuminate two small...
Turn Your Money into War Bonds
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: the title and image are integrated. The title is arranged across the top and the bottom, in light blue, with the image central. image: a bright yellow crescent moon set against a dark blue background. text: TURN YOUR MONEY INTO WAR BONDS No.114....
Buy Your War Bonds Now!
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist) 1918
whole: the title is placed lower left, in grey-blue and speckled red against a black background. The image is positioned above at the upper right. image: a quarter segment of a Royal Flying Corps insignia roundel. text: BUY WAR BONDS NOW No.74.
Feed the Guns with War Bonds and Help to End the War
(posters) Made by: Thomas, Bert (MBE) (artist) 1918
whole: the title frames the text box, which occupies the upper two-thirds. The image is positioned in the lower third. image: three civilians, a man, a woman and a boy, load a partially visible howitzer. Each carry a shell marked with a '£' sign. text:...
Money is Still Needed
(posters) Made by: Thomas, Bert (MBE) (artist) 1918
whole: the image is placed across the top third, with the title across the bottom within a black box. image: two-tone image of three sailors loading a small naval gun. text: [blank] money is still needed so keep on buying WAR BONDS No. 125 THE...
How the Hun Hates!
(posters) Made by: Wilson, David & W F B (artist) 1915
whole: the image occupies the majority of the upper half, held within a black border. The title is separate and positioned across the top edge, in black and in red. The text is separate and positioned in the lower half, also in black and in red. The...
Untitled
(posters) Made by: Watson, Geoffrey (artist) 1918
whole: the image covers the whole with a blank text box at lower right. image: a large Handley Page bomber, seen in three-quarter length profile and silhouette, flying left to right through searchlights and flak. text: [blank] Geoffrey Watson 1918 THE...
Salvage! Every Little Helps
(posters) Made by: Chilvers, S R (artist)
whole: the image occupies the whole, with a smaller image positioned in the lower right. The title is integrated and positioned along the top edge, in brown outlined black. The text is integrated and positioned in along the bottom edge, in brown, and in...
Buy War Savings Certificates
(posters) Made by: National War Savings Committee (publisher/sponsor) 1918
whole: the title is placed bottom left, in red, with the image placed centre. The subtitle and text are positioned above the image. All set against a white background and held within a red and black frame. image: a British infantryman stands at a pay...