Our finest hour
The Battle of Britain was one of the most pivotal moments in the country's history. It marked a turning point when Britain stood alone against Hitler's seemingly unstoppable military power.
In the summer of 1940 – after Hitler swept through France and drove the British army out of the European mainland – the people of Britain made ready for a Nazi invasion. But before Hitler could conquer the country he needed to gain air superiority.
The Luftwaffe launched a large scale attack, intent on wiping out Britain's air defences. The pilots of the RAF, who became known as "The Few", stood up to wave after wave of German fighters and bombers sending a clear message to Hitler that Britain would never surrender.
By October 1940 the RAF was victorious. Hitler called off his invasion plans and the Luftwaffe switched to bombing British cities. Britain now stood as the last bastion of resistance against Nazi Germany.
Battle of the skies
Although RAF Fighter Command was outnumbered in July 1940, Britain ramped up factory production and by October Fighter Command had more fighter planes than the Luftwaffe.
CLICKABLE: Brave pilots
Click or tap on the pilots below to find out about their roles in the battle.
Churchill referred to the pilots of the Battle of Britain as “The Few”. The RAF was able to call on pilots from a variety of backgrounds and countries. As well as plucky Brits, there were many volunteers from the British Empire and refugees from Nazi-occupied countries in Europe. Each played an important role in the battle.
INTERACTIVE: Winning a dogfight
In the air battles of the Battle of Britain - speed and surprise were the key to victory.
Scrub back and forth below to see a Battle of Britain dogfight in action.
Learn more about this topic:
WW2: Did the war change life for women? document
When WW2 broke out, the women of Britain kept the country moving once again. In an age of total war, how did the conflict change their lives? And did it last?
WW2: How close did D-Day come to failure? document
Over 150,000 British, US and Canadian soldiers had landed by air and sea and pushed their way several miles inland. But what if the invasion hadn't gone to plan?
Children of World War Two. collection
In this series of short films modern children meet people who grew up during World War Two to learn about their experiences.
