World War II air battle between German and UK
air forces over Britain lasting from 10 July
to 12 Oct 1940. At the outset the Germans had
the advantage because they had seized
airfields in the Netherlands, Belgium, and
France, which were basically safe from attack
and from which SE England was within easy
range. On 1 Aug 1940 the Luftwaffe had about
4,500 aircraft of all kinds, compared to
about 3,000 for the RAF. The Battle of
Britain had been intended as a preliminary to
the German invasion plan Seelowe (Sea Lion),
which Hitler indefinitely postponed 17 Sept
and abandoned 10 Oct, choosing instead to
invade the USSR. The Battle of Britain has
been divided into five phases: 10 July-7 Aug,
the preliminary phase; 8-23 Aug, attack on
coastal targets; 24 Aug-6 Sept, attack on
Fighter Command airfields; 7-30 Sept,
daylight attack on London, chiefly by heavy
bombers; and 1-31 Oct, daylight attack on
London, chiefly by fighter-bombers. The main
battle was between some 600
Hurricanes and Spitfires and the Luftwaffe's
800 Messerschmidt 109s and 1,000 bombers
(Dornier 17s, Heinkel 111s, and Junkers 88s).
Losses Aug-Sept were, for the RAF: 832
fighters totally destroyed; for the
Luftwaffe: 668 fighters and some 700 bombers
and other aircraft.