User:Minorhistorian/Sandbox/
| Battle of Britain | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Second World War | |||||||
 An Observer Corps spotter scans the skies of London. | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United Kingdom[info 1] Canada[nb 1] |
 Germany Italy | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
|
Hugh Dowding Keith Park Trafford Leigh-Mallory C. J. Quintin Brand Richard Saul |
Hermann Göring Albert Kesselring Hugo Sperrle Hans-Jürgen Stumpff Rino Corso Fougier[5] | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 1,963 serviceable aircraft[nb 3] |
2,550 serviceable aircraft. [nb 4] [nb 5] | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
544 aircrew killed[8][9][10] 422 aircrew wounded[11] 1,547 aircraft destroyed[nb 6] |
2,698 aircrew killed[12] 1,887 aircraft destroyed[nb 7] | ||||||
References[edit]
- Footnotes
- ^ 1 RCAF Squadron was not formed under Article XV because the unit was formed in Canada in 1937. When it was sent to the UK in 1940, it was manned by RCAF (including some American) officers, paid at Canadian pay rates, and its Canadian built Hurricanes were supplied by the Canadian government. In effect 1 RCAF Sqn. was a sovereign Canadian unit under the operational control of the RAF.[2][3] By contrast the Polish and Czech manned squadrons were formed as RAF units and fell completely within the RAF's administrative and operational structure.
- ^ Quoting Luftwaffe General Werner Kreipe: Terraine states the outcome as "decisive", Kreipe describes it as a strategic failure and turning point in the Second World War. Kreipe also states the "German Air Force was bled almost to death, and suffered losses that could never be made good throughout the course of the war". Quoting Dr Klee "The invasion and subjugation of Britain was made to depend on that battle, and its outcome therefore materially influenced the further course and fate of the war as a whole".[4] see also Shulman 2004, Bungay 2000, Hough and Richards 2007, Overy 2001, Deighton 1980, Keegan 1997, Buell 2002, Terraine 1985, Shirer 1991, AJP Taylor 1974. Also: Bungay quoting Drew Middleton in The Sky Suspended Bungay 2000.
- ^ 754 single-seat fighters, 149 two-seat fighters, 560 bombers and 500 coastal aircraft. The RAF fighter strength given is for 0900 1 July 1940, while bomber strength is for 11 July 1940.[6]
- ^ Figures taken from Quartermaster General 6th Battalion returns on 10 August 1940. According to these, the Luftwaffe deployed 3,358 aircraft against Britain, of which 2,550 were serviceable. The force was made up by 934 single-seat fighters, 289 two-seat fighters, 1,481 medium bombers, 327 dive-bombers, 195 reconnaissance and 93 coastal aircraft, including unserviceable aircraft. The number of serviceable aircraft amounted to 805 single-seat fighters, 224 two-seat fighters, 998 medium bombers, 261 dive-bombers, 151 reconnaissance and 80 coastal aircraft.[7]
- ^ The Luftwaffe possessed 4,074 aircraft, but not all of these were deployed against Britain. The force was made up of 1,107 single-seat fighters, 357 two-seat fighters, 1,380 medium bombers, 428 dive-bombers, 569 reconnaissance and 233 coastal aircraft, including unserviceable aircraft. The Luftwaffe air strength given is from the Quartermaster General 6th Battalion numbers for 29 June 1940.[6]
- ^ 1,023 fighters, 376 bombers and 148 aircraft from Coastal Command.[citation needed]
- ^ 873 fighters and 1,014 bombers destroyed.[8]
- Citations
- ^ Peszke 1980, p. 134.
- ^ Canadian Airforce Units WW II Retrieved: 6 February 2010
- ^ 1 RCAF Sqn Retrieved: 6 February 2010
- ^ Terraine 1985, p. 219.
- ^ Rino Corso Fougier
- ^ a b Bungay 2000, p. 107.
- ^ Wood and Dempster 2003, p. 318.
- ^ a b Bungay p. 368.
- ^ Ramsay 1989, pp. 251–297.
- ^ Battle of Britain RAF and FAA role of honour. Retrieved: 14 July 2008
- ^ Wood and Dempster 2003, p. 309.
- ^ Bungay 2000, p. 373