10 July 1940: The Battle of Britain officially began and would continue through 31 October.

The Germans started out by launching Channel raids (called the "Kanalkampf" or Channel War) designed to give their bomber and fighter crews experience and training in navigation and bombing techniques as well as probing British air defenses. The Channel attacks continued for two weeks before expanding into more aggressive attacks from 17 July to 12 August that included strikes on ports and coastal airfields, radar sites, and night raids on RAF bases and aircraft manufacturing plants.

From 13 August to 6 September the focus shifted to "Adlerangriff" or Eagle Attacks. This was the main effort and consisted of massive daylight attacks an RAF airfields throughout southern England until 19 August, when the Luftwaffe began large-scale night attacks on ports and industrial cities--including London suburbs.

From 7 September to 2 October is called "the Blitz": massive day and night attacks on London. The Luftwaffe discontinued day raids and from 3-31 October switched to large night raids on London with occasional daylight nuisance raids by fighter bombers intended to lure the RAFs fighters into dogfights.

For details, see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Britain

ILLUSTRATIONS: (1) 501 Sqdn. Hurricanes bounce Stukas attacking coastal shipping in the English Channel. (2) A 17 Sqdn. Hurricane tears into a 3/STG2 Ju-87 over the Dover coast on the first day of the Battle of Britain. Stukas were so slow and vulnerable that by August they were no longer used against targets in England. (3) 9/KG76 Do-17Zs skim low over the Channel en route to attack RAF Kenley. (4) 9/KG76 Do-17Zs attack RAF Kenley. (5) A damaged 9/KG76 Do-17Z flees 111 Sqdn. Hurricanes after attacking RAF Kenley. (6) A pair of Spitfire Is down a pair of Ju-87B Stukas over southern England. (7) Ju-88s hit a British airfield at low level. (8) A 19 Sqdn. Spitfire downs an Me-110C escorting Ju-87s attacking a coastal radar site in July 1940.