Originally posted by AlfredJPruffock
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Edit: Yeah, here it is on H2G2
Goes on a bit, but includes stuff like:
The Advantage of Defence
Britain, being the defender during the Battle of Britain, had many advantages over Germany. The first, and perhaps the most important, was the range of the Messerschmitt 109 fighter. Even when flying from airfields in Northern France, the ME 109 was only able to fly as north as London before having to return to base to re-fuel, and when engaged in heavy combat, and fuel was being used up faster, London was impossible to reach. Although attempts were made to extend fighter range, including the use of disposable drop fuel tanks and even towing fighter aircraft across the channel, none succeeded, and the Luftwaffe was only able to contest air superiority across an arc covering Kent, Sussex and Surrey.
The British fighters, on the other hand, were able to stay in combat longer as their bases were nearer, and were able to land, refuel, and return to the combat arena far faster.
Germany had also been forced to quickly establish a new network of air bases across northern France. Some French airfields were used, but they needed new supplies of food, oil and spare parts to be able to function effectively. The repair organisation, vital for maintaining a large air fleet capable of launching attacks on Britain, was almost impossible to organise locally; many damaged aircraft were transported by road back to Germany in order to be repaired. The Luftwaffe, which started the Battle of Britain with 1011 fighters in August 1940, compared with Britain's 1032, had, by September, only 533 serviceable single-engine fighters, and by 1 October, only 275. Britain, on the other hand, had established airfields prepared for the conflict, and Fighter Command was able to maintain its strength at around 700 aircraft.
Another advantage was what happened to shot-down pilots during combat. As the Battle of Britain was fought over Britain, if an aircraft was shot down, and the pilot escaped unhurt, he parachuted onto British soil. If the pilot was British, he would either immediately or perhaps after a short stay in hospital, return to his airfield and the war, and be able to fly again soon afterwards. It was for this reason that German fighters were ordered to machine-gun British pilots as they parachuted out of their aircraft, or landed on the ground. German pilots, on the other hand, were captured, shipped across the Atlantic and sent to POW camps in Canada. For them, the war was over.
Britain, being the defender during the Battle of Britain, had many advantages over Germany. The first, and perhaps the most important, was the range of the Messerschmitt 109 fighter. Even when flying from airfields in Northern France, the ME 109 was only able to fly as north as London before having to return to base to re-fuel, and when engaged in heavy combat, and fuel was being used up faster, London was impossible to reach. Although attempts were made to extend fighter range, including the use of disposable drop fuel tanks and even towing fighter aircraft across the channel, none succeeded, and the Luftwaffe was only able to contest air superiority across an arc covering Kent, Sussex and Surrey.
The British fighters, on the other hand, were able to stay in combat longer as their bases were nearer, and were able to land, refuel, and return to the combat arena far faster.
Germany had also been forced to quickly establish a new network of air bases across northern France. Some French airfields were used, but they needed new supplies of food, oil and spare parts to be able to function effectively. The repair organisation, vital for maintaining a large air fleet capable of launching attacks on Britain, was almost impossible to organise locally; many damaged aircraft were transported by road back to Germany in order to be repaired. The Luftwaffe, which started the Battle of Britain with 1011 fighters in August 1940, compared with Britain's 1032, had, by September, only 533 serviceable single-engine fighters, and by 1 October, only 275. Britain, on the other hand, had established airfields prepared for the conflict, and Fighter Command was able to maintain its strength at around 700 aircraft.
Another advantage was what happened to shot-down pilots during combat. As the Battle of Britain was fought over Britain, if an aircraft was shot down, and the pilot escaped unhurt, he parachuted onto British soil. If the pilot was British, he would either immediately or perhaps after a short stay in hospital, return to his airfield and the war, and be able to fly again soon afterwards. It was for this reason that German fighters were ordered to machine-gun British pilots as they parachuted out of their aircraft, or landed on the ground. German pilots, on the other hand, were captured, shipped across the Atlantic and sent to POW camps in Canada. For them, the war was over.
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