The Battle of Britain 1940
Order of Battle on September 15th 1940
During the Battle Of Britain, Fighter Command lost 507 aircrew killed (of 14 different nationalities) and 500 wounded, but for the loss of 915 aircraft they destroyed 1733 German planes.
In all the praise given to the Allied pilots who preserved Britain and the free world from Nazi conquest, there has been no more eloquent tribute than that paid by Winston Churchill....,
" Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few."
The Royal Air Force
11 Group / Air Vice Marshal Keith Park / Uxbridge Middlesex | ||||
SECTOR |
SQN |
AIRCRAFT |
BASE |
COMMANDER |
Biggin Hill | 72 | Spitfire | Biggin Hill | S/L A.R.Collins |
. | 92 | Spitfire | Biggin Hill | S/L F.J.Sanders |
. | 66 | Spitfire | Gravesend | S/L R.H.A.Leigh |
. | 141 | Defiant | Biggin Hill | S/L W.A.Richardson |
North Weald | 249 | Hurricane | North Weald | S/L J.Grandy |
. | 46 | Hurricane | Stapleford | S/L J.R.MacLachlan |
. | 23 | Blenheim | North Weald | S/L G.F.W.Heycock |
. | 23 half | Beaufighter | North Weald | S/L G.F.W.Heycock |
Kenley | 253 | Hurricane | Kenley | S/L E.R.Bitmead |
. | 501 | Hurricane | Kenley | S/L H.A.V.Hogan |
. | 605 | Hurricane | Croydon | S/L W.M.Churchill |
Hornchurch | 603 | Spitfire | Hornchurch | S/L G.L.Denholm |
. | 41 | Spitfire | Hornchurch | S/L R.C.Lister |
. | 222 | Spitfire | Hornchurch | S/L L.H.Hill |
. | 600 | Blenheim/Beaufighter | Hornchurch | S/L H.L.Maxwell |
Tangmere | 213 | Hurricane | Tangmere | S/L D.S.Wilson-McDonald |
. | 607 | Hurricane | Tangmere | S/L J.A.Vick |
. | 602 | Spitfire | Westhampnett | S/L A.V.R.Johnstone |
. | 23 half | Blenhein/Beaufighter | Ford | S/L G.F.W.Heycock |
Debden | 17 | Hurricane | Debden | S/L A.G.Miller |
. | 73 | Hurricane | Debden | S/L M.L.Beytagh |
257 | Hurricane | Martlesham | S/L R.Stanford-Tuck | |
25 half | Blenheim | Martlesham | S/L W.W.Loxton | |
Northolt | 1 RCAF | Hurricane | Northolt | S/L E.A.McNab |
. | 229 | Hurricane | Northolt | S/L H.J.Maguire |
. | 303* | Hurricane | Northolt | S/L R.Kellett |
264 | Defiant | Northolt | S/L G.D.Garvin | |
504 | Hurricane | Hendon | S/L J.Sample |
* 303 Squadron was the famous and
very successful Polish squadron
10 Group / Air Vice Marshal Sir Christopher Brand / Box, Wiltshire | ||||
SECTOR |
SQN |
AIRCRAFT |
BASE |
COMMANDER |
Filton | 79 | Hurricane | Pembury | S/L J.H.Heyworth |
Middle Wallop | 238 | Hurricane | Middle Wallop | S/L H.Fenton |
. | 609 | Spitfire | Warmwell | S/L H.Darley |
. | 604 | Blenheim/Beaufighter | Middle Wallop | S/L M.Anderson |
. | 152 | Spitfire | Warmwell | S/L P.Devitt |
56 | Hurricane | Boscome Down | S/L H.M.Pinfold | |
23 half | Blenheim | Middle Wallop | S/L G.F.W.Heycock | |
St Eval | 234 | Spitfire | St Eval | S/L M.V.Blake |
. | 247 | Gladiator | Roborough | F/L H.A.Chater |
Exeter | 87 | Hurricane | Exeter/Bilbury | S/L R.S.Mills |
601 | Hurricane | Filton | S/L Sir Archibald Hope |
12 Group / Air Vice Marshal Trafford Leigh-Mallory / Watnall, Nottinghamshire | ||||
SECTOR |
SQN |
AIRCRAFT |
BASE |
COMMANDER |
Duxford | 242 | Hurricane | Duxford | S/L D.Bader |
. | 302 | Hurricane | Duxford | S/L W.A.J.Satchell-S/L M.Mumler |
310 | Hurricane | Duxford | S/L G.D.M.Blackwood-S/L A.Hess | |
19 | Spitfire | Fowlmere | S/L B.J.E Lane | |
Coltishall | 74 | Spifire | Wittering | S/L A.G (Sailor) Malan |
Kirton-in-Lindsay | 616 | Spitfire | Kirton | S/L W.Burton |
. | 264 half | Defiant | Kirton | S/L G.D.Garvin |
Digby | 151 | Hurricane | Digby | Not known at this stage |
. | 611 | Spitfire | Digby | S/L J.McCoomb |
. | 29 | Blenheim/Beaufighter | Digby | S/L S.Widdows |
Wittering | 1 | Hurricane | Wittering | S/L D.A.Pemberton |
. | 266 | Spitfire | Wittering | None. S/L P.Jamison 17-9-40 |
Church Fenton | 85 | Hurricane | Church Fenton | S/L P.W.Townsend |
. | 306* | Hurricane | Church Fenton | Not known at this stage |
. | 64 | Spitfire | Leconfield | S/L D.McDonnell |
* 306 Squadron flew only one squadron that was operational.
13 Group / Air Vice Marshal Richard Saul / Newcastle, Northumberland | ||||
SECTOR |
SQN |
AIRCRAFT |
BASE |
COMMANDER |
Catterick | 54 | Spitfire | Catterick | F/L F.P.L.Dunworth |
. | 219 half | Blenheim/Beaufighter | Catterick | S/L J.H.Little |
Usworth | 43 | Hurricane | Usworth | None. S/L T.Dalton from 16-9-40 |
. | 32 | Hurricane | Acklington | S/L M.N.Crossley |
. | 610 | Spitfire | Acklington | S/L J.Ellis |
219 half | Blenheim | Acklington | S/L J.H.Little | |
Turnhouse | 3 | Hurricane | Turnhouse | S/L S.F.Godden |
. | 65 | Spitfire | Turnhouse | S/L A.L.Holland |
. | 141 | Defiant | Turnhouse | S/L W.A.Richardson |
111 | Hurricane | Drem | S/L J.M.Thompson | |
263 | Hurricane/Whirlwind | Drem | S/L T.P.Pugh | |
Dyce | 145 | Hurricane | Dyce/Montrose | S/L J.R.A.Peel |
Wick | 232 | Hurricane | Sumburgh | F/L M.M.Stephens |
Aldergrove | 245 | Hurricane | Aldergrove | S/L E.W.Whitley |
*This squadron later converted over to Whirlwind aircraft.
The Luftwaffe Order of Battle at 7th September 1940
LUFTFLOTTE 2 based in France north of the Seine, Belgium and Holland |
Messerschmitt Bf 109 single engined fighter | |||
GRUPPE |
AIRCRAFT |
AVAILABLE |
BASE |
1/JG 3 | Bf 109E | 14 | Pas de Calais |
11/JG 3 | Bf 109E | 21 | Pas de Calais |
111/JG 3 | Bf 109E | 23 | Pas de Calais |
1/JG 26 | Bf 109E | 20 | Pas de Calais |
Stab JG 1 | Bf 109E | 3 | Pas de Calais |
Stab JG 3 | Bf 109E | 3 | Pas de Calais |
Stab JG 26 | Bf 109E | 3 | Pas de Calais |
11/JG 26 | Bf 109E | 28 | Northern France |
111/JG 26 | Bf 109E | 26 | Northern France |
Stab JG 27 | Bf 109E | 4 | Etaples |
1/JG 27 | Bf 109E | 27 | Etaples |
11/JG 27 | Bf 109E | 33 | Montreuil |
111/JG 27 | Bf 109E | 27 | Sempy |
Stab JG 51 | Bf 109E | 4 | St Omer |
1/JG 51 | Bf 109E | 33 | St Omer |
11/JG 51 | Bf 109E | 13 | St Omer |
111/JG 51 | Bf 109E | 31 | Pas de Calais |
1/JG 52 | Bf 109E | 17 | Laon/Couvron |
Stab JG 52 | Bf 109E | 1 | Laon/Couvron |
11/JG 52 | Bf 109E | 23 | Pas de Calais |
111/JG 52 | Bf 109E | 16 | Pas de Calais |
Stab JG 54 | Bf 109E | 2 | Northern France |
1/JG 54 | Bf 109E | 23 | Southern Holland |
11/JG 54 | Bf 109E | 27 | Southern Holland |
111/JG 54 | Bf 109E | 23 | Southern Holland |
1/JG 77 | Bf 109E | 40 | Northern France |
Messerschmitt Bf 110 twin engined fighters | |||
GRUPPE |
AIRCRAFT |
AVAILABLE |
BASE |
Stab ZG 2 | Bf 110 | N/A | Not Known |
1/Zg 2 | Bf 110 | 10 | Amiens and Caen |
11/ZG 2 | Bf 110 | 10 | Guyancourt/Caudran |
Stab ZG 26 | Bf 110 | 3 | Not Known |
1/ZG 26 | Bf 110 | 14 | Abbeville |
11/ZG 26 | Bf 110 | 17 | Crecy-en-Ponthieu |
111/ZG 26 | Bf 110 | 17 | Barley and Arques |
V(Z)LG 1 | Bf 110 | 19 | Ligescourt |
Erprobungsgruppe 210 | Bf 110 / Bf 109E | 17 | Denain |
Long Range Reconnaissance Aircraft | |||
GRUPPE |
AIRCRAFT |
AVAILABLE |
BASE |
1(F)/ 22 | Do 17 and Bf 110 | 9 | Lille |
1(F)/ 122 | Ju 88 | 3 | Holland |
2(F)/ 122 | Ju 88 and He 111 | 9 | Brussels/Melsbruek |
3(F)/ 122 | Ju 88 and He 111 | 10 | Einhoven |
4(F)/ 122 | Ju 88, He 111 and Bf 110 | 9 | Brussels |
5(F)/ 122 | Ju 88 and He 111 | 11 | Haute-Fontaine |
Luftwaffe Bomber Units | |||
GRUPPE/AIRCRAFT |
AIRCRAFT |
AVAILABLE |
BASE |
I/KG 1 He 111 | Montdidier | ||
II/KG 1 He 111 | Montdidier | ||
III/KG 1 He 111 | Rosieres-en-Santerre | ||
I/KG 2 Do 17 | Epinoy | ||
II/KG 2 Do 17 | Arras | ||
III/KG 2 Do 17 | Cambrai | ||
I/KG 3 Do 17 | Le Culot | ||
II/KG 3 Do 17 | Antwerp/Deurne | ||
III/KG 3 Do 17 | St Truiden | ||
I/KG 4 He 111 | Soesterberg | ||
II/KG 4 He 111 | Eindhoven | ||
III/KG 4 Ju 88 | Amsterdam/Schipol | ||
I/KG 53 He 111 | Lille | ||
II/KG 53 He 111 | Lille | ||
III/KG 53 | Lille | ||
I/KG 76 Do 17 | Beauvais | ||
II/KG 76 Ju 88 | Creil | ||
III/KG 76 | Cormeilles-en- Vexin |