IWM Staff
Monday 8 January 2018

Step back into summer 1940 for an unforgettable weekend at the sell-out Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show. Epic flying, historic aircraft, vintage fashion and movie magic will culminate with a mass Spitfire formation taking to the sky. Limited tickets available. Plan your visit today.

Photographs

1. Hawker Hurricanes

Photographs

1. Hawker Hurricanes

Hawker Hurricanes of No. 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force (RAF) seen from below, October 1940.

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Operations: Nine Hawker Hurricanes of 85 Squadron, Royal Air Force seen from slightly below.
© IWM (CH 1500)
Photographs

2. The scramble

Photographs

2. The scramble

Operations: Pilots seen running to their aircraft.

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Operations: Pilots seen running to their aircraft.
Audio: Harold Bird-Wilson interview © IWM (IWM SR 10093).
© IWM (HU 49253)
Photographs

3. Junkers Ju 87

Photographs

3. Junkers Ju 87

Bombs fall away from a German Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber.

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Bombs falling away from a Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive-bomber. The photograph appears to have been taken from a following aircraft.
Audio: William David interview © IWM (IWM SR 10092).
© IWM (GER 18)
Photographs

4. Polish pilots

Photographs

4. Polish pilots

Two airmen of the Polish Air Force Depot at RAF Blackpool receive instruction on the controls of an aircraft during ground training at Squires Gate aerodrome, 27 August 1940.

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Two airmen of the Polish Air Force Depot at RAF Blackpool receiving instruction on the controls of an aircraft, probably a Vickers Wellington medium bomber, during ground training at Squires Gate aerodrome, 27 August 1940.
© IWM (CH 1150)
Photographs

5. Downtime

Photographs

5. Downtime

Spitfire pilots of No. 610 Squadron RAF relax between missions at RAF Hawkinge in Kent, 29 July 1940.

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Spitfire pilots of No. 610 Squadron relaxing between sorties at 'A' Flight dispersal at Hawkinge, 29 July 1940.
Audio: Denys Gillam interview © IWM (IWM SR 10049).
© IWM (HU 1062)
Photographs

6. Captured

Photographs

6. Captured

A captured German bomber crewman drinks from a British soldier's water bottle after baling out of his aircraft, 30 August 1940.

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Surrounded by his captors, a Luftwaffe bomber crewman is given a drink of water from a British soldier's water bottle, after baling out of his aircraft. Caption dated 30 August 1940.
Audio: Ronald ‘Ras’ Berry interview © IWM (IWM SR 11475).
© IWM (KY 10265)
Photographs

7. Spitfires

Photographs

7. Spitfires

Supermarine Spitfire Mark Is of No. 610 Squadron RAF fly in formation, 24 July 1940.

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Supermarine Spitfire Mark IAs, (N3289 ‘DW-K and R6595 ‘DW-O’ nearest), of No 610 Squadron, Royal Air Force based at Biggin Hill, Kent, flying in three 'vic' formations.
© IWM (CH 740)
Photographs

8. Radar stations

Photographs

8. Radar stations

Airmen and Women's Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) operators at work in the receiver hut of the radar station at Ventnor, on the Isle of Wight, during the Battle of Britain.

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Chain Home: airmen and WAAF operators at work in the wooden Receiver hut at Ventnor CH, Isle of Wight, during the Battle of Britain.
© IWM (C 1868)
Photographs

9. Dogfights

Photographs

9. Dogfights

This camera gun film still shows tracer ammunition from an RAF Supermarine Spitfire Mark I, flown by Flight Lieutenant J H G McArthur, hitting a German Heinkel He 111. These aircraft were part of a large formation which attacked the Bristol Aeroplane Company's works at Filton, Bristol, just before noon on 25 September 1940.

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A still from camera gun film shows tracer ammunition from a Supermarine Spitfire Mark I of No. 609 Squadron RAF, flown by Flight Lieutenant J H G McArthur, hitting a Heinkel He 111 on its starboard quarter. These aircraft were part of a large formation from KG 53 and KG 55 which attacked the Bristol Aeroplane Company's works at Filton, Bristol, just before midday on 25 September 1940.
© IWM (CH 1823)
Photographs

10. Dogs

Photographs

10. Dogs

Sergeant Bohumil Furst of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron is greeted by the Squadron mascot on returning to RAF Duxford after a mission, 7 September 1940.

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Sergeant Bohumil Furst of No. 310 (Czechoslovak) Squadron RAF is greeted by the squadron mascot on returning to RAF Duxford, Cambridgeshire, after a sortie in his Hawker Hurricane Mark I, 7 September 1940.
© IWM (CH 1296)
Photographs

11. Know your enemy

Photographs

11. Know your enemy

An RAF airman examines the cockpit of a captured German Heinkel He 111, 2 October 1940.

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The cockpit of a captured Heinkel He 111 undergoing examination, 2 October 1940.
© IWM (HU 104726)
Photographs

12. Crashed

Photographs

12. Crashed

Locals watch as troops and police inspect a German Messerschmitt Bf 109 which crash-landed in a field near Lewes, Sussex. The pilot, Unteroffizier Leo Zaunbrecher, was captured.

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Locals watch as troops and police inspect Messerschmitt Bf 109E-1 (W.Nr. 3367) "Red 14" of 2./JG52, which crash-landed in a wheatfield at Mays Farm, Selmeston, near Lewes in Sussex, 12 August 1940. Its pilot, Unteroffizier Leo Zaunbrecher, was captured.
© IWM (HU 50153)
Photographs

13. Chatting

Photographs

13. Chatting

Squadron Leader Peter Townsend chats with groundcrew sitting on his Hawker Hurricane at Wick, Scotland.

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British Personalities: Squadron Leader Peter Townsend DSO DFC chatting with ground crew who are seated on his Hawker Hurricane at Wick, Scotland.
© IWM (CH 87)
Photographs

14. Marking the sky

Photographs

14. Marking the sky

Patterns of condensation trails left by British and German aircraft after a dogfight, 18 September 1940.

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Operations: Pattern of condensation trails left by British and German aircraft after a dog fight.
© IWM (H 4219)
Photographs

15. 'Mickey Mouse'

Photographs

15. 'Mickey Mouse'

A member of staff at a technical college prepares to remove the 'Mickey Mouse' emblem from the rear fuselage of a shot-down German Messerschmitt Bf 109, 2 October 1940.

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A member of staff at a technical college preparing to remove the 'Mickey Mouse' staffel emblem from the rear fuselage of a shot-down Messerschmitt Bf 109E4, 'Red 2', of 3./LG 2, 2 October 1940.
© IWM (HU 88420)
Photographs

16. A place to sit

Photographs

16. A place to sit

Schoolgirls sit on part of a Nazi bomber which crashed near their farmhouse, 16 August 1940.

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Schoolgirls sitting on part of a Nazi bomber which crashed near their farmhouse.
© IWM (HU 106837)

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