Battle of Britain

BATTLE OF BRITAIN, an air battle between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force (July 10, 1940-May 10, 1941), in which the RAF saved Britain from invasion and dealt Germany its first major defeat in WORLD WAR II .

The battle began with the Germans' committing 2,790 aircraft to destroy the RAF and gain air superiority for the invasion. There was a stout defense by 620 RAF Hurricanes and Spitfires. As the British planes withdrew to bases in the interior the Luftwaffe was forced to fly into the Midlands (August 19-September 6) to destroy RAF bases and fighter production centers.

This German offensive showed promise, but HITLER shifted his air strength to massed attacks on London (September 7-October 5) in retaliation for the RAF raid on the Berlin area on August 25. Because of aircraft and personnel losses almost double those of the RAF, the Luftwaffe on October 6 shifted to night attacks on London. By October 31, Hitler had canceled the invasion. Britain had won a great victory, but the battle continued, with large-scale attacks on London, Birmingham, Sheffield, Coventry, and other cities, until May 10, when Germany withdrew most of its air forces for use against Russia.

The Luftwaffe was defeated because of overconfidence, faulty tactics, inadequate bombers, and underestimation of RAF radar and fighter-control systems, but chiefly because of failure to persevere in the original objective of destroying the RAF. Britain, with a defiant will to resist, coordinated military and civil agencies, gave priority to fighter construction, and prepared a sound air-defense network. These gave Britain the margin for victory.

John W. Carpenter, III
Lt. Gen., USAF, Commander
Air University