The Battle of Britain

Aircraft Losses

Проанализируйте статистику боевых потерь самолетов Британией и Германией. Опишите ход воздушных сражений, основываясь на соотношении потерь противоборствующих сторон.

Познакомьтесь с переводом слов.

invasion – вторжение, налет;

raid – воздушный налет;

in revenge – в отместку;

to recover – приходить в себя;

determined – решительный

Phases the Battle of Britain	BRITAIN	GERMANY
The Opening Phase: July-August 1940
The First Phase: August 1940
The Second Phase: mid-August-September 1940
The Third Phase: September-October 1940
The Final Phase: October-November 1940
All Phases – Total Aircraft Losses

Because Britain was an island, Hitler needed control of the skies in order to invade. He ordered the Luftwaffe to destroy Britain’s Royal Air Force in preparation for an invasion from the sea.

The Battle of Britain was the first battle to be fought in the skies alone.
The numbers tell their own story very well.

The Opening Phase (July-August 1940).

The Luftwaffe makes small raids on Britain and tries to sink ships in the Channel. Total aircraft losses Britain – 73 aircrafts. Total aircraft loses Germany – 157 aircrafts.

The First Phase (August 1940).

The Luftwaffe tries to destroy the British airfields. This was the correct tactic. Up to now the British secret weapon, radar, had allowed the Royal Air Force (RAF) to concentrate their defense against the higher numbers of German aircraft. Total aircraft losses Britain – 175 aircrafts. Total aircraft loses Germany – 332 aircrafts.

The Second Phase (mid-August-September 1940).

Soon the Royal Air Force was near to collapse. There were not enough pilots, never enough sleep and too many enemy planes. Then a German bomber dropped its bombs over London by mistake. Churchill ordered raids on German cities in revenge. This angered Hitler who ordered the Luftwaffe to change tactics and destroy London. This gave the British airfields the chance to recover. Total aircraft losses Britain – 278 aircrafts. Total aircraft loses Germany – 365 aircrafts.

The Third Phase (September-October 1940).

Now the autumn had arrived, invasion was no longer a real possibility. Hitler was already planning his attack on Russia. The German pilots were skilled and brave, but their commanders were not allowed to use effective tactics. The fighters had to protect the bombers, which meant things were easier for the British. September 15: the biggest raid on London. This day is called ‘Battle of Britain Day”. Total aircraft losses Britain – 271 aircrafts. Total aircraft loses Germany – 503 aircrafts.

The Final Phase (October-November 1940).

The Germans slowly realize that they are losing the fight statistically. By the end of the month the raids are much smaller and less determined. By the middle of the next year Hitler had invaded Russia. England had been saved, it would have been impossible for Germany to invade Britain while fighting in Russia too. Total aircraft losses Britain – 133 aircrafts. Total aircraft loses Germany – 266 aircrafts.

All Phases – Total Aircraft losses (July 10^th – October 31^st).

Total aircraft losses Britain – 930 aircrafts. Total aircraft loses Germany – 1623 aircrafts.

Дата добавления: 2014-12-25