Their victory saved Britain from the tyranny of Nazi Germany as they fought the most important battle this country has faced in centuries.
And now fascinating photographs show how brave Spitfire pilots defended England from invasion as Hitler’s Luftwaffe prepared to mount an seizure during the first month of the Battle of Britain.
Hitler turned his gaze towards Britain by July of 1940 after successfully invading France and holding most of Western Europe. Prime Minister Winston Churchill said at the time: ‘Hitler knows he will have to break us in this island or lose the war.’
Named Operation Sea Lion, Hitler’s plans focused on crossing the channel and mounting a successful land invasion on British soil for what would have been the first time since 1066.
These black and white images show German pilots brazenly flying across the English Channel in convey while the city of Plymouth in Devon went up in smoke as ships in the English Channel sunk after being heavily bombed.
But the RAF fought back as photographs document, with a Nazi aircraft Heinkel He 111 bomber pictured being sent to a scrapyard after being successfully shot down.
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Ready for take-off! A pilot pictured getting ready to fly during the first month of the Battle of Britain in July 1940. A new book has been published explaining the first month of the airborne conflict
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A forward machine gunner sits at his battle position in the nose of a German Heinkel He 111 bomber, while en route to England in November of 1940. The model was described as a ‘wolf in sheep’s clothing’ because a design project masqueraded the machine as civilian transport though from the beginning it was intended to be used as a fast medium bomber
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Crashed: An aircraft from the Luftwaffe in the English Channel after being shot down by an RAF Spitfire pilot
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Watch out! A German twin propelled Messerschmitt BF 110 bomber, nicknamed ‘Fliegender Haifisch’ (Flying Shark), over the English Channel, in July 1940
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Destroyed: Merchant ships bombed in the English Channel during the first month of the Battle of Britain
Under attack: A great column of smoke billowing upward from a fire started in the city of Plymouth, Devon in November 1940 as a result of heavy enemy bombardmen
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Growing victory tally: The fin of Nazi pilot Walter Oesau’s plane kept a record of the number of Spitfire’s he’d managed to destroy, keeping track of their dates
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Pictured: A Nazi plane ploughed into a row of terraced houses in England. It is not known if this was a pilot error or battle damage
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The flying pencil: A formation of Dornier Do 17Zs on their way to England in July 1940. Referred to as the Fliegender Bleistift (flying pencil), they were used as light bomber aircrafts during the Second World War
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Plotting: A Dornier crew photographed in the summer of 1940 staring intently at maps as they prepared their next mission. Hitler turned his attention towards invading England that year after occupying France and most of Western Europe
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Under fire: British ships in the English Channel come under attack after German planes dropped bombs during the Battle of Britain
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Crash landing! The remains of German pilot Lieutenant Josef Schauff’s Bf 109 of 8 found on July 24 on a British street in England. Police officers and residents look on in shock at the remains
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Here they come! A German fleet of Ju 87s escorted by Bf 109s heading towards the UK during the Battle of Britain
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Above: Ju 88 5J+ER of 7./KG4 remains near Bury St Edmunds on 30 July.
