Battle of Britain - World War II - HISTORY.com Battle of Britain A+E Networks Introduction In the summer and fall of 1940, German and British air forces clashed in the skies over the United Kingdom, locked in the largest sustained bombing campaign to that date. A significant turning point of World War II, the Battle of Britain ended when Germany’s Luftwaffe failed to gain air superiority over the Royal Air Force despite months of targeting Britain’s air bases, military posts and, ultimately, its civilian population. Britain’s decisive victory saved the country from a ground invasion and possible occupation by German forces while proving that air power alone could be used to win a major battle. Google On June 17, 1940, the defeated French signed an armistice and quit World War II . Britain now stood alone against the power of Germany’s military forces, which had conquered most of Western Europe in less than two months. But Prime Minister Winston Churchill rallied his stubborn people and outmaneuvered those politicians who wanted to negotiate with Adolf Hitler . But Britain’s success in continuing the war would very much depend on the RAF Fighter Command’s ability to thwart the Luftwaffe’s efforts to gain air superiority.

This then would be the first all-air battle in history. Did You Know? The battle received its name from a speech Winston Churchill delivered to the British House of Commons on June 18, 1940, in which he stated "The Battle of France is over. I expect the Battle of Britain is about to begin." In fact, Britain’s situation was more favorable than most of the world recognized at the time. Britain possessed an effective air defense system, first-rate fighter pilots, and a great military leader in Air Marshal Hugh Dowding. On the other hand, the Germans had major problems: they had no navy left after the costly conquest of Norway, their army was unprepared for any form of amphibious operations, and the Luftwaffe had suffered heavy losses in the west (the first two factors made a seaborne attack on the British Isles impossible from the first). Even more serious, the Germans had poor intelligence and little idea of British vulnerabilities. They wasted most of July in waiting for a British surrender and attacked only in August. Although air strikes did substantial damage to radar sites, on August 13–15 the Luftwaffe soon abandoned that avenue and turned to attacks on RAF air bases.

A battle of attrition ensued in which both sides suffered heavy losses (an average loss of 21 percent of the RAF’s fighter pilots and 16 percent of the Luftwaffe’s fighter pilots each month during July, August, and September). For a time the advantage seemed to swing slightly in favor of the Germans, but a combination of bad intelligence and British attacks on Berlin led the Luftwaffe to change its operational approach to massive attacks on London. The first attack on London on September 7 was quite successful; the second, on September 15, failed not only with heavy losses, but also with a collapse of morale among German bomber crews when British fighters appeared in large numbers and shot down many of the Germans. As a result, Hitler permanently postponed a landing on the British Isles and suspended the Battle of Britain. The Reader’s Companion to Military History. Edited by Robert Cowley and Geoffrey Parker. Copyright © 1996 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

Tags Battle of Britain Veterans - 75 years ago: The Battle of Britain - Pictures - CBS News 75 years ago: The Battle of Britain Next Hurricane Mk I Beginning on July 10, 1940, the Nazis attempted to overcome British defenses with a massive aerial attack on England in advance of a planned invasion. But over the course of three months, the World War II engagement known as the Battle of Britain not only beat back the Luftwaffe (which was, in 1940, the largest air force in the world) but also demonstrated the superiority of British fighter aircraft and the determination of RAF pilots and crews (which hailed from across the Commonwealth and occupied Europe). Left: A Hurricane Mk I from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Biggin Hill Airfield is pictured in this 2010 file photo. Credit: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images Victory Through Air Power The Battle of Britain was the first major campaign to be fought primarily in the air. Germany's failure to achieve air superiority against the RAF proved to be the Nazis' first major setback in the war. Credit: Royal Air Force Hawker Hurricane A Hawker Hurricane, which was one of the two main fighter classes used by the RAF.

Britain's air defense network (a series of "groups") was able to detect incoming German aircraft and scramble fighters in response. Credit: Royal Air Force Spitfire A 19th squadron Spitfire. One of the most famous aircraft ever built, a total of 1,583 Spitfires were built during World War II. Credit: Royal Air Force Spitfire Mk Vb A Spitfire Mk Vb from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight flies over Biggin Hill Airfield on August 20, 2010 in London, England. Credit: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images Defiants Defiants, 264th Squadron. The RAF's Fighter Command sported an international contingent of pilots from across the British Commonwealth as well as occupied Europe. Some pilots hailed from France, Belgium, Poland and Czechoslovakia. One Czech pilot, Josef Frantisek, part of a squadron of Polish fliers, claimed 126 kills during the Battle of Britain. Credit: Royal Air Force A Supermarine Spitfire Mk Ia, 602 Squadron. Credit: Royal Air Force Gloster Gladiator To some, the Gloster Gladiator may have seemed like a holdover from an earlier generation of fighter aircraft.

But the Gladiator served an important purpose, bridging a gap between Britain's older biplanes and more modern monoplanes that were still in development. Credit: Royal Air Force Hermann Göring The commander-in-chief of the Luftwaffe, Hermann Göring, promised Hitler that the air attack against England, code-named Operation Eagle, would force British Prime Minister Winston Churchill to surrender. Credit: Wikipedia Heinkels The Luftwaffe launched its attack on Britain on July 10, 1940, beginning with the bombing of targets along the British coast and in the English Channel. Despite some damage inflicted upon Britain's air defenses, German losses were heavy and became increasingly unsustainable as the campaign worse on. Left: German Heinkels flying a sortie over the English Channel. Credit: Wikipedia Heinkel 111 The Heinkel 111 is said to have originally been designed as a fast mail and passenger aircraft for Lufthansa. The early versions of aircraft were used by the Nazis to aid Franco's rebels during the Spanish Civil War. It later saw its first major use during the invasion of France in 1940. But during the Battle of Britain, it was hampered by inadequate firepower when attacked.

(The plane also suffered from relatively low speed and poor maneuverability.) In its later versions, the plane's distinctive "greenhouse" nose made it the most easily-recognized planes sent into battle by the Luftwaffe. Credit: Wikipedia Messerschmitt 109 The German Messerschmitt 109 rates as one of the first modern fighter planes. The 109 version became the workhorse of the Luftwaffe at the start of the war and it filled a number of roles - from bomber escort to ground attack. Nearly 34,000 units were built, the most of any aircraft during the war. Credit: Wikipedia Dornier 17 Left: Germany's Dornier 17, which was originally conceived as a passenger aircraft, could fly at speeds of up to 248 mph. Prior to the Battle of Britain, the aircraft saw service in the Spanish Civil War and earned the sobriquet the "flying pencil" because of its thin, "pencil" fuselage. Credit: Wikipedia Junker Ju87 Also known as the "Stuka," the Junker Ju87 was a two-seat ground attack aircraft.

It chalked up great success during the German Blitzkrieg attacks against Poland and France. But it was also vulnerable once getting separated from its fighter escorts. After absorbing serious losses in duels with Hurricanes and Spitfires in the early stages of the Battle of Britain, the Stuka largely disappeared from the dogfights raging over the skies of Britain. Credit: Wikipedia Junker 88 The twin-engine Junker 88, known as "The Maid of all Work," was the Luftwaffe's most versatile (and long-lived) craft. It was used for a variety of bombing missions as well as for day and night fighter and reconnaissance missions. It also saw duty as a close-support aircraft, and, later, a flying bomb. Credit: Wikipedia Blenheim As the Luftwaffe bombed Britain, the RAF Bomber Command also launched bombing runs on German industry (including aircraft manufacturing plants) and airfields. Left: The Blenheim was the first RAF aircraft to fly over Germany during the Second World War. At the end of 1941, the RAF replaced its Blenheim home squadrons with a number of American-designed aircraft. But the Blenheims still saw major use in the Mediterranean, Middle and Far East campaigns.

Credit: Royal Air Force Lancaster bombers Two WWII Lancaster bombers perform a fly-past during the Eastbourne airshow off the coast at Eastbourne, southern England on August 14, 2014. The Lancaster "Thumper," which is part of the RAF Battle of Britain Memorial Flight. has been joined by the Canadian Lancaster "Vera" from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum in Ontario. Credit: BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images Eyes On The Sky In September 1940 the German shifted their focus of attack from military defense positions to London, bombing civilians and government targets. Unable to achieve air superiority, in October the German plans of invasion were postponed indefinitely. Left: An Observer Corps spotter scans the skies of the British capital. Credit: Wikipedia Hurricane Mk I The Germans' defeat in the Battle of Britain scuppered their plans for a land invasion of the British Isles. Their failure to achieve air superiority against the RAF was the Nazis' first major setback in the war. Left: A Hurricane Mk I from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight at Biggin Hill Airfield on August 20, 2010 in London, England.

Credit: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images Battle of Britain Veterans A Spitfire Mk Vb (top) and a Hurricane MK I (bottom), from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight, fly over Biggin Hill Airfield on August 20, 2010 in London, England. Credit: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images Spitfire Mk Vb Squadron Leader Duncan Mason of the Royal Air Force taxis a Spitfire Mk Vb from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight into Biggin Hill Airfield on August 20, 2010 in London, England. Credit: Matthew Lloyd/Getty Images Taking a Well-Earned Bow Battle of Britain veterans and Dame Vera Lynn pose for pictures in front of a Mark IV Supermarine Spitfire replica, owned by the Imperial War Museum outside the Churchill War Rooms museum as part of the Battle of Britain anniversary celebration on August 20, 2010 in London, England. Credit: Dan Kitwood Lady Soames Lady Soames, daughter of Winston Churchill speaks outside the Churchill War Rooms Museum at a Battle of Britain anniversary celebration on August 20, 2010 in London, England.

Credit: Dan Kitwood/Getty Images Flyover Three Spitfires and two Hurricanes pass over Buckingham Palace to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain on July 10, 2015 in London, England. Credit: Pool/Getty Images Royal Viewing From left: Sophie, Countess of Wessex, Prince Edward, Count of Wessex, Prince William, The Duke of Cambridge, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, The Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, Prince Michael of Kent, Princess Alexandra and Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester watch the fly-past from the balcony of Buckingham Palace to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain on July 10, 2015 in London, England. Credit: Pool/Getty Images Spitfire and Typoon A Spitfire flies with an RAF Typoon over Buckingham Palace to mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain in London, on July 10, 2015.

Credit: BEN STANSALL/AFP/Getty Images The Battle of Britain begins - Jul 10, 1940 - HISTORY.com The Battle of Britain begins Share this: The Battle of Britain begins Author The Battle of Britain begins URL Publisher A+E Networks On this day in 1940, the Germans begin the first in a long series of bombing raids against Great Britain, as the Battle of Britain, which will last three and a half months, begins. After the occupation of France by Germany, Britain knew it was only a matter of time before the Axis power turned its sights across the Channel. And on July 10, 120 German bombers and fighters struck a British shipping convoy in that very Channel, while 70 more bombers attacked dockyard installations in South Wales. Although Britain had far fewer fighters than the Germans–600 to 1,300–it had a few advantages, such as an effective radar system, which made the prospects of a German sneak attack unlikely. Britain also produced superior quality aircraft.

Its Spitfires could turn tighter than Germany’s ME109s, enabling it to better elude pursuers; and its Hurricanes could carry 40mm cannon, and would shoot down, with its American Browning machine guns, over 1,500 Luftwaffe aircraft. The German single-engine fighters had a limited flight radius, and its bombers lacked the bomb-load capacity necessary to unleash permanent devastation on their targets. Britain also had the advantage of unified focus, while German infighting caused missteps in timing; they also suffered from poor intelligence. But in the opening days of battle, Britain was in immediate need of two things: a collective stiff upper lip–and aluminum. A plea was made by the government to turn in all available aluminum to the Ministry of Aircraft Production. “We will turn your pots and pans into Spitfires and Hurricanes,” the ministry declared. And they did. Related Videos Great Air Battles: The Battle of Britain BACKGROUND: After the unexpected and unthinkably rapid falls, first of Poland, then France, Britain stood alone against the apparently unstoppable German war machine. Invasion seemed imminent. In fact, plans for a German invasion, named Operation Sea Lion, were in the works.

The key to this plan was the establishment of German air superiority over southern England and the English Channel. That task fell to Goering and his Luftwaffe. What ensued would be the world's first strategic bombing campaign and the world's first battle entirely decided in the air, the Battle of Britain. While the Luftwaffe had in excess of 2,000 combat ready aircraft (as opposed to the 675 in British inventory) from France to Norway that could strike England, this would be the first time they would be used in a non support manner. In other words, up to this point the German Air Forces had played a support role to the German Ground forces. German planes were designed for short distance tactical strikes and local air superiority. They lacked strategic heavy bombers. More importantly, they lacked quality fighters with the fuel endurance to act as escorts to the bombers they did have (NOTE: the yellow area in the maps is the area that could be reached by German fighters). In regards to the British, they were out numbered and were facing a much more experienced, better equipped fighting force. They did, however, have a few important factors on their side.

First, and most importantly, Britain had a very well developed Radar system and coordination method that allowed for early warning and attack of incoming German forces. Secondly, they were fighting over friendly territory. If a German was shot down, if he survived, he was captured and lost to his side. In the case of the British, a downed pilot could be up the next day and in some cases later even that same day. Third, the British were joined by a group of over 140 excellently trained Polish Air Force veterans of the September 1939 campaign. Initially, on account of their scanty English and because they represented an unknown quantity, the British command was reluctant to use their skills. In time, however, that changed and the Polish pilots contributed significantly to the British victory, downing over 200 of the 1100 planes the Luftwaffe lost during the battle. PLANES: Germans: Bf 109: A truly great fighter for that time period. On paper, it is the best fighter, from either side, to take part in the battle. It's fatal flaw was its poor fuel load and fuel economy.

It was limited to 20 minutes over English territory before having to return home. Bf 110: This was the only German fighter with the fuel economy for home - target - home escort. It was not, however, capable of true fighter performance and it biggest role in the Battle was the numbers it added to the German "downed" column. Bombers: Since Germany had failed to develop a long-range, four-engine heavy bomber, the bombing tasks fell primarily to a pair of twin-engine medium bombers, the Heinkel He 111 and the Dornier Do 17. The He 111, known as Die Spaten, or "The Spade", could carry a bomb load of two tons, yet only manage a top speed of 273 miles per hour. The Do 17, nicknamed "The Flying Pencil" because of its thin fuselage, was slightly slower at 265 miles per hour, and could carry only half the bombload of a He 111. Despite their recent successes in the German conquest of Europe, the He 111 and the Do 17 were out-moded by 1940 standards.

The newer, faster medium bomber, the Junkers Ju 88, began arriving at the airfields in France in mid-1940, but not in large enough numbers to completely replace the older bombers. The main German dive bomber in 1940 was the Junkers Ju 87 Sturzkampfflugzeug (dive-attack aircraft). Otherwise known as the Stuka, the Ju 87 was successful in the Polish campaign, where its precise bombing ability and the scream from its landing gear-mounted sirens, called the "trumpets of Jericho", made it a favorite of the Nazi propaganda machine. But since most of the Polish air force had been destroyed on the ground, the Stuka had faced little opposition from fighters that could exploit its slow airspeed. The German philosophy on Bomber escort, which required the fighters to fly with the bombers in close formation, crippled the Bf 109, and is probably one of the biggest reasons the 109 did as poorly as is did. Great Britain: Hurricane MkI: By far the most important British aircraft during the Battle. It was constructed of wood and fabric, covering a strong metal tube framework.

As a result, it was less vulnerable to exploding cannon shells, and could be repaired rapidly on the ground even when it was severely damaged. It was easily flown and easily maintained, exactly what the British needed. During the battle it was generally tasked with attacking the German Bombers, but it did also establish itself as a dogfighter close enough in attributes to the 109 that pilot skill usually made the difference. Hurricanes accounted for 57% of downed German aircraft during the Battle. Spitfire MkI: First in the long line of legendary Spitfires, the Mk I was the most modern, most competitive fighter in the British inventory. The all-metal Spitfire was more agile than the Hurricane, and was the only British fighter which could confront the Bf 109 on completely equal terms. Fast and highly maneuverable, it was based on a radical, oval-wing design that was far ahead of its time. Normally tasked with fighter suppression, it did a magnificent job and quickly made a name for itself on both sides of the Channel. However, its role (43% of downed German aircraft) was seriously hindered by its limited numbers.

THE BATTLE: The Opening Phase: Kanalkampf The German plan to gain air superiority called for an all-out attack by the Luftwaffe on the RAF fighter airfields, called Adlertag, or Eagle Day. The exact date for Adlertag was to be called by Hitler. Until that date, it was decided that the Luftwaffe would attack British domestic shipping in the English Channel in the hopes of drawing out the RAF and depleting there fighter strength. Beginning July 10, and lasting until early August, the Germans made daily strikes against ship convoys. By the end of this period, the RAF was winning, at least in terms of pure numbers. The Luftwaffe had lost 248 fighters and bombers to the RAF's 148 fighters lost. While these numbers were encouraging to the RAF, it became clear that sustaining such a battle of attrition was impossible. This was not so much because of the loss of fighter craft, as the British fighter production was doing a relatively good job in maintaining fighter numbers. More importantly, the loss in qualified pilots was slowly crippling the RAF. The situation was looking grim, and the real onslaught had yet to materialize.

Aldertag: Eagle Day On August 1, Fuhrer Directive No.17 was issued from Hitler's headquarters. It read, in part, "I intend to intensify air and sea warfare against the English homeland...The Luftwaffe is to overpower the Royal Air Force...in the shortest possible time...The intensification of the air war may begin on or after 5 August. The exact time is to be decided by the Air Force after the completion of preparations and in light of the weather". The Nazi war machine was again gearing up for battle, Operation Sea Lion. The plan developed by Luftwaffe command called for a concerted strike against British radar installations (even though most of the Luftwaffe commanders erroneously felt the British Radar Defense System (RDS) was of little consequence). This was to be followed by the actual Aldertag mission the next day against RAF Fighter Command bases. August 10th was set as Eagle Day. Due to bad weather, the radar strike did not occur until the 12th and this mission was successful. Even though the Germans lost more aircraft than the RAF, they did succeed in downing a significant portion of the RDS.

Eagle day itself saw concerted strikes against airfields all over Southern England. These strikes were deemed a great success by the Luftwaffe, who announced they had destroyed 84 fighters and 8 air bases. In truth, it was a failure. The British were able to get all but one of there RDS stations back up which allowed some warning of the oncoming onslaught and allowed them to shot down 46 German aircraft with the loss of only 13 of their own. Also, the bases that were hit belonged to Coastal Command, not Fighter Command. The Eagle had been shot down. The 14th, and 15th saw similar action with 75 German craft downed to only 35 British. Witold Urbanowicz, Commander of the Polish No. 303 Kosciuszko Squadron which recorded the highest number of victories (125) during the Battle of Britain. Urbanowicz himself recorded 17 victories, the second highest of any pilot in the battle A Change in Strategy: At this point, Goering changed the Luftwaffe Strategy. First, he ruled against any further strikes on the RDS deeming them ineffective.

Second, it was decided that Stukas would be phased out of the battle, as it had become obvious they were entirely too vulnerable to attack. Third, Bf 110s were moved from there fighter role to a strictly dive bomber role. Additionally, it was decided that they would now have Bf 109 fighter escorts (fighters escorting fighters, an odd use of resources that functionally made the 110s range equal to that of the 109). Lastly, a top priority of destroying RAF fighters was adopted. Toward this end, most 109's were transferred to the German Airbase at Pas de Calais, the closest geographical point to Britain. Also toward that end, smaller bomber groups would be used with heavier fighter escort in the hopes of drawing the RAF into a loaded fight. This would be the strategy that would almost win the Battle of Britain for Germany This strategy was followed for the next few weeks, and even though the British were shooting down more German planes than they were losing, the Luftwaffe was slowly gaining the advantage. The Germans could afford to loose the planes and pilots, the RAF could not. Fate would then step in in favor of the British.

In the very early morning hours of August 25, a lone He 111, who had veared off course, would accidently bomb central London against Hitler's standing orders not to do so. Little did this lost pilot know his actions would alter the course of the battle, and maybe even the war itself. The British Response Outraged by such an attack on a completely civilian target, Churchill order a retaliatory strike on Berlin for that night. Goering himself had boasted that such a raid would never happen. He had once stated jokingly that "you can call me Meyer" if it ever occurs. Much to the amazement of stunned Berliners, on the night of August 25th, 81 British Hampden bombers appeared over Berlin and delivered a blow to the hart of the Nazi regime. It was ineffective as a military strike, but people were indeed calling Goering "Meyer", a deep insult to the anti-Semetic leader. Goering promised it would never happen again, but additional strike did repeatedly come. As stated above, these missions were useless in terms of military value, but they hit the Nazi's in probably their most vulnerable spot, Hitler's Ego.

He could not allow such an intrusion into the Fatherland go unanswered. He immediately gave a radio address in which he stated "if the British bomb our cities, we will bury theirs", and, against the advise of his generals, issued orders to Goering to institute a merciless bombing campaign against London. The End of The Battle While the bombing of London was painful for the British, it did give a much needed break to the RAF forces. Bases and factories could be repaired, plane inventory could be replaced. With their increasing strength, the RAF continued to deal the Germans horrendous losses, finally to the point that the Luftwaffe could no longer afford to absorb the punishment. Eventually, all daylight bombing missions were cancelled, and Operation Sea Lion was indefinitely postponed. Night bombing raids would continue (The Blitz), but the Battle of Britain was over, the British had won. Thanks to one lone bomber, a successful "impossible" mission, and Hitler's ego, the last bastion of freedom in Europe had been saved. Contributed by Rob Wyatt M.D. Questions, Comments, Suggestions Email the Author Info-Poland a clearinghouse of information about Poland, Polish Universities, Polish Studies, etc. © 2000 Polish Academic Information Center, University at Buffalo.

All rights reserved. BBC iWonder - What was the secret to winning the Battle of Britain? BBC iWonder 1. Our finest hour Presented byJames HollandHistorian The Battle of Britain was one of the most pivotal moments in the country's history. It marked a turning point when Britain stood alone against Hitler's seemingly unstoppable military power. In the summer of 1940 – after Hitler swept through France and drove the British army out of the European mainland - the people of Britain made ready for a Nazi invasion. But before Hitler could conquer the country he needed to gain air superiority. The Luftwaffe launched a large scale attack, intent on wiping out Britain's air defences. The pilots of the RAF, who became known as "The Few", stood up to wave after wave of German fighters and bombers sending a clear message to Hitler that Britain would never surrender. By October 1940 the RAF was victorious. Hitler called off his invasion plans and the Luftwaffe switched to bombing British cities. Britain now stood as the last bastion of resistance against Nazi Germany. 2.

Battle of the skies Although RAF Fighter Command was outnumbered in July 1940, Britain ramped up factory production and by October Fighter Command had more fighter planes than the Luftwaffe. 3. CLICKABLE: Brave pilots Click on the pilots below to find out about their roles in the battle. This content uses functionality that is not supported by your current browser. Consider upgrading your browser. Churchill referred to the pilots of the Battle of Britain as “The Few”. The RAF was able to call on pilots from a variety of backgrounds and countries. As well as plucky Brits, there were many volunteers from the British Empire and refugees from Nazi-occupied countries in Europe. Each played an important role in the battle. 4. INTERACTIVE: Winning a dogfight Scrub back and forth below to see a Battle of Britain dogfight in action. This content uses functionality that is not supported by your current browser. Consider upgrading your browser. In the air battles of the Battle of Britain - speed and surprise were the key to victory. 5. How did Britain support "The Few"? The pilots of the Battle of Britain were supported by a huge number of workers on the ground. Without their help the battle would not have been won.

Ground crew Battle of Britain (1969) - IMDb IMDb There was an error trying to load your rating for this title. Some parts of this page won't work property. Please reload or try later. X Beta I'm Watching This! Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. Error In 1940, the British Royal Air Force fights a desperate battle to prevent the Luftwaffe from gaining air superiority over the English Channel as a prelude to a possible Axis invasion of the UK. Director: a list of 25 titles created 31 Aug 2011 a list of 25 titles created 18 Sep 2011 a list of 48 titles created 20 Oct 2012 a list of 23 titles created 03 Feb 2014 a list of 23 titles created 8 months ago Title: Battle of Britain (1969) 7/10 Want to share IMDb's rating on your own site? Use the HTML below. You must be a registered user to use the IMDb rating plugin. Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win.

See more awards » Photos Operation Market Garden, September 1944: The Allies attempt to capture several strategically important bridges in the Netherlands in the hope of breaking the German lines. However, mismanagement and poor planning result in its failure. Director: Richard Attenborough A dramatization of Nazi Germany's final Western Front counterattack of World War II. Director: Ken Annakin As the Allied armies close in, the Germans decide to blow up the last Rhine bridge, trapping their own men on the wrong side. But will it happen? Director: John Guillermin Directors: Ken Annakin, Andrew Marton, and 3 more credits » Stars: John Wayne, Robert Ryan, Richard Burton A dramatization of the battle that was widely heralded as a turning point of the Pacific Theatre of World War II. Director: Jack Smight A German plot to kidnap Winston Churchill unfolds at the height of World War II. Director: John Sturges A British team is sent to cross occupied Greek territory and destroy the massive German gun emplacement that commands a key sea channel. Director: J.

Lee Thompson Directors: Richard Fleischer, Kinji Fukasaku, and 1 more credit » Stars: Martin Balsam, Sô Yamamura, Jason Robards Allied agents stage a daring raid on a castle where the Nazis are holding an American General prisoner... but that's not all that's really going on. Director: Brian G. Hutton The World War II story of the British Navy's effort to defeat Nazi Germany's most powerful warship. Director: Lewis Gilbert During World War II, a rebellious U.S. Army Major is assigned a dozen convicted murderers to train and lead them into a mass assassination mission of German officers. Director: Robert Aldrich Outnumbered British soldiers do battle with Zulu warriors at Rorke's Drift. Director: Cy Endfield Edit Storyline Historical reenactment of the air war in the early days of World War Two for control of the skies over Britain as the new Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force determine whether or not an invasion can take place.

Written by John Vogel <jlvogel@comcast.net> 24 October 1969 (USA) See more » Also Known As: The Battle of Britain See more » Filming Locations: Mono (35 mm prints)| 70 mm 6-Track (70 mm prints) (French release) Color: Did You Know? Trivia When Air Marshal Göring asks what the two German officers needed to win the battle, the second officer says, "A squadron of Spitfires." That scene was based on Adolf Galland 's request to Hermann Göring during the actual event. See more » Goofs The subtitles on the screen incorrectly translate a German fighter pilot as saying, "Indiana break left." What he actually says is "Indians, break left," Indians being common Luftwaffe fighter code for enemy aircraft. See more » Quotes (London, England) – See all my reviews Top drawer war film (indeed THE top notch war flick), in which our chaps (the Brits) give Jerry what-for over the coast of Blighty.

Stiff upper lip rules OK as they scramble their Spits into the blue autumn sky, exchange tally-ho's over the intercom, bag a couple of Messerschmitts- and then head home for tea and buns. OK, I'm biased. My grandfather fought in the battle. However it reminds us what really matters is not Holywood celeb tittle-tattle, but real life and death struggles for our world. As usual the Brits do it with class and dignity. Yes, the impression in the film that all foreigners are clearly bloody (except the Yanks, Canadians, and Anzacs) is perhaps a little dated. However it is a tribute to the heroism of a remarkable generation at a truly momentous point in history. 55 of 79 people found this review helpful. Was this review helpful to you?

Yes Battle of Britain: Flypast for 75th anniversary of 'Hardest Day' - BBC News BBC News Battle of Britain: Flypast for 75th anniversary of 'Hardest Day' 18 August 2015 Close share panel Media captionThe WW2 aircraft took off from Biggin Hill one after the other before getting into formation Aircraft including 18 Spitfires and six Hurricanes have flown over south-east England to mark 75 years since the Battle of Britain's "Hardest Day". The event recalled 18 August 1940, when Bromley's Biggin Hill and other South East military bases came under attack from the German Luftwaffe. It became known as the "hardest day" as both sides recorded their greatest loss of aircraft during the battle. The Battle of Britain lasted throughout the summer of 1940.

Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The special commemoration honoured the pilots engaged in the 1940 battle Media captionOrganiser Colin Hitchin: "We need to hear those Merlin engines roaring" Image copyright Getty Images Image caption The day was marked with three flight formations Image caption Crowds of more than 3,000 people flocked to the airport to see the aircraft It was the first major campaign fought entirely in the air. BBC reporter Clark Ainsworth at Biggin Hill What a sight. Watching those iconic World War Two aircraft take to the skies above Biggin Hill was something to behold. Spectators gasped as they then circled the airfield in formation. The roar of the Merlin engines and the grace with which the Hurricane and especially the Spitfires, climb, bank, dive and weave through the air is a joy to behold. All the aircraft have now landed with spectators invited to see them up close and take pictures. And although they are beautiful to look at on the ground, it is in the sky where they truly shine.

The Hardest Day commemorations in pictures The Luftwaffe flew 850 sorties, involving 2,200 aircrew, while the RAF resisted with 927 sorties, involving 600 aircrew. The RAF and German Air Force lost 136 aircraft in one day. The special commemoration, staged from the former RAF airfield at Biggin Hill, now a commercial airport, honours the pilots, engineers, armourers, operations staff and ground crews who faced attack that day. Battle of Britain 3,000 aircrew served with RAF Fighter Command 20% were from the British Dominions and occupied European or neutral countries 544 RAF Fighter Command pilots were killed 2,500 Luftwaffe aircrew were killed Source: RAF BBC iWonder - Why do we love the Spitfire? More than 3,000 spectators went to Biggin Hill to see the aircraft including squadron leader Tony Pickering who flew on the "Hardest Day". Image caption Tony Pickering said he always thought about the people in the factories who made the aircraft He said: "I don't think I was ever afraid.

You've got to make sure you don't get too enthusiastic. You couldn't take on the German air force by yourself. "It's lovely to see these aircraft. Beautifully designed aircraft and there's no doubt about it. The people who made them... they did a good job." Will Curtis, managing director of Biggin Hill Airport, said it was remarkable that the Spitfire was "still a joy to fly", adding that "real credit" goes to its designer RJ Mitchell.

He said: "It is as finely tuned and as well-balanced, if not better balanced, than a modern aircraft." The day was marked with three flight formations, which took off from the airport at 13:00 BST: Grice flight: Eight aircraft will head south and west to fly over Surrey and West Sussex to the Solent, Isle of Wight, Portsmouth and return via Dunsfold Mortimer flight: Eight aircraft will head over Eynsford, Chelsfield, Detling, Farningham, Downe and RAF Kenley Hamlyn flight: Eight aircraft will fly over Sevenoaks, Yalding, Ashford and the former RAF Hawkinge, with a special salute over the Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-Le-Ferne on the white cliffs of Dover On 10 July, aircraft including Hurricanes and Typhoons took part in a flypast over Buckingham Palace as part of the 75th anniversary. Image caption Men in period costume re-enacting a fighter pilot scramble at Biggin Hill Airport

Question: In which year was the Battle of Britain?
Answer: 1940