PILOTS PILOTS PILOTS Source M Source M ( Hinsight History Journal 1990 ) British aircraft German aircraft destroyed destroyed July July August August 360 1, September September 361 1, Claimed by RAF Claimed by Luftwaffe Source N When German pilots were shot down and parachuted over Britain they became prisoners of war. British pilots could fight another day. Chris Culpin : Era of Second World War Source O Douglas Bader – a famous British pilot of the Battle of Britain. Bader actually flew despite having artificial legs.

Source L Britain’s new invention, RADAR ( radio detection and ranging ) gave the R.A.F. warning of German attacks. They could detect the Luftwaffe suadrons massing over France. This gave British pilots time to get into the air to intercept them. Hindsight Journal (1990) TECHNOLOGY

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY Source K – The British Supermarine Spitfire PerformanceEngine:Speed:Climb:Range:Weapons:P.S. Rolls Royce Merlin 361 mph 9 minutes 24 seconds to 20,000 feet 575 miles ( only 20 minutes in the combat zone ) 8 machine guns The Spits engine could cut out in a dive, but it was very agile and could turn sharply.

TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY Source J – The German Messerschmitt ME109 PerformanceEngine:Speed:Climb:Range:Weapons:P.S. Daimler Benz 354 mph 7 minutes 45 seconds to 20,000 feet 410 miles ( only 20 minutes in the combat zone ) 3 machine guns, 2 canons The ME109 had a fuel injection engine which meant it could go straight into a dive.

Source E Fighters lost Fighters built Germany Germany Britain Britain ( Fighter losses and production August - September 1940 ) INDUSTRY INDUSTRY INDUSTRY

Source A Fighters Bombers Luftwaffe Luftwaffe R.A.F. R.A.F. 591 NA Colin Shephard : Peace and War PROBLEMS PROBLEMS PROBLEMS Source B It took just five minutes for German aircraft to cross the Channel, but it took 15 minutes for British planes to take off and reach the height necessary to intercept them. Colin Shephard : Peace and War Source C The R.A.F. was at crisis point. There was a shortage of pilots. They were being killed faster than new ones were being trained. Many pilots were also part-timers or reservists with little training in fighter aircraft ( often only 10 hours in a Spitfire or Hurricane ). Colin Shephard : Peace and War Source D The R.A.F. lost large numbers of planes, their airfields were damaged and their pilots exhausted after making sorties ( flying missions ) day after day and often several times a day. Brooman : World War Two

Why did the R.A.F. win ‘The Battle of Britain? Paragraph 1 - Introduction: After the defeat of France, Western Europe was under Nazi control, except for Britain who stood alone. Hitler offered Churchill peace terms. Despite some members of his own Cabinet e.g. Lord Halifax, being in favour of this, Churchill refused. Hitler ordered the invasion of Britain, code named ‘Operation Sealion’ for the 6th August. The air war that took place in the summer of 1940 became known as ‘The Battle of Britain’. The German airforce (the Luftwaffe) needed to overcome the R.A.F. and take control of the skies in order to protect its Navy crossing the English Channel. German bombers protected by German fighter aircraft would attack British airfields, radar stations, factories, towns and ports all over Britain. Many observers felt Britain would be defeated in the space of two weeks and even Lord Dowding (Head of Fighter Command) said Britain needed a ‘miracle’. Paragraph 2 - Problems: WRITE ABOUT THE PROBLEMS THE R.A.F. FACED IN THE SUMMER OF Paragraph 3 - Industry: Paragraph 3 - Industry: WRITE ABOUT THE INDUSTRIAL CAUSES OF VICTORY. Paragraph 4 - Technology: WRITE ABOUT THE TECHNOLOGICAL CAUSES OF VICTORY. Paragraph 5 - Pilots: WRITE ABOUT THE PILOTS CONTRIBUTIONS TO VICTORY. Paragraph 6 – PUT CAUSES INTO AN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE. EXPLAIN YOUR CHOICES. Paragraph 7 - Conclusion: On the 17th September 1940, Hitler called off his invasion plans because the German airforce were unable to defeat the British. The R.A.F. had won ‘The Battle of Britain’. In a speech to Parliament Churchill praised the R.A.F. He said ‘Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few.’

BATTLEOFBRITAIN Summer 1940 Year 9 Assessment