How Long Was The Battle of Britain Expected to Last?

[RedToo]

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

RedToo.

[MB_Avro_UK]

Originally Posted by RedToo

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.