Our finest hour!
- Thread starter Andr3w
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I was looking earlier, and none of the obvious ones include it in their schedule. Checked the website for the War Rooms but that didn't say anything.
I guess BBC News 24 may be showing it, but it's not on the radio (or at least BBC radio).
Having studied this from a lot of angles, I'm not so sure it was Hitlers' fault per se. (Does that invoke Godwins' law already?)
During the battle of Britain the Luftwaffe were systematically destroying our early warning radar, and bombing airfields, pushing the RAF to more northerly air bases. Over time, we'd have had no answer for this, and been unable to prevent any invasion force, or keep control over the channel via the Royal Navy, as the Navy would just have been bombed to bits.
Due to an accidental bombing of London by a lost german bomber, Churchill had an excuse to retaliate and bomb Berlin. Very minor damage, but Goering/Hitler had promised that Berlin wouldn't be bombed.
That left them with 2 choices - lose face, and keep destroying the RAF, or bomb London. Nazi pride being what it was, the focus switched to bombing London, and allowed us to sort out airfields and train up new fighter pilots in time.
A very wise decision from Churchill, now that we have the benefit of hindsight. No detriment to the brave who fought in the skies, without those, no change in tactics would have helped.
They will be remembered.
Soldato
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just stood outside for 20 mins as it was supposed to do a few laps over my work
no show so far !
no show so far !
Soldato
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its an academically established truism that the RN would and regularly did kick the Kriegsmarines bottom rendering resupply a joke.
bombing was hurting really badly and was crushing our ability to project the battle to the enemy but the idea that sealion would ever have actually resulted in a captured Britain has been quashed by historians all over the world...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1527068/Battle-of-Britain-was-won-at-sea.-Discuss.html
theres loads of sources in google
in any case the german general Jodl said it best - that attacking britiain with the RN around was akin to sending his troops into the 'mincing machine'
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Man of Honour
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Indeed, the Few were the only barrier against invasion and they should be remembered always.
It is amazing to think about. While the Spitfire ( as great a machine as it was ) seems to get all the glory, the Hurricane is often overlooked and is viewed by many as a better fighter.
The Bf109 was roughly a match, with some better performance, than the Spit but was let down by poor range. Inferior BMW engines you see.
It is amazing to think about. While the Spitfire ( as great a machine as it was ) seems to get all the glory, the Hurricane is often overlooked and is viewed by many as a better fighter.
The Bf109 was roughly a match, with some better performance, than the Spit but was let down by poor range. Inferior BMW engines you see.
Associate
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The spitfire is clearly better but the Hurricane is probably the more important fighter in the Battle of Britain and was responsible for shooting down more of the enemy, both great planes.
Radar was was you say a massive factor, on of the other key points is that we were fighting in the air above our country which put our fighters well within range of their bases and fuel etc. The German fighters were fighting at long range and trying to defend bombers whilst conserving enough fuel for the return trip. The kill ratio's were pretty much reversed in the period just after the battle of Brittain when we went on the offensive making fighter sweeps over France along way from home.