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 for "Hurricane Mk 1"

HURRICANE MARK 1 (HAWKER)
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs)
Hawker Hurricane Mk Is of No. 85 Squadron RAF during the Battle of Britain, 1940.
ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND, 1939-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Devon S A (Mr)
Pilot Officer A V "Taffy" Clowes of No. 1 Squadron RAF, climbing into his Hawker Hurricane Mark I, P3395 'JX-B, in a revetment at Wittering, Huntingdonshire. Note Clowes' personal 'wasp ' emblem under the engine exhausts.
ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND, 1939-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Royal Air Force official photographer
Ground crew, including a WAAF, refuel a Hawker Hurricane Mark IID of No. 1 Specialised Low Attack Instructors School at Milfield, Northumberland, prior to a training sortie. Armourers have removed the fairings from the two Vickers 40mm anti-tank guns...
ROYAL AIR FORCE FIGHTER COMMAND, 1939-1945.
part of "AIR MINISTRY SECOND WORLD WAR OFFICIAL COLLECTION" (photographs) Made by: Devon S A (Mr)
Pilot Officer A V "Taffy" Clowes of No. 1 Squadron RAF, standing by the nose of his Hawker Hurricane Mark I, P3395 'JX-B', at Wittering, Huntingdonshire. The wasp emblem was painted on the nose of his aircraft during the Battle of Britain, Clowes adding...
O'Reilly, Thomas Joseph (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 2007
British NCO trained as pilot in GB and South Africa, 1941-1943; pilot served with 274 and 229 Sqdns, RAF in Mediterranean, Middle East and GB, 1943- 1944; served with 603 Sqdn, RAF in GB, 1944-1945
Hawker Hurricane Mk 1
(vehicles, aircraft and ships) Made by: Cyril McCann 1950
The model appears to depict that flown by Sqn Ldr Stanford-Tuck in mid/late 1940
ROYAL NAVAL HURRICANE SQUADRON 1 [Allocated Title]
(film) Made by: Admiralty (Production sponsor) 1940
Film of a Royal navy squadron flying Hurricanes (Sea Hurricanes Mk 1A ?) from a shore base.
Johns, George Binmore (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1990-10-23
British NCO and officer served as pilot with 229 Sqdn, RAF in GB, France and North Africa, 1939-1942 including Battle of Britain, 1940; commanded 250 Sqdn, RAF in North Africa and Italy, 1943; commanded 260 Sqdn, RAF in Italy, 1944; served with 1 Mobile...
Thorne, Peter (IWM interview)
(sound) Made by: IWM (Production company) 1997-10-24
British officer served as pilot with 193 and 19 Sqdns, RAF in GB, 1943-1944; served as instructor with Training Command, RAF in GB, 1944-1945; served as pilot attack instructor at Central Gunnery School, Cadfoss; served as instructor with Middle East...
.303 Browning Mk 2
(weapons and ammunition) Made by: Vickers Armstrong Ltd, Crayford 1939
Adopted by the RAF in 1937, the .303inch Browning was an adaptation of an American design. During the Second World War the Browning armed a variety of British aircraft, either mounted in the wings or in power-operated turrets. Most .303 Brownings were...