The Battle of Britain: The Few Who Saved a Nation

"Never Was So Much Owed by So Many to So Few"

The Battle of Britain, fought between July and October 1940, was the first major military campaign fought entirely by air forces. It was a pivotal moment in the war: had the RAF failed to defend British airspace, a German invasion of Britain would have become possible.

The Pilots

RAF Fighter Command's pilots came from across the world. While the majority were British, the ranks included Polish, Czech, Canadian, South African, American, and other Allied pilots. The Polish 303 Squadron achieved the highest kill rate of any RAF squadron during the battle.

The Price

Between July and October 1940, the RAF lost 1,023 aircraft and 544 pilots were killed. The Luftwaffe lost 1,887 aircraft. The battle proved that air power alone could not defeat a determined defence, and Germany turned its attention eastward.