Air Fronts: Theaters of Operation - ETO -  AP 156: Battle of Britain

THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN. Air Ministry Pamphlet 156; Issued by the Department of the Air Member for Training, August 1943

Foreword:

During the summer and autumn of 1940 the Royal Air Force fought a battle in defence of the British Isles against the highly trained and numerically superior German Air Force. The result was decisive, and the historian will assess the true importance -of this victory in preserving world civilization.

The spearhead of the force to meet this assault by the Luftwaffe was made up of our fighter squadrons, some of which had already seen much service in the Battle of France. The skill, great courage and devotion to duty displayed by the fighter force against what seemed to be overwhelming odds are generally well known. But the Battle of Britain was one in which, in all its phases, all Commands of the Royal Air Force in this country took an important and essential part. This pamphlet is a brief record of this sustained and co-ordinated effort by the whole of the Royal Air Force at that time in this country - an effort that led to the complete frustration of the German plans.

Table of Contents

Introduction    

MACHINERY OF OPERATION

I.  Organization    

II.  Maintenance  

III. Aircraft   

THE BATTLE

IV. German Plans  

V. The Battle for the English Channel and the South Coast (10 July - 18 August) 

VI. The Battle of London (19 August-27 September)

VII. The Battle of Attrition (28 September -  31 October) 

VIII. Conclusion 

IX. Retrospect

Appendix A. Data of German Aircraft

Appendix B. Diagram of Luftflotte Areas