Many would describe the Spitfire as 'the most beautiful aircraft ever designed' whilst the Hurricane would be praised 'the fighter pilot's choice' for its sturdiness and capabilities as an excellent gun platform during World War Two. Together these legendary aircraft were successfully used in 1940 to halt the might of the advancing German war machine. But many other aircraft also played their part in defending the British shores from the vast and well equipped German Luftwaffe. Just why was the Messerschmitt Bf 109E a better aircraft than the RAF's defending aircraft during the early stages of the battle? Why did the Hurricane shoot down three times more German bombers than the Spitfire? Why was the Heinkel He 111 the most successful bomber of the era? Why was the Stuka dive bomber so feared? What happened to the squadrons of Defiants that experienced such mixed fortunes that summer? How did the Gemians develop such a vast and advanced airforce in the light of the restrictions placed on them after the Treaty of Versailles? These unique videos - narrated by Robert Powell - answer these questions, examining the significance of the technology behind the different aircraft in the Battle of Britain.
We use cookies to help you navigate our website and to keep track of our promotional efforts. Some cookies are necessary for the site to operate normally while others are optional. To find out what cookies we are using please visit Cookies Policy.