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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.
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.
Edited 2 mo ago
Posted 2 mo ago
Responses: 6
RAF defense of Britain proved that the Luftwaffe did not rule the skies and prevented a full scale invasion.
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MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
Exactly so. It also came close to getting Goering to change his name to Meier. ;-0
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Peter Townsend's Duel of Eagles is a good book on the battle as well as both the UK's and Germany's development of air forces during and after WWI.
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MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
There are a number of great books on the subject. Len Deighton's "Fighter" is excellent, as is Alfred Price's "The Hardest Day"--about the events of 18 Aug. 1940--and James Holland's "The Battle of Britain: Five Months That Changed History, May-October 1940." For a look at the Americans who participated, see Alex Kershaw's "The Few." . . .
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Battle of Britain - The final battle
Largely orchestral scene from the 1969 movie 'Battle of Britain' which depicts the RAF doing battle in the skies with the German Luftwaffe in the closing sta...
https://youtu.be/gTv_4DPQUnQ?si=dBy2QWYitEQD7vl7
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Eugene Chu
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Lt Col Charlie Brown Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen CPT Jack Durish LTC Stephen F. CSM Charles Hayden 1SG Russell Scott 1SG Patrick Burke SFC Dr. Jesus Garcia-Arce, Psy.D SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC John Davis LTC Trent Klug CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD Col (Join to see) 1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel CPT (Join to see)
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Eugene Chu
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Lt Col Charlie Brown Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen CPT Jack Durish LTC Stephen F. CSM Charles Hayden 1SG Russell Scott 1SG Patrick Burke SFC Dr. Jesus Garcia-Arce, Psy.D SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC John Davis LTC Trent Klug CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD Col (Join to see) 1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel CPT (Join to see)
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MAJ Dale E. Wilson, Ph.D.
Excellent share. I watched that movie in a theater when it first came out and loved it . . .
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LTC (Join to see)
Battle of Britain - Repeat Please
Squadron 303
SPC Joel Carter Sr It's on the major streaming services. I think it's free on disney plus.
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Eugene Chu
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Lt Col Charlie Brown Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen CPT Jack Durish LTC Stephen F. CSM Charles Hayden 1SG Russell Scott 1SG Patrick Burke SFC Dr. Jesus Garcia-Arce, Psy.D SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC John Davis LTC Trent Klug CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD Col (Join to see) 1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel CPT (Join to see)
https://youtu.be/ANYzkJwxTwQ?si=dSQ6SlwxQ3CDx3nx
PO1 William "Chip" Nagel LTC Eugene Chu
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter Lt Col Charlie Brown Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen CPT Jack Durish LTC Stephen F. CSM Charles Hayden 1SG Russell Scott 1SG Patrick Burke SFC Dr. Jesus Garcia-Arce, Psy.D SFC Joe S. Davis Jr., MSM, DSL SFC John Davis LTC Trent Klug CDR Andrew McMenamin, PhD Col (Join to see) 1st Lt Padre Dave Poedel CPT (Join to see)
https://youtu.be/ANYzkJwxTwQ?si=dSQ6SlwxQ3CDx3nx
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