By: Tommy Grande & Daniel Solaroli

Battle of Britain July 10th-October 1940

The Battle of Britain
Success is going from failure to
failure without a loss of enthusiasm
-Winston Churchill

Germany vs Britain RAF

Germany launches attack against Britain
(mid July 1940)
Punishment for Treaty of Versailles
Operation Sealion
World power for Germany
Take Britains colonies
Largest aerial battle in WW2!! Luftwaffe
Alliances of 1940
Axis Powers(Germany, Italy,Japan,Russia) 1939
Allies(Britain, France, Denmark, Norway,
Poland, Belgium, USA) Sept 1, 1939
 Pre-Battle
Denmark taken in 4 hours, April 9, 1940
Invasion of Norway, April 9-June 10 1940
Fall of Holland and Belgium May 10, 1940
-Holland Falls in 4-7 days
-Belgium falls May 28, 1940
Battle of France May 10- June 24 1940
British and French troops stuck at Dunkirk
Britain's Reactions (Before Battle)
May 10,1940 Winston Churchill Voted in
800 boats sent to Dunkirk
Anticipation of battle
Civilian army
Kids sent to Canada

Mine hits destroyer in

Operation Dynamo
Kids
evacuation
 The Matchup
The Statistics of Britain and Germany
 Leaders: Britain(Winston Churchill)
Born 1874, raised wealthy and famous
Urged government to be more strict on
Hitler(Germany)
Requested an early call for conscription
Most dominant figure in British politics
Thought Hitler was unintelligent
Disrupted the German military
Great inspirer to his people
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=
E4MEjgKVQPo
Germany(Adolf Hitler)
Challenged almost every European leader
Hated Jews and wanted to kill them
Focused on attacking London(The blitz)
Didnt want to fight Britain, make arrangements
Hitler must destroy the Royal Air Force
Wanted to settle in east Europe
Got frustrated due to length of battle
 Britain: Air Force(RAF)
675 planes
Hugh Dowding- Dowding system
RAF
Many new and inexperiencedAirfield
pilots graduate
11 group suffered most
- closest to channel
Pilot more important than plane
 Britain: Air Force(W.A.A.F)
Led by Katherine Trefusis Forbes
Radar plotting Radar

Maintenance of Barrage Balloon

eyes of Fighter Command
Ten weeks of training

WAAF Barrage
Balloons
 German: Air Force(Luftwaffe)
Started 1935 Goring
2000 planes available
Most experienced and skilled air force
Lead by Herman Goring
Used fake paratroopers
Total Pilots in ww2: 3.4 million
British Planes

Hurricane Mkl:
-Wood and Fabric, metal frame
- Most Important plane
Spitfire Mkl: -Less vulnerable to exploding shells
-Most modern and competitive British -Repaired fast
plane - Downed 57% of German downed planes
-Fast and highly maneuverable
-All metal
- Not too many
-Downed 43% of German downed planes
 German planes Bf 109:
- On paper the
best
-Poor fuel
load and
economy
-20 min of flight

Bf 110:
-Useless in battle
- Home escort

Bomber:
Dive Bomber:
-Twin engine
-Non-maneuverable
-273MPH
- Landing gear out
 Offensive Strategy:Germany
1. Control channel, Luftwaffe sink ships in channel
2. Eagle Day- Luftwaffe bomb radar towers,airfields
3. Destroy communication lines (trains, roads)
4. Hit coast with Dive Bombers
5. Send troops across channel
6. CONTROL THE AIR!!!
Defensive Strategy:Britain
Twice the plane production Radar
Tower
Living conditions change
Radar
-Navigational
-Targeting
Artillery on coast
 Dowding System
Observer Corps
Radar
Royal Observer Corps
Telephone/Chain Home
Interceptor Aircraft
Anti Aircraft Artillery
Purpose:Give pilots Information
Anti-Aircraft
Artillery
 Phase 1: Channel Bombing
July 10th-August 12th, 1940
Gave Germans training
Scouting British coast
Fight over convoys
Outnumbered British planes
Convoys must go at night now
30,000 tonnes of shipping lost
 Phase 2: Airfield/Port Bombing
August 12th-Sept 7th, 1940
South Ports and Airfields hit
Dover Hells-fire corner hit worst
Germans dont destroy radar
August 25th accidental London bombing

RAF
Airfield
The Berlin Bombing
Night of August 25th,1940
Artillery raise RAF altitude
No one killed, not much damage
Hitler responds with Blitz

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gXobjJhUpWE
Phase 3: The Blitz
September 7th,1940-May 21st, 1941
900 planes on first day
First 4 days 1500 dead
Government buildings fall
November 14th, 1940 Coventry hit
RAF dont do much
Hitler believes this will break British spirits
Cities Bombed
London
Southampton
Portsmouth
plymouth
Cardiff
Nottingham
Manchester
Aces of Battle
McGrath, J.(15 kills)
Lock, E.(21 kills)
Lacey, J.(18 kills)
Gray, C. (15 kills, 1 shared)
Frantisek, J.(17 kills)
Carbury, B.(15 killed, 1 shared)
Urbanowicz. W(15 kills)
The Results
Casualties
RAF-1547 aircrafts lost, 544 pilots dead
Luftwaffe- 1887 aircrafts lost,2698 pilots dead
July-December 1940 27,000 civilians
dead(British)
 Britain is the victor!!!!
Resist Luftwaffe with courage, and high spirits
Britain hang by a thread
The RAF were skilled and very lucky!!
Nazis first defeat in ww2

Success is going from

failure to failure without
a loss of enthusiasm
- Winston Churchill