Aircraft Of The Battle Of Britain

The RAF Few Against The Luftwaffe Many

Oct 12, 2008 Barry Vale

In many respects the Battle of Britain became famous as much for the aircraft that were used to fight in it as for what actually happened during that battle itself.

Luftwaffe aircraft had defeated all before them in the German invasions of France, Poland, and the low countries (as they would do again in Greece, Yugoslavia and at first in the Soviet Union). German bombers had met only token resistance, whilst the Luftwaffe fighters outfought their opponents.

RAF fighters with the help of Radar stopped the Luftwaffe. Indeed the use of German bombers had to be altered during the course of the Battle of Britain due to the unexpected vulnerability of some types of bombers when faced with the RAF's modern fighters.

German Aircraft Used In The Battle Of Britain

German bombersused in the Battle of Britain included the Dornier DO17, the Heinkel HEIII, the previously dreaded Junkers JU87 'Stuka', and the Junkers JU88. The Luftwaffe soon found out that the Dorniers and the much-vaunted Stukas were very vulnerable to attacks by British fighters, more modern than those previously encountered. It would be logical to assume that the Luftwaffe could have caused much more damage if it had more Junkers JU88s available in the Summer of 1940.

Messerschmitt BF 109, and the twin-engined two seater Messerschmitt BF 110 were the two main type of fighters used by the Luftwaffe. In the German invasions of France, and Poland the Messerschmitt BF 110 had performed well, yet in the Battle of Britain its pilots found it difficult going against the RAF's Hurricanes, and especially the spitfires.

demonstrated that the Messerschmitt BF109E was an excellent fighter plane. It comfortably outperformed the Hawker Hurricane, and was when flown by an experienced pilot on a par with the Spitfire.

The British Aircaft Used In The Battle Of Britain, Spitfires And Hurricanes Grabbed The Headlines

Hawker Hurricanes and the Supermarine Spitfires were the mainstays of the Battle of Britain for the RAF. The rugged Hurricane was able to destroy the German bombers it encountered during the Battle of Britain as well as the Messerschmitt BF 110.

Spitfireswere concentrated against the Luftwaffe's fighters, the Hurricanes dealing with German bombers. Other slower RAF fighters such as the Bleinheim and the Defiant were inadequate against the Messerschmitt BF 109 and BF 110, being transferred to night fighter squadrons or withdrawn from service completely.

German failure to gain victory during the Battle of Britain was highly significant in military, strategic, and tactical terms. The inability of the Luftwaffe to gain air supremacy over the skies of southern England meant that they could not invade Britain as the Royal Navy still had the power to destroy any German invasion fleet.

Sources:

Colvin J, (2004) Decisive Battles, Headline, London

Roberts, J.M (1996)- A History of Europe, Penguin, London

The copyright of the article Aircraft Of The Battle Of Britain in Military History is owned by Barry Vale. Permission to republish Aircraft Of The Battle Of Britain in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.
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