How Long Was The Battle of Britain Expected to Last?

[MB_Avro_UK]

Hi all,

Historians generally agree that the Battle of Britain was between July and October 1940.

I read that RAF fighter pilots could not imagine an end to the Battle that they were fighting. Some expected that the Battle could last for perhaps ten years.

Best Regards,
MB_Avro.

[RedToo]

I'd like to read that. Do you have the reference?

RedToo.

[MB_Avro_UK]

I'd like to read that. Do you have the reference?

RedToo.

I wish I had the reference to hand. It was in a book. I'll have to search. But it was certainly a concern for many pilots that there was no end in sight to the Battle.

Best Regards,
MB_Avro.

[Glider]

Its an observation but I believe that the Luftwaffe considered the battle to start on the 13th August. The initial battles over the Channel were not seen as the start of the actual battle.

[philip.ed]

The German war machine was geared for blitzkrieg, and couldn't satisfy a long war of attrition, nor Hitler's thirst for Russia. The Battle of Britain was just a sideshow: a cinema propaganda story concocted to sell the British war effort to the USA. And US support was vital to ensure Britain could beat Germany in the longer run. As the battle stood, I imagine that Britain and Germany could have continued for a long time. Britain's war economy was much better managed (good boy Beaverbrook) but the resources we'd poured into the battle limited our capacity. With Hitler out of the equation, and perhaps tactics too, I think the Battle could have gone on for a long time. Otherwise it boils down to 'what ifs'. What if Germany hadn't switched to daylight bombing raids of cities? What if the Bf-109's were allowed on fighter sweeps? (which accounted for the most kills). etc etc

All hypothetical, really. But damned interesting.

[katdogfizzow]

Although I never read anything like that, everything was exaggerated at the time and rightfully so. Especially by pilots.

However, at the apex of the battle, certainly Dowding and upper leadership knew the RAF was just DAYS away from the RAF production rate losing the battle to the RAF attrition rate. The records were meticulously kept. DAYS! Luckily, erroneously and ironically beginning on Aug 15, 1940 the war expanded to retaliatory city attacks alleviating the pressure on radar, command centers and airfields.

[Al Schlageter]

However did the number of a/c increase during the Battle then?

Aircraft available for operations
month day total aircraft available

June
22 - 565
29 - 587

July
6 - 644
13 - 666
20 - 658
27 - 651

August
3 - 708
10 - 749
17 - 704
24 - 758
31 - 764

September
7 - 746
14 - 725
21 - 715
28 - 732

October
5 - 734
12 - 735
19 - 734
26 - 747

November
2 - 721

[Gabelschwanz Teufel]

Pilots and infrastructure (Radar, airfields, etc.), not planes.

[5./JG27.Farber]

Hi all,

Historians generally agree that the Battle of Britain was between July and October 1940.



Yes but...

It has always been a point of controversy as to how many phases there were in the Battle of Britain. At least in Britain all historians agree that the Battle of Britain commenced on July 10th 1940. Like a book that is broken into chapters, the Battle of Britain was broken up into phases, with each phase depicting a different approach to combat attack and defence. Some historians claim that there were four phases in the battle while others make claim to it consisting of five. Officially, there are no official phases, those listed in the many historical reference books on the battle, are how the author/s see the Battle of Britain from their own perspective.

Richard Townshend Bickers in Battle Diary - Battle of Britain claims that there were four phases.
Phase 1: Aug 8 - Aug 18. Phase 2: Aug 19 - Sept 5. Phase 3: Sept 6 - Oct 5. Phase 4: Oct 6 - 31.

Norman Franks in Fighter Command Losses also claims there were four phases but with different dates.
Phase 1: July 10 - Aug 7. Phase 2: Aug 8 - Sept 6. Phase 3: Sept 7 - 30. Phase 4: Oct 1 - Oct 31.

Derek Wood & Derek Dempster in the Narrow Margin claim that there were five phases.
Phase 1: July 10-Aug 7. Phase 2: Aug 8-23. Phase 3: Aug 24-Sept 6. Phase 4: Sept 7-30. Phase 5: Oct 1-31.

Len Deighton in Fighter-The True Story of The Battle of Britain claims four phases.
Phase 1: July 10 - Aug 11. Phase 2: Aug 12 - 23. Phase 3: Aug 24 - Sept 6. Phase 4: Sept 7 - 15.

John Ray, Battle of Britain - New Perspectives uses only three phases in his book.
Phase 1: July 10 - Aug 18. Phase 2: Aug 19 - Sept 7. Phase 3. Sept 7 - Oct 16.

All these authorities have excellent reasons for quoting the dates as they have done, and after reading their material I can see good reason as to why they have quoted the above dates in their books. I agree with John Ray in his statement that did the battle begin either in late June or the fall of France because airmen killed or wounded from those dates to what is regarded as the first day of the battle on July 10th 1940 were not regarded as to have taken part. My own opinion is that Germany turned their attentions to attack and invade Britain as soon as the battle of France was over, and as Winston Churchill announced "The Battle of France is over, I expect that the Battle of Britain is about to begin". And he was right.

The following phases are broken into the different tactics and scenarios that took place between the official dates of the Battle of Britain and these compare favorably with the dates suggested by Norman Franks and are also very close to the dates given by Wood and Dempster with the exception that they have broken phase two into two phases, which is understandable because phase two was an exceptionally hard phase on the Royal Air Force.



-I found this point quite interesting.

From this website:

http://www.historyofwar.org/index.html

This site also has interesting day by day accounts:

http://forum.netweather.tv/topic/63129-the-battle-of-britain-weather-diary/

[MB_Avro_UK]

My post reflected the view of 'the grunt at the front'.

Pilots did not have the benefit of historical hindsight nor were they aware of the grand scheme of things.

I'm trying to remember the source of my information. I thought it was from 'Life's To Short To Cry' by Spitfire pilot Tim Vigors but after a quick look it's a negative.

Hopefully, it'll come to me soon...

Maybe a pint of ale will jog the brain:)

Best Regards,
MB_Avro.

[5./JG27.Farber]

Maybe a pint of ale will jog the brain:)

I think a pint s good for anything :) Chin Chin!

[SEE]

How long was the BoB to last? Well...... too bloody long for Hitler so he cancelled the gig!

[senseispcc]

For planes to fly in WW2 they need good weather. This to support the ground landing and operation of the troops you land in enemy territory. Logical see the story of the 6 June 1944 and thereafter.
The objective for the Germans was to invade at least in part of Great Britain if this was the project of the big boss at all! Which is not certain because he already was looking in direction of the east for his next campaign.
So the duration of the battle of Britain is very vague because German did really never end it officially!

[Bobb4]

.
So the duration of the battle of Britain is very vague because German did really never end it officially!

The moment they (Germany) went defensive the Battle of Britain was over.
Speaking of battle, it is highly likely the individual pilots would have a sense of an endless struggle. The only comparison they had was WW1 and the channel was one big nomansland, so it is easy to imagine some pilots belief that it would last for ten years as conjected by the OP.
But i seriously doubt it was a universally held opinion. ;)