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

Women's Home Defence - Join Now!
(posters)
whole: the Women's Home Defence badge is positioned centrally with black text above and below. All is set against a plain white background. image: a shield shaped badge with a yellow border and crimson centre. Within the centre are crossed rifles above a...
Back Them Up!
(posters) Made by: F A A (artist) 1940
whole: the image is positioned in the upper three-quarters. The title is separate and placed in the lower quarter, in blue. All set against a yellow background. image: a depiction of a British warship at sea firing her guns. Two more warships are visible...
The Ministry of Food Require Girls (abbrv)
(posters) 1917-11
whole: a typographical design with text displayed in banner form, in red, against a plain white background. A red border surrounds the text, incorporating a royal crest. image: the royal crest of King George V. text: MINISTRY OF LABOUR. THE MINISTRY OF...
Untitled [War Savings are Warships]
(posters) Made by: Wilkinson, Norman (CBE) (artist)
whole: the image occupies the upper three-quarters. The text is separate and positioned in the lower centre, in red. A blank, white text space is located in the lower quarter. The top edge and bottom edge are held within a red border. image: a depiction...
Useful Jobs That Girls Can Do - To Help Win the War
(posters)
whole: a red rectangle bearing the title and in the shape of a patch is placed in the top left. The remainder of the design invovles numerous captions, accompanied with images. Lower right the captions are presented as newspaper cuttings. All are held...
Simple Jobs Boys Can Do Themselves - And So Help Win the War
(posters)
whole: a large red rectangle containing white text and the Board of Trade crest is placed at the top in a central position. The majority of the design is covered with small columns of text, in black and red, with accompanying images. At the bottom these...
Gas Attack
(posters) Made by: Unknown (artist)
whole: the title, in large white lettering against a green background, is positioned at the top. Below are three sets of instructions, each subtitled with green lettering and displayed horizontally one above the other. The first has text on the left and...
Think Before You Speak - Careless Talk Costs Lives
(posters) 1941
whole: the image is positioned in the centre of the design with a white speech bubble caption emerging from either end. The text and the outer edges of the speech bubble captions are in black. All is set against a plain white background. image: a bright...
Evacuation
(posters)
whole: the title, in red, and a royal crest head the design. Text, in red and black, is arranged over the remainder in banner form. All is set against a plain white background. image: a monochrome royal crest. text: EVACUATION DETAILS OF FACILITIES...