Let's Put this Battle of Britain thing in Historical Context..

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by David Hayward

Most of the issues you bring up would not have mattered. The RAF didn't have to respond to German attacks on the beach defenses or harbors. All it had to do was fly cover for the Royal Navy as it destroyed the German invasion fleet.

But how could it fly cover for the Royal Navy in the scenario we're discussing: where Britain lost the BoB and the Germans had air superiority over the south of England?

[David Hayward]

Originally Posted by csThor

I think you're oversimplifying the issue. The RAF would not have been able to ignore the Luftwaffe (that's a political question as well) nor would it have been able to fly adequate air cover for fleet ops over the Channel (which is where the first line of defense of the RN would be stationed, mostly destroyers and light forces) when its own airfields were north of London. Always remember that getting to a point where an aircraft is useful takes time ... even more when distances grow.

I'm not making it simple. It was simple. The only thing that could reliably stop a German invasion was the Royal Navy. The Brits would have saved enough fighters to protect the Navy long enough to destroy the invasion. They had no other choice, and they knew it. In fact, it is my understanding that they came very close to evacuating several of 11 Group's airfields during the battle.

Once the German invasion started the Royal Navy would have attacked with the remaining RAF fighters flying cover (from bases outside of Germain fighter range). They probably would have taken heavy losses, but there is no doubt that they would have wiped out any attempted German invasion.

[David Hayward]

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

But how could it fly cover for the Royal Navy in the scenario we're discussing: where Britain lost the BoB and the Germans had air superiority over the south of England?

The Brits would have based their remaining fighter out of the range of German fighters.

[SlipBall]

Originally Posted by David Hayward

The Brits would have based their remaining fighter out of the range of German fighters.

Would have been too little to late I believe.

[David Hayward]

Originally Posted by SlipBall

Would have been too little to late I believe.

Why? They only needed enough fighters to protect the fleet for about 24 hours.

[swiss]

Originally Posted by ElAurens

Almost every war college in the world had done studies and simulations of the German invasion of South East England.

Who says they would have decided for an invasion come hell or high water? If there were an offer for an armistice the German would have accepted at any point.
That was the original plan - what the f*** you want with that island anyway if the tadeoff grants you access to the resources of North Afrika without messing with the Tommies.

[Triggaaar]

Originally Posted by David Hayward

The only thing that could reliably stop a German invasion was the Royal Navy. The Brits would have saved enough fighters to protect the Navy long enough to destroy the invasion. They had no other choice, and they knew it...

Once the German invasion started the Royal Navy would have attacked with the remaining RAF fighters flying cover (from bases outside of Germain fighter range). They probably would have taken heavy losses, but there is no doubt that they would have wiped out any attempted German invasion.

It's an interesting hypothesis. I can understand that the RAF could have saved their fighters outside of the reach of German fighters. But the navy would have had to stay at a similar distance from German basis, where RAF fighters could protect it - wouldn't that have been far enough from a German invasion fleet that they could cross before the navy could get to them?

[David Hayward]

Originally Posted by Triggaaar

It's an interesting hypothesis. I can understand that the RAF could have saved their fighters outside of the reach of German fighters. But the navy would have had to stay at a similar distance from German basis, where RAF fighters could protect it - wouldn't that have been far enough from a German invasion fleet that they could cross before the navy could get to them?

I'm sure the Brits would have had enough warning that they'd be able to get their fleet into position. Keep in mind that the German invasion forces would not have nearly the same capabilities as the Allies had in 1944.

[David Hayward]

Originally Posted by cheesehawk

Would Germany have been able to keep the Wehrmacht supplied for any length of time, considering the ability of the RN to disrupt any seaborne supplies carried through the Channel?

Indeed. It wasn't the D-Day landings which won the battle for Normandy. It was the ability of the Allies to keep their armies supplied. The Germans could never have done that in 1940. Especially after the Royal Navy sank all their transports.

[Skoshi Tiger]

Originally Posted by swiss

That was the original plan - what the f*** you want with that island anyway if the tadeoff grants you access to the resources of North Afrika without messing with the Tommies.

An Island is an aircraft carrier that cannot be sunk.

By having the British Islands the Alies could continue an air offensive in the west and tie up valuable German resources that would otherwise have been used by the Germans in the invasion of Russia.

There is no way that the alies could have begun the Stategic bombing campaign that brought Germanys Industrial might to it's knees without the British Islands