Difference between revisions of "Battle of Britain"
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| − | The '''Battle of Britain''' was a battle in [[World War Two]] fought between the | + | The '''Battle of Britain''' was a battle in [[World War Two]] fought between the German [[Luftwaffe]] and the British [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF), after France amd the Low Countries had fallen to the armies of Nazi Germany. The battle was fought between July 1940 and May 1941, and is regarded as the Nazis' first major defeat. |
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| + | The Germans initially attempted to destroy British airfields. They saw this as a necessary prelude to a land invasion (the planned 'Operation Sealion' that never actualy occurred). They did not succeed in this: RAF 'Hurricane' and 'Spitfire' aircraft piloted by 'The Few' caused them to have heavy casualties. The Messerschmidt Bf109 fighter that the Luftwaffe had as its main support for the twin-engined Heinkel, Dornier and Junkers bombers was at the limit of its range. | ||
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| + | They then switched to targetting British cities. London suffered air raids in 'The Blitz' and Coventry, an historic city in the English Midlands, was almost destroyed by a firestorm. | ||
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Britain, Battle of}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Britain, Battle of}} | ||
[[Category:World War II Battles]] | [[Category:World War II Battles]] | ||
Revision as of 15:10, October 29, 2007
The Battle of Britain was a battle in World War Two fought between the German Luftwaffe and the British Royal Air Force (RAF), after France amd the Low Countries had fallen to the armies of Nazi Germany. The battle was fought between July 1940 and May 1941, and is regarded as the Nazis' first major defeat.
The Germans initially attempted to destroy British airfields. They saw this as a necessary prelude to a land invasion (the planned 'Operation Sealion' that never actualy occurred). They did not succeed in this: RAF 'Hurricane' and 'Spitfire' aircraft piloted by 'The Few' caused them to have heavy casualties. The Messerschmidt Bf109 fighter that the Luftwaffe had as its main support for the twin-engined Heinkel, Dornier and Junkers bombers was at the limit of its range.
They then switched to targetting British cities. London suffered air raids in 'The Blitz' and Coventry, an historic city in the English Midlands, was almost destroyed by a firestorm.
