Watch Read Play: The Battle of Britain

 “I have promised the Führer that we will clear the skies and completely destroy the RAF. I expect my orders to be obeyed!”

— Hermann Göring, Battle of Britain (1969)

Few episodes in history, let alone World War II, embody the determination and victory of the underdog quite like the Battle of Britain. Fought in the aftermath of France’s fall to Nazi armies in June 1940 and the escape of British forces at the “Miracle at Dunkirk,” the Royal Air Force’s stand against the Luftwaffe turned into a rallying point a war many thought already lost. Iconic images from the battle still resonate among history aficionados: Spitfires and Hurricanes, Stukas, the tall metal towers of the Chain Home radar stations, lines of contrails and smoke in the skies above southern England, the faces of weary pilots, the London Blitz. Immersing ourselves in the Battle of Britain can help us relate to that struggle, a small island nation standing up to a continent dominated by Nazi might, a handful of pilots and a steady stream of aircraft production against clouds of Lufwaffe bombers and fighters, the last free people of Europe holding out against cruel dictatorship. Our cultural history has mythologized much of that campaign, but on a closer look, watching films, reading books, and playing games, we can learn more about the real-life struggles people faced and better appreciate the historical events those people survived.

Watch

In a time where film stars carried movies and practical effects helped our imaginations soar along with them, 1969’s Battle of Britain certainly delivers in its epic retelling of this pivotal World War II engagement. The movie features a star-studded cast in its prime: Christopher Plummer, Michael Caine, Robert Shaw, Laurence Olivier, and Susannah York, just to scratch the tip of an all-star iceberg. Just as important were the restored or converted aircraft, Spitfires and Hurricanes, as well as Spanish versions of German period planes like the Messerschmitt Bf. 109 fighter and the Heinkel 111 bomber (portrayed by Spanish Hispano Aviacion Ha 1112 M1L “Buchon” fighters and CASA 2.111 bombers). The pilots and the planes, both heroes in the battle, are the stars of the film.

The prelude scenes of the retreat in France, the miracle at Dunkirk, and the diplomatic fallout set the stage. The title sequence — with pompous Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring inspecting long lines of Luftwaffe bombers and fighters lined up along runways in France, all to the tune of a rousing German-style march — establishes the seeming invincibility of the Luftwaffe in both the eyes of the British and the Germans themselves. Battle of Britain follows its cast of characters, from Olivier’s dour Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding down through the ranks to pilot officers, crew, and civilians as they manage through the uncertain days of the campaign. Characters and plot advance through scenes of personal drama, bureaucratic tensions, and aerial dogfights in the face of seemingly overwhelming German opposition. As the film progresses, the sequences of interceptions, cockpit shots, and downed planes becomes almost as unbearable as the constant pressures of the campaign itself; as if by watching the film and following its characters the audience itself experiences the stresses endured over such a lengthy, intense campaign

This is pure cinematic spectacle in an age well before computer generated effects visually overwhelmed movies. Fans of the stars, whether people or aircraft, can feast their eyes on more than two hours of epic cinema filled with period uniforms and the ever-amazing airplanes. I’ve enjoyed it for years, on the small screen on video and DVD, and even once on the big screen at a repertory movie house.

Read

Over the years I’ve read several excellent books covering the Battle of Britain, some more visually appealing than the more meticulously researched and annotated ones.

The earliest volume in my collection is Len Deighton and Max Hastings’ Battle of Britain from the Wordsworth Military Library Series. First published in 1980, it offers a comprehensive look at the numerous factors culminating in the campaign: the rise of strategic air power, the aircraft and technology, plans for Operation Sealion, and various operations. Well illustrated with archival photos, it demonstrates many key concepts in maps and diagrams in a different style than the typical Osprey Publishing title (see below). (Co-author Len Deighton is, of course, the renowned British espionage novelist.)

Richard Hough and Denis Richards’ The Battle of Britain: The Greatest Air Battle of World War II provided me with a comprehensive scholarly look at the campaign. The first third covers issue leading up to the engagement, while the rest leads readers through the daily missions and larger episodes. It addresses concerns of supply, pilots, weather, bureaucratic and personality conflicts, and the discrepancies between British and German casualty claims. No doubt other well-researched volumes have since released with similar comprehensive coverage of the campaign, but this one has long served me well in my game-related dabblings with the subject.

Douglas C. Dildy’s Battle of Britain 1940: The Luftwaffe’s “Eagle Attack” proves one of the more helpful recent releases (2018) mostly due to the graphically rich style of Osprey Publishing titles. While other books focus on the British perspective, Dildy’s book looks at the “Eagle Day” attacks of mid August 1940 from the German perspective, drawn both from archival sources and German accounts of the action. Osprey’s high graphic standards pack the book with detailed maps, tables, and illustrations.

Tim Clayton and Phil Craig’s Finest Hour: The Battle of Britain deserves mention for its personal accounts of the invasion of France, Dunkirk, and the Battle of Britain. Unlike the more clinical military perspectives, it offers a common person’s view of events, as they unfolded, in the turbulent and uncertain months when the Nazi war machine seemed unstoppable.

Robert Gretzyngier’s Poles in Defense of Britain: A Day-By-Day Chronology of Polish Day and Night Fighter Pilot Operations: July 1940-June 1941 deserves an “honorable mention” for a few reasons. Accounts rarely focus on Polish and foreign pilots during the Battle of Britain. As the tile suggests, this volume provides daily accounts — bolstered by excerpts from reports, logbooks, and later publications — of action in the skies as seen in the moment. And the book indulges my continuing interest in the fate of Poland and its people during World War II. I was lucky to happen upon a copy at the regional used book store.

Play

This is by no means a comprehensive list of Battle of Britain games, but a short sampling of some of the games I’ve seen and played over the years. Some games focus on the operational scope, others on the tactical nature of aerial combat. While I enjoy both, I’ve probably played more of the latter.

Wings of Glory comes to mind as one of the best games for simulating World War II aerial battles, including the Battle of Britain. At one time the manufacturer released a special starter set for the battle with two Spitfires and two Messerschmitt Bf. 109s, though I doubt it’s readily available anywhere other than secondary markets. The game features 1:200 scale models of planes on stands, with maneuvers measured on cards plotted by turn. It easily handles multiple players and numerous planes, simulating the chaos of battle as pilots veer off to engage and outmaneuver the enemy. I’m fortunate to have collected enough aircraft packs over the years to field numerous engagements between Spitfires and Hurricanes against Messerschmitt 109s and 110s, plus a host of bombers. I’ve used Wings of Glory for my “Game that Will Live in Infamy” as well as other themed battles. If you have planes on hand, it’s a great way to put them to use for various scenarios.

I own or have heard good things about a host of other games covering this theme. West End Games published John Butterfield’s solitaire RAF: August 1940: The Battle of Britain in the 1980s, a sprawling, card-driven affair with a large operational-level map. I expect one of these days I’ll open my copy and give it a go, but it’s more in line with the wargames of the last century than more modern fare. Decision Games re-implemented it in a deluxe edition as RAF: The Battle of Britain 1940. The company’s mini-folio game Eagle Day: The Battle of Britain offers a more compact and affordable operational-level game for two players in 1-2 hours, possibly better for those dabbling in the subject. Minden Games’ Battle over Britain: RAF vs Luftwaffe, Summer 1940 is one of several aerial combat games, though it’s a bit more abstracted than most and relies on a deck of cards. I played it many years ago and have a positive impression, but the play style might not be for everyone. Osprey Publishing’s Undaunted: Battle of Britain continues the Undaunted line, with some adjustments adapting a land-based game system to aerial combat.

Part of my sudden urge to write a piece on the Battle of Britain came from the arrival of a pre-order copy of the Fighters of Europe game. I’d previously featured its predecessor, Fighters of the Pacific, which impressed me with its numerous components, helpful play aids, engaging missions, and its no-dice intuitive mechanics reminiscent of aerial chess. The scenarios represent the different kind of missions flown during the battle, though limited to the planes included: Spitfires and Hurricanes, of course, Bf. 109s, He. 111s, and Ju. 88 (I would have appreciated the Junkers 87 Stuka dive bomber, with the Me 110 Zerstörer for good measure, but maybe in a supplement). I’m eager to get this to the table when things in real life calm down; having played its predecessor we’re primed to dive into a rules review before starting in on the scenarios.

I know other Battle of Britain games exist out there. I try not to feel the urge to collect and play them all, despite my enthusiasm for learning about and remembering those who fought that long campaign in the darkest days for the Allies in World War II. Like the historical moment, such games often give players the impression the Luftwaffe reigns supreme, that the RAF has little chance to defend radar stations, airfields, factories, and homes from the onslaught. But like the history, one quickly realizes the skill and perseverance of the pilots, combined with a steady stream of replacement aircraft, ultimately win the battle as England stands against the Nazis. Their victory forces Hitler to abandon his plans to invade, Operation Sealion — which depended on compete air superiority over England — and ultimately, and fatally, turn his sights east to invade Russia the following year.

“The essential arithmetic is that our young men will have to shoot down their young men at the rate of four to one, if we’re to keep pace at all.”

— Hugh Dowding, Battle of Britain (1969)