Battle of Britain film question
Discussion
In this scene from the film http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuI0gFUq3HY&fea... it then goes on to say the results of the nothern raids was 23 without loss. Is that an actual combat record from such a day in the B of B, or the film makers artistic license ? just curious, that's all.
Not sure about those exact numbers but it's certainly based around real events like most things in the movie.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1444117...
telegraph said:
At lunchtime on August 15, the fighter squadrons based in north-east England were scrambled to face the Luftwaffe's most concentrated attack against industrial targets in Scotland and the north of England.
Casson flew one of the 12 Spitfires which met the enemy as they crossed the Yorkshire coast. Within minutes, 616 Squadron had accounted for six of the unescorted bombers, with similar results achieved by other northern-based squadrons.
fromCasson flew one of the 12 Spitfires which met the enemy as they crossed the Yorkshire coast. Within minutes, 616 Squadron had accounted for six of the unescorted bombers, with similar results achieved by other northern-based squadrons.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/1444117...
Attacks on Northern and Scottish towns were usually conducted by bombers based in Norway. The distance from Norway to the UK was too far for single engined escort fighters to accompany the bombers so the bombers had to go in unescorted. In daylight, this proved to be virtually suicidal as the aircraft used (Heinkel He111s and Dornier Do17s/215s) were too slow and carried woefully inadequate defensive armament. The only bomber that had some chance of evading Spitfires and Hurricanes was the more modern Junkers Ju88 - but they were few in number during the Battle of Britain and even they were slower than the Spitfires and Hurricanes defending the North.
Combat claims when compared to actual losses (only possible after the war) are almost always higher, sometimes by a great deal. In the film, Lord Dowding is asked if the claimed figures (eg 70 in a day) are true or not. He says that he has more important things to worry about - if they're real, we'll win; if not, the Germans will soo be marching up Whitehall.
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