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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CECIL BEATON PHOTOGRAPHS: GENERAL
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Beaton, Cecil
The Royal Air Force: The rear gunner in his position in a Wellington bomber.
ROCKETS AND MISSILES
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Walton (Mr)
A Supermarine Spitfire flying alongside a V-1 flying bomb in an attempt to disrupt the airflow over its wing and force it to crash, August 1944.
V1 FLYING BOMB
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Devon Stanley
An excellent low aerial oblique view showing adjacent V1 bomb damage sites in Lewisham, London. Lewisham Road is the main thoroughfare in the centre of the picture. The flying bomb sites shown are Granville Park (June 1944), Lewisham Hill (top right,...
The Bombed SS Toscalusa at a Western Port
(art) Made by: Morley, Harry (ARA) 1940
image: SS Toscalusa viewed from a quayside. The ship is badly bombed and the bridge and railings are damaged and rusting. There is a large mass of crumpled metal in the centre of the deck.
WORKER AND WAR-FRONT MAGAZINE ISSUE NO 1 [Main Title]
(film) Made by: Paul Rotha Productions (Production company) 1942-05
A newsreel highlighting the part played by ordinary working men and women in Britain's war effort featuring reports on a scheme to enable women war workers to buy food during working hours, the production of sand filters for aircraft and tank engines, a...
A Parachute Bomb
(art) Made by: Wright, W Matvyn 1941
image: a night time view across the Thames, showing the dark silhouettes of shipping and equipment against the glowing red sky opposite. Just above the buildings on the other side of the river there is a parachute bomb descending, about to explode.
CECIL BEATON PHOTOGRAPHS: GENERAL
part of "REPRINT SOCIETY COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Beaton, Cecil
The Home Front 1940 -1941: The western bell towers of St Paul's Cathedral in London seen through an archway after the heavy incendiary raid of 29 December 1940.
wing tip from Gloster Meteor aircraft serial number EE 216
(souvenirs and ephemera) Made by: Gloster Aircraft Co Ltd
Wing tip from the British Second World War Gloster Meteor Mark I aircraft, serial number EE 216. This aircraft had the distinction of gaining the first operational success by a jet-propelled aircraft. The achievement is recorded as a painted inscription...
CECIL BEATON PHOTOGRAPHS: GENERAL
part of "MINISTRY OF INFORMATION SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Beaton, Cecil
A portrait of the pilot and co-pilot in the cockpit of their No. 149 Squadron Wellington bomber, probably at RAF Mildenhall in 1941. The pilot is David Donaldson, who was promoted to Wing Commander in 1943 at the age of 28.
ROYAL AIR FORCE: AIR DEFENCE OF GREAT BRITAIN (ADGB), 1944.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: ADGB
A German Fiesler Fi 103 flying-bomb (V1) in flight, as seen by the gun camera of an intercepting RAF fighter aircraft, moments before the fighter destroyed the V1 by cannon fire.