I know you're saying "about bloody time!" so here we go!
Kanalkampf - Channel FightBATTLE OF BRITAIN PHASE 1
With the Battle of France now over the Battle of Britain was about to begin. In order to invade Britain, the Germans had to have control in the air over the English Channel, otherwise the RAF and the Royal Navy would have been able to destroy their invasion force before it reached the shore.
During the opening phase of the Battle of Britain the Luftwaffe conducted what they called Kanalkampf or “Channel Fight” - attacks on shipping in the English Channel. Starting on 10 July 1940, the Luftwaffe attacked shipping convoys in the Channel and Channel Ports. They also suspected the importance of the British radar masts and attacked the stations on the South coast, damaging some of them very badly.
In this stage of the battle, the Luftwaffe was in effect probing the British defenses - looking for weaknesses before a major assault could be launched to exploit them.
The Germans made daily strikes against ship convoys. By the end of this period, the RAF was winning, at least in terms of pure numbers. The Luftwaffe had lost 248 fighters and bombers to the RAF's 148 fighters lost. While these numbers were encouraging to the RAF, it became clear that sustaining such a battle of attrition was impossible. This was not so much because of the loss of fighter craft, as the British fighter production was doing a relatively good job in maintaining fighter numbers. More importantly, the loss in qualified pilots was slowly crippling the RAF. The situation was looking grim, and the real onslaught had yet to materialize.
".......the Battle of France is over. The Battle of Britain is about to begin, upon this battle depends the survival of Christian civilization, upon it depends our own British life and the long continuity of our institution and our Empire. The whole fury and might of the enemy must very soon be turned on us. Hitler knows that he will have to break us on this island or lose the war. If we can stand up to him.....all Europe may be free and the life of the world may move forward into broad sunlit uplands. But if we fail......then the whole world, including the United States......including all that we have known and cared for, will sink into the abyss of a new Dark Age.....made more sinister.....and perhaps more protracted, by the lights of perverted science. Let us therefore brace ourselves to our duties, and so bear ourselves......that if the British Empire and its Commonwealth last for a thousand years, men will still say 'This was their finest hour'."
WINSTON CHURCHILL, JUNE 18 1940
The first three weeks of the Battle:
Wednesday July 10th
Attack on Channel convoy. 70 bomber raid on Swansea and Falmouth. RAF Martlesham Heath in Suffolk bombed
Thursday July 11th
Attack on convoy by Ju 87's and Bf 110's intercepted by Hurricanes. Afternoon, Sptifires intercept Bf 109's, two of each shot down. Hurricanes attack 12 Heinkel 111's over Isle of Wight
Friday July 12th
Convoys attacked off southern England. Many small raids intercepted over a wide area.
Saturday July 13th
Two convoys attacked off Harwich, two raids on Dover driven off by RAF fighters, weather generally restricted operations
Sunday July 14th
Convoy near Dover damaged. British announce intention to attack German planes bearing red cross as these had been used for reconnaissance
Monday July 15th
Westland Aircraft factory at Yeovil bombed. Hurricanes spoil attack on convoy by light force of Do 17's
Tuesday July 16th
Convoys attacked off SE coast of England and NE coast of Scotland. Westland attacked again.
Wednesday July 17th
Bad weather halted most operations. Some attacks on shipping off the east coast.
Thursday July 18th
Goodwin Lightship sunk. Coastguard station at St. Margaret's Bay bombed. Minor attacks on convoys. 28 Bf 109's intercepted by 15 Spitfires
Friday July 19th
9 Defiants of N0. 141 Sqn attacked by 20 Bf 109's. 6 Defiants shot down. 70 bomber raid on Dover intercepted by 35 Spitfires and Hurricanes
Saturday July 20th
Ju 87's escorted by Bf 109's attacking convoy are intercepted by Spitfires of 501 Sqn.. Ginger Lacey, highest scoring RAF ace of the Battle makes his first Battle of Britain kill.
Sunday July 21st
Convoys in Channel attacked. Three squadrons drive off a raid by 20 Ju 87's and Bf 109's.
Monday July 22nd
Minor attacks on Channel shipping.
Tuesday July 23rd
East coast shipping attacked. Generally little activity.
Wednesday July 24th
Adolf Galland leads his Geschwader over England for the first time. Convoy in Thames Estuary and another near Dover attacked.
Thurdsay July 25th
60 Ju 87's escorted by Bf 109's attack convoy of 23 ships. Five ships sunk and five damaged. Five Spitfires and a squadron of Hurricanes intercept. In 15 minutes four German fighters are shot down.
Friday July 26th
Shipping off Isle of Wight attacked
Saturday July 27th
Dover harbour attacked twice. Belfast, Wick and Plymouth bombed
Sunday July 28th
Attack on Dover by 50 enemy bombers and 50 fighters driven off by two Hurricane and two Spitfire squadrons. South coast ports bombed.
Monday July 29th
Attack on convoy by 30 Ju 87's and 50 Bf 109's driven off. Harwich attack intercepted.
Tuesday July 30th
Bad weather hampered enemy activity. Convoys off Suffolk and Essex attacked.
Wednesday July 31st
Dover balloon barrage and south coast convoys attacked.
Thursday August 1st
Norwich bombed. Two raids intercepted off the south coast.
Friday August 2nd
Channel and east coast convoys attacked.
Believing that the British early warning system had been destroyed and the coastal towns sufficiently 'softened up' for an invasion, the Luftwaffe began the next stage of their plan. Phase 2 would be the elimination of the RAF in the air or on the ground. On 13 August (called Adlertag or Eagle Day by the German High Command), massive raids began on the airfields of 11 Group.
Allied AC
- Spitfire Mk I
- Hurricane Mk I
Axis AC
- Bf 109E
- Ju88
- Me 110C
Axis targets will include fleets and radar stations, with airfields in the later frames if things go well for the Axis. Allied targets will be Axis planes!
Gimme your side preferences, gents. We'll start this one May 10th!
