With the evacuation of the British army from Dunkirk in June 1940, the full might of the German armed forces was poised to invade these shores, but to realise his objective, Hitler had first to gain dominance of the UK skies. The Luftwaffe was confident of its ability to sweep away all before them as they had already done across Europe. However, the British and Allied pilots of RAF Fighter Command had other ideas, and to celebrate the 6oth anniversary culminating in Battle of Britain Day on September 15, Call Sign offers a potted history of those crucial days during the summer of 1940...

THE FEW
Anyone - such as the young Sam Harris - looking skywards during those desperate days would doubtless have seen Spitfires and Hurricanes in dogfights with their German adversaries in a duel to the death. For a young pilot with little protection save for a parachute and Mac West lifejacket, these combats required courage of the highest order. Travelling at 350 mph needed lightning reactions to even survive, with the risk of fire being an ever-present threat. Firepower however was important, hence Spits and Hurries had eight wing-mounted guns each, improving the pilot's chances of scoring a 'hit'.

THE EARLY DAYS
On July 10, 1940, German bombers attacked Channel and East Coast shipping. July 16 saw Hitler formally order invasion preparations to begin as raids on Allied shipping and ports intensified. On August 1, Hitler directed the Luftwaffe to "...overpower the English air force with all the power at its command, in the shortest possible time." The 

Call Sign Salutes the Battle of Britain 60th Anniversary

Model Spitfire & Hurricane act as guardians to the Battle of Britain exhibition at the RAF Museum, Hendon

THE TURNING POINT
By September 3, Hitler was having second thoughts and delayed the invasion date from 15th to the 21st. Then a sudden change in German tactics occurred. They switched their attention to bombing London at a time when hard-pressed Fighter Command was at a low ebb, gave the airfields a breather and marked a turning point in the Battle.
   The Luftwaffe's Me 109 fighter aircraft had a limited range, giving only 10 minutes or so flying time over Britain. They were therefore unable to offer effective escort to the slower and more vulnerable bombers heading for London.
   The largest-ever German attacks on September 15, harried by Fighter Command, gave the Brits undisputed victory and has since been commemorated as Battle of Britain Day. Gradually throughout the month, the attacks 

ANOTHER PHASE
October 1 brought yet another phase into the air war. Unable to break Fighter Command, Hitler sent his bombers to attack London virtually every night of the month. Lighter raids  continued during the day, but the heavy nightly bombardments meant fire crews were stretched to the limit, fatalities and casualties rose, while the lack of  sleep tested Londoners resolve to the point of exhaustion.
   By October 31, 1940, the battle had felled out with the Germans realising that we were a tough nut to crack despite everything they had thrown at us. Even so, the fight for freedom was to last another four and a half years.

OUR FINEST HOUR
To celebrate the 60th Anniversary since the real thing, the Royal Air Force Museum at Hendon have a sound and light extravaganza telling the story and featuring examples of the aircraft involved in the conflict. This additional attraction is included in the general admission price.
   For further details call 020 8205 2266.

Alan Green
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