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Technology :
In the 1930s, the British Air Ministry had given order for new two monoplane fighters, the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire, both of which reach Squadrons operational status in 1938. These machines differed fundamentally from the relatively slow and fragile biplanes that RAF pilots had flown in the First World War.
The RAF fighter tactics was derived from theories that were based on the concept of interception of individual bombers without protection. This was because Britain was out off reach of German fighter planes that took off from bases in Germany. Dogfights between fighters were therefore regarded as secondary, if not unlikely. In Britain, the pilots of Fighter Command flew their monoplanes in narrow V-formations and led carefully coordinated air attacks against individual or flying in low numbers enemy bombers. The operational experience collected during the Spanish Civil had already taught the Germans that this tactic was obsolete.
Luftwaffe:
Hitler had secretly built up its air force with bombers and fighters of modern monoplane designs. Taking into account the Blitzkrieg strategy, the requirements in the design of the German fighters had been considered the fight against fighters and bombers. The Messerschmitt 109 as the Hurricane and Spitfire is a fast, single-engined fighter was, for example, armed not only with two 7.92-mm machine guns, but also with two 20-mm cannons, although they had a much lower rate of fire, the impact was devastating. The engine of the 109 was equipped with fuel injection, which they were insensitive swoop against gravity. The British fighters dont had cannons, but were instead armed with eight machine guns of .303 caliber. Also fuel injection was not an issue in England; the Rolls Royce Merlin engines used for British fighters relied on the simple carburetor system with float, which later should give to German fighters superior diving properties.
During the Spanish Civil War, the Germans had developed the Schwarm, in which four fighters flew like the fingers of one outstretched hand in a very loose, staggered formation up side by side , sometimes at distances of up to 200 meters. In this way the German pilots could track the enemy without danger of collision. If the air battle has begun, the Schwarm split into two Route of pairs of planes, leader and wingman . Even today this is the basic formation for fighter planes. In Spain, Germany use for the first time the dreaded dive bombers, the Stuka, and medium bombers to support fast moving armored and infantry troops .
Benelux:
On 10 May 1940, German troops attack on Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg and France. In this surprise attack the German Panzer troops pushed through the Ardennes until then held for impenetrable and flanked the French Maginot Line. After the Allied resistance had been smashed in a short time, their remaining troops were eventually evacuated from the beaches at Dunkirk, with the Royal Navy and a flotilla of small boats rescued about 330,000 soldiers. However, they had to leave behind their entire artillery and tanks as well as large quantities of other equipment. Even the RAF "Advanced Air Striking Force" units suffered heavy losses. The British Fighter Command reasonably had retained the valuable Spitfires for home defense - while the more numerous Hurricane Squadrons were cast into the hapless French campaign.
France:
Given the fact that the First World War had been raging for five years, the fall of France was in just six weeks a huge shock to the world. The possibility of an invasion of England resulted as pleasant surprise for Hitler. Buti in the same way that prepared operations across the English Channel cause difficulties for British, cause for the Germans. Barges to transport an invasion force across the Channel had to be gathered and concentrated in Calais area. Although the German Air Force had been designed to support rapidly maneuvering forces, they now saw himself forced to operate in a strategic role. Germany had medium - heavy bombers, which did not have the range and bomb capacity of the later four-engined bombers of the Allies. Although the ME 109 is an excellent afforded weapon, it was not intended to be offensive chase plane, but for a defensive role, which she had a too limited range and offered only a 20 minute flight autonomy over London. Nevertheless, the Germans by their greater experience had clear advantages and enjoyed a numerical superiority .
Invasion plans:
As a vanguard of a planned invasion force, 13 of the 39 divisions German divisions with a strength of 19,000 man each were moved to the Channel coast. A set of plans, the "Operation Sea Lion", providing for the landing of 125,000 man on the first three days of the invasion. The German forces command agreed that the invasion would only viable if the Luftwaffe defeated the RAF and had secured the total air superiority before the departure of the invasion fleet.
Radar:
Britain had a significant advantage : The radar system, or more precisely "Radio Direction Finding " (RDF ). This new radar detection system gave additional alarm warning minutes, which allow fighters takeoff with time to reach height and position for the interceptation operations. In the summer of 1940 the radar chain around the British Isles include 22 "Chain Home" stations and 30 "Chain Home Low" stations. They were designed so that at least in theory, each approaching plane from the east or south was identified by at least two stations . The radar thus became the core of the British air defense, a network of RDF stations, posts of the Observer Corps and sector control stations centers, radio stations, transmission lines and ancillary services. Germany was to prove the significance of the system, and it should be an important factor in the Battle of Britain.
For the air defense of Great Britain, the Fighter Command divided the British Isles in four "Group" zones, each with its own subordinate commanders and headquarters, but with the HQ of Fighter Command in Bentley Prior. London and the South East were defended by the no. 11 Group, the no. 12 Group protecting the Midlands and the north, while in Northern Ireland the no. 13 Group was responsible. No. 10 Group, responsible for the West and South Wales, was created on July 8, 1940, ready for use just in time for the Battle of Britain. Although each squadron commander was responsible for its own area, he was also obliged to help calls of the no. 11 Group, since it was clear that they would bear the brunt of the fighting. Each group was further divided into sectors, each with its own station sector, the "de facto" formed a local headquarters with airfield and sector control center.
Function:
The "RDF system" worked like this:
1. The RDF station would perceive increasing enemy activity due rallying offensive formations on the France coast.
2. This information was passed on by phone land line to the underground filter space of Fighter Command. There the information were analyzed by filter staff officers, displayed on a map with grid squares and distributed through an internal intercom at the next command control center and the control centers of the respective groups.
3. When the approaching enemy aircraft had crossed the coast, the Observer Corps was responsible for the further pursuit of their flight path. The items was reported to the observers centers, which were connected by land line with the Command Control Center. From there, the local civil authorities were directed to when they had to press the air raid sirens. The tactical control, however, was delegated to groups and sectors, which in turn had immediate command of stations, squadrons and the gun control center, the omnibus anti-aircraft guns in the system.
4. In each Group control center always did at least one air traffic controller service that focused on a huge, divided into grid squares map of the Group area and its surroundings. Approaching or over-flying the area aircraft were represented by colored plaques that female soldiers of the Woman Auxiliary Air Force (WAAF) were moved with magnetized rods. The air traffic controller also had a called "totalizer" in the eye, which showed at a glance the location and degree of readiness of each Squadron .
5. The Group air traffic controller was how decided to respond to any danger, and gave the sector headquarters and the gun control center the appropriate commands .
6. The Sector Head pawned his squadrons in readiness and provided them with information and instructions for so long, until the leader of the Squadron had visual contact with the enemy. Until then, the know-how of the sector conductor theoretically should have ensured that the Squadrons were in their best attack position. If the Squadron leaders cried "Tally Ho!" the conductor knew that the battle was imminent and his work was done.
Although the brunt of the attack would obviously come to Southern England, all the armed forces of the RAF were not concentrated in this area. The Squadrons were rather spread across the country, which not only meant that the whole country was protected, but that at any time were fresh Squadrons to use. At the same time was possible withdraw weakened Squadrons to the north and re-equip.
Balance of power :
In July 1940, the forces of both sides were as follows :
RAF FIGHTER COMMAND
Spitfires
286
Hurricanes
463
Defiant
37
Blenheims
114
Total
900
LUFTWAFFE
Aircrafts in the Air Fleets 2, 3 & 5:
Fighters:
Me109
844
Me110
250
Bombers:
Ju87
280
Do17 , Ju88 , He111
1330
Long- range reconnaissance aircraft
80
Total
2.784
The Battle phases :
In terms of volume, the Luftwaffe had thus a threefold superiority over the RAF Fighter Command. Given its sensational successes, the Germans were naturally confident. However against them were the factors that their teams were tired and their aircraft in need of repair after being used continuously since May 10. These men and machines not only had to overcome the Fighter Command, but also the English Channel - each attack on demanded on two flights over sea. Downed crews above England or maybe even over the Channel had expected captivity. A downed RAF pilot could, however, expect perhaps to be already on the same day back in the air.
Officially, the Battle of Britain started on 10 July 1940. In its course it fell into identifiable phases, which were dictated by the attacker .
Phase I:
The first phase consisted of enemy attacks on convoys headed for the Channel. The Fighter Command therefore, was forced to fly hundreds of missions daily to protect the vital commercial shipping . This phase of the Battle of Britain last until 12 August. Until then, only 30.000 of nearly five million tons of ship had sunken victim of enemy air. Stuka dive bombers also attacked various "Chain Home" radar stations , including those in Pevensey, Rye , Dover and Ventnor. Since they were small and therefore difficult to hit, none of these stations was unfit for duty for more than 24 hours, and the Fighter Command never had to do without the benefits of the radar system. In this phase, the Luftwaffe lost 261 aircraft and Fighter Command 261
PHASE II:
On August 2, the Air Fleets 2 , 3 and 5 were ordered to destroy the Fighter Command . This new phase began on 13 August and focused on the southern England Fighter Command airfields. In this phase, the Germans flew from their northern bases attacks on targets in northern England, in the mistaken belief that the RAF fighters were concentrated in southern England. To her horror, she received thanks to clever laying of the Squadrons of strong Spitfire and Hurricane Groups. The Germans suffered heavy losses .
PHASE III:
Nevertheless, the airfields of Fighter Command in the No. 11 Group was heavily bombed , and the situation was critical. Reichsmarschall Göring turned his attention now to London, and on September 7, thus began the next phase. Although this was bad for the people of London, this unexpected respite allowed the Fighter Command to make the battered airfields fully operational again. During the "Battle of the airfields" the Luftwaffe had lost 629 machines, the Fighter Command 385.
London:
The Germans had convinced himself that London was the only objective that British would probably use large numbers of fighters to defense. On this basis, the German attacks now concentrated almost exclusively on the British capital .
The first in this series of air attacks on London came on Saturday afternoon, September 7. Hundreds of bombs struck in docks area east of Tower Bridge. Later, when the flames of the erupted fires lit up the night sky of London, the attacker came in a wave back to the other. The attack ended the next morning at 4:30 clock. Until then, 1,800 Londoners were killed.
04/15/1940 :
On Sunday, September 15, the Luftwaffe made her, as it turned out, final attempt to bring a decision in daylight over London. In the dawn of this great day the southern England was largely shrouded in fog, but as the sun rose higher, the mist dissipated quickly. The beautiful weather was the signal for the foreseeable attack. Before 11:00 o'clock in the morning German reconnaissance aircraft had explored the Straits of Dover and the east coast of Kent. Since the first light Spitfires and Hurricanes patrolling over the whole coast between Harwich and Land's End. Each sector station held a Squadron on standby. At 10 clock 50 British radar stations reported that an enemy reunion southeast of Boulogne. Five minutes later, all squadrons of No. 11 Group are on high alert .
At 11:33 the enemy groups had crossed the coastline between Dover and Folkestone. Three minutes later, two more enemy formations cross between Dover and South Foreland. Objectives of the attack were the London gas plants and other industrial facilities. To counter this impact, Fighter Squadron has been reinforced by five Squadrons of the so-called "Duxford Big Wing" of the no. 12 Group under the leadership of Major Douglas Bader. The attack of the Fighter Command was so huge that the enemy aircraft apparently dropped their bombs aimlessly across southern England. Two bombs fell on the Buckingham Palace. But as soon as this first mass attack had dissolved, the radar stations reported already more offensive formations. From 14:10 to14:34 o'clock at least eight other German groups flew over the English coast bound for London. After had caused fires in Woolwich, Barking, Stepney, the gas works of Stratford, West Ham, Penge and in a fuel depot in West Ham, the Luftwaffe withdrew under defenders constant attacks.
Next, 27 He111 attacked Portland and were intercepted by Spitfires of six RAF Fighter Squadrons, combined with pinpointed antiaircraft fire, undid an attack on the Supermarine factory near Southampton. This failed attacks marked the end of the fighting on the day that has since been celebrated in the UK every year as the "Battle of Britain Day". Although the pilots of Fighter Command reported downed a total of 185 enemy aircraft, more recent research has revealed a precise number of 58. However, the Fighter Command lost only 28 aircraft, and such losses could not bear it any longer quite.
09/17/1940 :
On Tuesday, September 17, the British enlightenment began with a German signal from that the plane Sea Lion invasion was postponed indefinitely. Te Battle of Britain, however, did not end with the fires of September 15 in London, though this date is undoubtedly marked a high point . The attacks on London went on for a while during the day, but by smaller groups. Successful attacks have been conducted on different targets of the British aircraft industry , although the KG55 He111 were severely beaten in an attack on the Westland Aircraft factory at Yeovil in the county of Somerset. In response, the He111 was transferred to the groups that performed the night attacks on British cities , which had already begun and continued until May 1941.
Final word:
As the night air defense was still in its infancy, British cities have suffered long in the nights attacks. Nevertheless, it was clear that the RAF Fighter Command had won the 16-week daily battle. This was the tribute to the British Prime Minister at the RAF Fighter Command :
"The gratitude of every home in our Island, in our Empire, and indeed throughout the world, except in the abodes of the guilty, goes out to the British airmen who, undaunted by odds, unwearied in their constant challenge and mortal danger, are turning the tide of the World War by their prowess and by their devotion. Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
Sokol1
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