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Aviation History
1941
1941 - 1003.PDF
I •*•, MAY IST, 1941.-^f-.•..-. THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN (Continued) he relied greatly on dive bombers, which proved no match for our Hurri- canes. Nevertheless some damage was done both in Portland and Weymouth. This may have encouraged him, for on August 12th, early in the morning, he launched about two hundred air- craft in eleven waves against Dover. . Shortly before noon a hundred and fifty more of the enemy attacked Ports- mouth and the Isle of Wight. German losses at this stage were 182 aircraft. The 13th and 15th saw renewed heavy attacks on Portsmouth employ- ing between three hun- dred and four hundred aircraft. By this time, however, the enemy began to feel the strength of our fighters and turned the weight of his attack on their aerodromes. In this attack, on August 15th alone, 180 German machines of all types were destroyed and in the ten days of the whole phase they lost 697 air- craft against our 153. Sixty of our pilots were safe. Generally speaking, the German tactics were to make feint attacks on objectives near the coast to draw off our fighters and to follow up with the main attack 30 or 40 minutes later in the hope that our machines would be refuelling. The Me 109s and 110s were attacked from the rear because they were not, at that time, armoured. Phase 2.—August 19th to September 5th. The first five days constituted a breathing space for the Luftwaffe, but between August 24th and September 5th thirty-five major attacks were made on inland fighter aerodromes and aircraft factories. The main attack was now delivered on a wider front. Enemy tactics were also changed. The number of escorting fighters was increased and the size of bomber formations reduced. The covering fighter screen flew at very great heights. Enemy bomber formations were also protected by a box of fighters, some of which flew slightly above to a flank or in rear, others slightly above and ahead, and yet others weaving in and out between the sub-formations of the bombers. This type of formation succeeded on several occasions in breaking through the forward screens of our fighter forces by sheer weight of numbers and in attaining their objectives even after numerous casualties had been inflicted. On other occa- sions smallish formations of enemy long-range bombers deliberately left their fighter escort as soon as it had joined battle and proceeded towards South or South-West London unaccompanied. They suffered heavy casualties when engaged by.our rear rank of fighters. Eight hundred aircraft were used in a most determined effort to destroy or temporarily put out of use the aero- dromes at Kenley, North Weald, Hornchurch, Debden, Lympne, Detling, Duxford, Northolt and Biggin Hill. There were three heavy attacks on September ist, five on 2nd. one on 3rd and two on 4th and 5th. One of the attacks on the 2nd got to within ten miles of London, but most of them were once again directed against fighter aero- dromes. This was the last of the thirty-five main attacks delivered in this phase. They cost the Germans five hun- DMXFORC5 5t Albums - NORTHj WEAUD £m Hdm NORTHOLT Wsntisd Lo n d.oti DEBDEM / ^ k SEVERAlf AREAS Chelmsrord BfGGSN HIU DE71.IN& Tonbridge -f# _J^ Atarf* EOSAL VMPNE Hacttng* TOn August 24tti 110 German bombers & fighters turned before oar Squadnmt netr Maidstcne, and fled before rdey touU be engaged.
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