5 Battle of Britain Facts

The Battle of Britain began on 10th July, 1940 and ended on 31st October, 1940. It was one of the most significant battles of WW2 and a defining moment in Britain’s history. The battle marked a turning point in the war, halting Nazi Germany’s plans to invade Britain. It proved Hitler’s forces were not invincible and gave the British nation a vital boost in morale.

Here are five unique and interesting facts about the Battle of Britain.

1. Aircraft became iconic during the Battle of Britain

RAF Aircraft

• The Hawker Hurricane was one of the most successful fighter aircrafts deployed by the RAF. It accounted for approximately 60% of Axis losses during the Battle of Britain.¹
• The Spitfire is still to this day one of the most iconic fighter planes from WW2. It was faster and could climb higher than the Hurricane so was predominantly used to bring down the fighter escort.
• Other British planes included the Boulton Paul Defiant, Bristol Beaufighter and Bristol Blenheim.

German Luftwaffe

• The Messerschmitt bf 109 was one of the Luftwaffe’s most dangerous fighter planes. They were incredibly fast and manoeuvrable, making them a strong defence mechanism against Spitfires and Hurricanes trying to bring down Germany’s bomber planes.
• The Dornier Do 17 was another bomber plane, known as a ‘fast bomber’ or the ‘flying pencil’ due to its streamlined design. It was much better at flying at lower altitudes making it easier to evade fighter pilots.
• The Junkers Ju 88 was one of the most difficult bombs to shoot down due to its fast speed and defence turrets. 
  Other German planes included the Heinkel He 111 and Messerschmitt bf 110.
• Some Italian bombers and planes did join the German forces with limited success including the Fiat BR.20 and Fiat CR.42.

2. Famous pilots during the Battle of Britain

One of the most famous British pilots during the Battle of Britain was Douglas Bader. Before WW2, Bader’s legs were amputated as a result of a crash in 1931. Despite his legs being amputated, he learned to fly again while using prosthetic legs.

He flew both a Hurricane and Spitfire, where he was often leading a wing of fighter pilots. 

Flight Lieutenant Eric Lock was considered Britain's top-scoring ace during the Battle of Britain shooting down approximately 16 German aircraft and up to 22 confirmed kills.² 

Squadron Leader Archie McKellar achieved approximately 19 confirmed kills, and shot down five Bf 109s in a single day.³

3. Famous dog fights

The Battle of Britain is often associated with dogfights (close-range combat between fighter planes). However, only a small number of documented dogfights are known today.

One of the most famous encounters took place on July 28th, 1940, between two renowned fighter aces: Adolph "Sailor" Malan and Werner Mölders.⁴ At the time, Mölders had 25 confirmed kills, making him a notorious target. Malan is credited with shooting Mölders down, forcing him to crash-land in France. However, historians continue to debate the details, with some suggesting that Flight Lieutenant J.T. Webster may have been the pilot who actually downed Mölders.

In reality, most dogfights during the Battle of Britain were brief and typically involved groups of aircraft, rather than the prolonged one-on-one duels often portrayed in films.

4. Injuries and casualties were devastating

A constant onslaught of bullets caused many life-changing injuries and deaths on both sides. Even if pilots survived being shot at, they often suffered devastating wounds, severe burns, or, in some cases, the amputation of limbs.

To avoid crash-landing and almost certain death, some pilots chose to bail out of their planes and deploy an emergency parachute. However, if they bailed out over the Channel, they risked drowning, being shot at, or dying from the shock of the cold water.

It is estimated that approximately 1,542⁵ Allied personnel were killed and 422 wounded, while the Axis forces suffered around 2,585 killed and 736 wounded.

Civilians in cities such as London and Liverpool also endured devastating losses as a result of the bombing raids. Approximately 23,002 were killed and a further 32,138 wounded.

5. Radar was Britain’s secret weapon

Radar⁶ was used to detect approaching enemy aircraft. Radio waves bounced off the incoming planes, enabling the Royal Air Force (RAF) Fighter Command to respond quickly to bombing raids launched by the German Air Force.

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Blesma, The Limbless Veterans, are an Armed Forces charity dedicated to assisting serving and ex-Service men and women who have suffered life-changing limb loss or the use of a limb, an eye or loss of sight.

Blesma was founded in the aftermath of WW1. During WW2, it’s estimated approximately 12,000 British men and women lost limbs as a result of warfare. We were there to advocate for limbless veteran’s rights, support them with prosthetics and specialist adapted accommodation. 

¹ Source: History Hit

² Source: RAF 100

³ Source: Archie McKellar Wikipedia entry

⁴ Source: The Battle of Britain With Dilip Sarkar MBE

⁵ Source: Normandy 1944

⁶ Source: Imperial War Museum