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

AIR RAID DAMAGE IN LONDON DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR
part of "CORPORATION OF THE CITY OF LONDON COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Messrs Nules and Kaye, 54 Cheapside, London 1915-10-14
Civilians and police officers stand on the streets below the damaged South Western Bank in the City of London following the Zeppelin raid on the night of 13 -14 October 1915.
AIR RAID DAMAGE IN THE UNITED KINGDOM DURING THE FIRST WORLD WAR.
part of "HOME OFFICE FIRST WORLD WAR AIR RAID DAMAGE COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Home Office photographer 1917-07
Firemen hose down the smouldering remains of Cox's Court off Little Britain in the City of London after a Gotha air raid on 7 July 1917.
control panel from German Naval airship L33
(souvenirs and ephemera)
Control panel from the wreckage of the First World War German Naval airship L33. The airship was forced down at Little Wigborough, Essex, on the night of 23-24 September 1916. The airship was downed as a result of damage inflicted by Royal Flying Corps...
fabric from the German Army airship SL11
(souvenirs and ephemera)
Fabric from the First World War German Army airship SL11, which was shot down in flames over Cuffley, Hertfordshire by Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson (39 [Home Defence] Squadron, Royal Flying Corps) on 2-3 September 1916. The SL11 was the first...
zeppelin fragment, L31
(vehicles, aircraft and ships)
Fragment from the First World War period German Naval Airship Service Zeppelin L31. The L31 was commanded by Kapitanleutnant Heinrich Mathy, the renowned veteran of numerous raids over Great Britain. On 1 October 1916 Mathy commanded the L31 on its final...
fuel gauge from the German airship SL11
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Maximall
Fuel gauge salvaged from the First World War German Army airship SL11, which was shot down in flames at Cuffley, Hertfordshire by Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson (39 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps) on 2-3 September 1916. The SL11 was the first airship to...
piece of wire from the German Zeppelin SL11
(vehicles, aircraft and ships)
Piece of wire from the rigging of the First World War German airship SL11made into a souvenir 'package' and sold to raise money for the Red Cross. The SL11 was shot down in flames at Cuffley, Hertfordshire by Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson (39...
ring made of salvaged metal from the German airship SL11
(souvenirs and ephemera)
Fragment of salvaged metal from the First World War German airship SL11 made into finger ring and sold to raise money for the Red Cross. The airship was shot down in flames at Cuffley, Hertfordshire by Lieutenant William Leefe Robinson on 2-3 September...
booklet, 'Destruction of Zeppelin
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: T. Mathews & Co. Ltd., Leicester
First World War period commemorative booklet inspired by the destruction of the German Army airship SL11 at Cuffley, Hertfordshire, on the night of 2/3 September 1916. The airship, which was destroyed by Lieutenant William Leefe-Robinson (39 Squadron,...
piece of wreckage from Zeppelin L.9
(vehicles, aircraft and ships)
Relic from the German Naval Air Service Zeppelin L9. The L9's first flight was on 9 March 1915 when she was the first Navy airship to operate with a closed command cabin and revised engine gondola. The L9 (which was early on in her service life commanded...