World War II: The 13 Hours That Saved Britain | Free Documentary History

[@davidpietarila699]

It’s disappointing to know that I will never have the opportunity to buy one of these men a drink.

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

You can put some flowers on their graves. Many are completely forgotten.

[@realdjoffski]

You can buy their children or famililes a drink mate

[@davidpietarila699]

@@realdjoffski their families didn’t do what they did.

[@havennewbowtow8835]

My teacher last year of primary school in 1972, Mr Walker was in the thick of this battle. He flew a spitfire, he flew throughout the war. He instilled a deep appreciation in me for the sacrifice of WW2 and in particular the RAF. He was a fine human being.

[@ernestdougherty3162]

Thanks for sharing that info with us and God bless him and all all of the men and women who served in World War II to keep us free my both my grandfathers my dad's father was in the European theater and my grandfather on my mother's side was in the Pacific Theater he work for General MacArthur both great man LED great lives much appreciation even today I thank them everyday even though they're no longer with us

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Hats off to Mr Walker and his ilk. I too was educated in the 1970s by men who had fought during WW2. A tough inner city school, where NONE dare show disrespect in front of the teachers (and strangely enough no accusations of historical sexual abuse either). How we need their like back amongst us again.

[@havennewbowtow8835]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 couldn’t agree more, there is a clip on YT featuring Ian Wright and the teacher who pretty much fathered him through deep routed problems. It is so very powerful in its simplicity.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@havennewbowtow8835 Absolutely Havennew. My physics teacher in particular was a father figure to many. An ex-RAF officer from the late 1940s / early 1950s. He took no messing but also supported and directed us "clueless teenagers" in our behavior & attitudes. Sure it didn't work with everyone, but I served 30 years in the fire service, and others went on to succesful careers in the forces & other sectors, and I personally put a lot of my grounding down to him. Unfortunately the divisive globalist powers that be are putting "wimmin" into the ascendancy especially in education.... in my view its just another thread of the imbalance thats contributing to the rapid decline in society.

[@havennewbowtow8835]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 that’s exactly why many boys become emancipated men. The transition from boy to man is now directed by feminine principals. There’s a price to pay on this, when these women need masculine men they won’t be around.

[@williamgrant8890]

Im so proud of that generation if it wasnt for these brave men and women I probably wouldnt be here. Thank you ❤

[@andrewnicholson4811]

and look at us now ... was it worth it ??

[@daveballin]

​@@andrewnicholson4811 Boy are you a bitter little person...

[@spideywhiplash]

This is one of the BEST, if not the BEST, War documentary. So well made and with the constant subtitles telling whom each person was and their age during the bombings. Keeps one immersed in all their story's. Can't get better than that!

[@kurtbjorn3841]

I was a U.S. Cold War fighter pilot. We knew very well the history of the BOB, and to this day, my respect for the British people is undiminished. I spent time at Mildenhall... the pubs were infamous. ;-) In my old age, I fly Boeings across the Atlantic, and I love my time spent in London, such history. U.K. airmen were/are superb aviators, always will be.

[@Bcheneir]

Thank you for you’re service in the Cold War you are appreciated

[@fangslaughter1198]

Did you ever make it to our lovely little Airforce base in Germany. CFB Baden Soellingen?

[@kurtbjorn3841]

@@fangslaughter1198 - No, CFB Lahr was our host at that time when in Germany. The Canadians were just crazy fun guys, could out-drink and out-crud everybody!

[@fangslaughter1198]

@@kurtbjorn3841 Lahr was our Big Base. Baden was tiny. 4CAG was based there. As well as an Infantry Battalion. I was a private in the infantry. I actually spent 30 days in Lahr. I was in detention. Lol. A guest of the Queen. I loved Germany. Cold War I, was hell. But someone had to go overseas and party for 4 years. Lol. But it was a stressful time. We did excellent training. NATO/Canada spared no expense. 80% live fire. Thanks for your service Sir.

[@christophercooper5843]

Thank you for your service sir

[@hazeldmello5800]

The most amazing, courageous, gutsy people in the world, the Brits, the Brits, the Brits. Salute you all, men, women and children. God bless.

[@rabwil]

it was the Polish who saved little england, Brit is a term used by ignorant people,no such country as britain 'prove me wrong or admit your thick.

[@comptpublic8149]

The Channel stand alone but the french have build a tunnel.

[@alanjm1234]

​@@rabwilif the Poles were so fantastic why didn't they save Poland? The Polish squadron were excellent, but don't be ridiculous. The RAF had pilots from all over the world, and all contributed, but it's an obvious fact that the vast majority were British.

[@jacksimpson-rogers1069]

Not just the Brits, although most of the "common" people were as courageous, but the London folk took and refused to be beaten to an extent that none of the rest of us had to face. Even so, when my family moved from Scotland to Northern Ireland, in 1950, my teacher Ernest Montgomery, "Monty", of Physics and eventually Advanced Mathematics had been heroic enough to interrupt his teaching career in Northern Ireland, move to the far more dangerous SE of England, and work on the radar that in no small way brought victory to the RAF in the Battle of Britain.

[@westwonic]

​@@rabwil'Your thick' ? Pot /kettle.....

[@johnfiler6448]

Really powerful and well presented video on the Battle of Britain. We must never forget that many of these RAF pilots gave their tomorrow for our today. Well done and thank you.

[@CameTo]

I remember walking over the Moors in North West England with my grandad as a kid, and he looked over and said "I used to play up here when I was your age, and when war started, I'd come up here and see Manchester over there just a big orange glow as it burned night after night. It was then I decieded I'd join the RAF and help get my own back." And like many, very shortly after that birthday, he joined the RAF as a mechanic. Many stories

[@hughwebb2834]

Weather

[@colinfrancis1337]

Liverpool too.

[@alcoholfree6381]

A remembrance of a time when a great country rose up to stand and repulse evil. Tough times reveal tough people. I’m sure that we, the USA, will some day in the future, have to stand and show our meddle. Watching this give me hope. Thanks for giving us this inspirational documentary!

[@arkadas1411]

A "great country" whose all the riches are stolen by force, murder, man slaughter, slavery and colonialism to name a few Yeah, a "GREAT COUNTRY"

[@effingandjeffing7569]

@@arkadas1411 So much hate in you. Your life must be miserable.

[@ranchman12]

@@arkadas1411 Damn Marxist Revolutionaries. Y'all are next on our list.

[@CW-rx2js]

@@effingandjeffing7569 what she is saying is true..Britain did do many evil deeds themselves...ask the countries they colonised. But in this case, they did stand up to Nazism

[@Inappropriately-Appropriate]

Lol.... Look at you now.... With that old hairsniffer in charge, you don't stand a chance!

[@mickkent1826]

First class documentary, commentary by the participants of both sides really gives a clear eyed perspective of what it was like at the time. I will never get tired of listening to Bob Doe.

[@petermalloy5360]

Commonwealth pilot's from Poland,SthAfrica,Australia,NewZealand and French fought alongside The British pilots to win this Huge Cause.

[@patryan1375]

@petermalloy5360 According to public records, there were very few French pilots in the battle. You missed out a very important group both in Fighter and Bomber command - the Canadians. They also flew reconnaissance flights on difficult and dangerous missions to photograph the Normandy beaches before D-day. They also sent us food when we were starving. My mother started every meal with a prayer "God bless Canada for sending us this food." it's one of my most vivid memories of the war and i was only two when it started. 🇨🇦💕

[@WilliamEvans-xy5og]

Poland is a good friend Australia New Zealand and Canada and south Africa are common wealth Many respects

[@kensimdall705]

547 Pilots from other nations to be exact, who flew alongside over 2500 british pilots. Heroes every one !

[@davidstegne2044]

Truly their finest hour

[@cherimolina2121]

Thanks. Great documentary! Thank You..all who served and still serve! God Bless!

[@carolempluckrose4188]

When I joined up in 1971 we had Master Pilots who were NCO pilots during The Battle of Britain. They were no longer flying but had become Air Traffic Controllers. We all said that they had forgotten more than we would ever know. They were highly regarded by each and every one of us in ATC in the '70's.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Thank God for their service, and also thank you for yours as well Carole. All the best.

[@saintlybeginnings]

This was a very interesting point of view documentary. I don’t think I’ve ever seen one that utilizes the views of the children of a time of war in such a way. It was interesting the things they remembered/ felt/ experienced.

[@morenofranco9235]

As an ex-Army Flight Lieutenant, now 70, looking at all these 'old people' give their accounts - I am forced to remember that I was 14, or 18 once. I still feel 24. But age is age - and Wisdom always has It's Own Story. Thanks, Free Documentary.

[@caustic7480]

Thank you for your service to us all 🫶🫡

[@alexdahn5329]

I never tire of WWII stories. It fills me with horror. We had a very lucky , no miraculous, escape.

[@craigwilcox4403]

The stories of WW II fill me with admiration for the many men and women who had the temerity, the guts, to fight Evil on so many varied fronts.

[@Chainyanker007]

In those days the Spitfire pilots had a life expectancy of 4 weeks, yet there was no end to the no. of men who volunteered to become fighter pilots. They might not have known the life expectancy but surely they knew the great danger they faced. Very brave men.

[@abhishekgaur761]

It's worth watching Thank you

[@MilitaryTalkGuy]

excellent documentary. I know the USA and Uk were once at war but that was many generations ago. Now, I feel like they are our closest allies in the world. What those fighter pilots did for the UK that day was awe inspiring. The spitfire and hurricane both played such an important role in stopping the German advance.

[@WilliamEvans-xy5og]

USA and UK was a brother dispute

[@thomasnewton8997]

Thank you to those brave men in the RAF in WW2

[@needley]

Thank you. The footage is amazing.

[@eastlothian98]

clips from The Battle of Britain movie, you're welcome

[@elizabethnicoll]

im such proud Brit of all of those brave young men who sacrificed their lives so we have lived ours In relative freedom. To anyone who lost a grandfather or father at the time they deserved every medal they earned! my dad was born in 1940 mum 1946 Sadly neither is her anymore.

[@elizabethnicoll]

And now the Scottish fishy minister wants to leave the union for personal goals, I already voted NO.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@elizabethnicoll The most important thing to do Elizabeth is to attempt to "deprogram" young people from the globalist BS that they're now brainwashed with in UK schools.

[@marksheridan4421]

Thank god for Stuffy Dowding and Keith Park

[@clareshaughnessy2745]

I’ve watched this whole thing with a huge lump in my throat. Truly the greatest generation. Oh, and The guy who said ‘we’re going to have chicken tonight, dave’ was David Jason’s brother

[@brothersofthetrident2647]

Oh boy this is amazing

[@jondenmark9577]

Alot of braves boys died on that day RIP lads no HEROES

[@andrewbrimner8823]

Sometimes being underestimated becomes the turning point of a war courage honour anger uncontrallable desire to reak vengence

[@robertglennon657]

We couldn't have done it without the check and polish flyers God bless them all

[@garyseeseverything8615]

No even with Polish RAF could not win without ability to build massive amounts of planes. America saved Britain with lend lease and American high octanes for slow spitfires man up take 2 min to google what I’m saying. Over 20 countries came to the help of RAF

[@robertglennon657]

@@garyseeseverything8615 Yes witch the ukstopped paying back America 10 years ago.

[@garyseeseverything8615]

@@robertglennon657 I love the ww2 Polish however the British constantly lied about war events that never happened. To say the spitfire in 1940 war equal to a me109e4 is joke darn plane didn’t even have fuel injection and was pumped American 100 octanes because the Brits were doomed from the start.

[@robertglennon657]

Is that why when gouring asked his airforce whst they needed to best the raf he said give me a squadron of spitfires.?

[@garyseeseverything8615]

@@robertglennon657 you don’t read because if you did your laugh too! They all were a upset with Goering for tying up the fighters to fly along side bombers. Obviously puts the me109 at a huge disadvantage so they said since we’re all gonna get shot down anyways might as well be sitting in cheaply made British made spitfires so we don’t throw away quality German planes.

[@enkilm]

And the guns of Spitfires were peashooters instead of the later cannons that they were equipped and they were also given armour behind the pilot due to a speech by Churchill.

[@stephenmichalski2643]

Darn.....almost watched on the very day.....oh well......have to watch again in 2 days.....always an amazing story.

[@farzadsaremi66]

I love it thanks 👍👍🙏🙏

[@XNY_Music]

You can fly a Spitfire if you get Microsoft Flight Simulator and an XBOX Series X to play it on. It's the only way you can experience the speed and agility of that incredible machine, not to mention revel in the awesome sound of its Rolls Royce Merlin engine.

[@westoneuler4065]

War Thunder my man. It’s a fun game🤙🏼

[@nixbronowski5822]

To think..Certain Families, groups and organisations sat back, watched this carnage..and profited.Makes me sick to my stomach..because it still happens even today.

[@craigwilcox4403]

Dad was a USN officer, and we relocated to the south of London in September, 1951. Had my 6th birthday on the ship going over. There were still huge piles of brick rubble here and there, gaping holes where houses or businesses had been. We had gas masks hanfing in the garage, and air raid drills about once a month - there was a concrete shelter across the street where we would all go. Usually, several women would serve tea. Many things were still on ration, and I remember the day that sugar went off ration, and one could buy candy without your little booklet of ration tickets. Guess what I spent me weekly 6 p on??!!

[@ghandimauler]

Sadly, in the sad days of the present, we may yet find a reason to be worried about missile attacks from a dictator... I know the Allies were tired at the end of 1945, but Churchill maybe had the right idea to take the Russians on after Germany fell. He recognized the Soviet system as a threat to world security. Of course, the Allies may well not have won, but it wasn't something anyone had the stomach for by 1945. Now this generations kids, and the Ukrainians, may yet see war in Europe again (or still for the Ukrainians already fighting).

[@craigwilcox4403]

@@ghandimauler Totally agree. Patton was another who wanted to proceed East. Six or seven years of war, however, had worn many down to a nub. Stalin had the manpower, but lacked logistics, and without help from the USA, probably would have succumbed to the western allies. The world had had enough of war, and many thought Stalin was a good leader. Wasn't for a few years that his totality of evil became known.

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

I was born in 1949 and grew up in Coventry, a very heavily bombed city. In the 1950s there were 'bomb sites' everywhere. Rows of houses with one or two missing. There were bomb craters everywhere, as kids we used to play in them, some were 20 feet deep.

[@pmullins1495]

"Allies" murdered Gen Patton BECAUSE of his advocacy to push Russia out of Western Europe back across Russian borders. Patton understood the Soviet menace . Appeasers prevailed (& became overnight wealthy?)

[@musashidanmcgrath]

Even more remarkable was that that, prior to this, the Luftwaffe had destroyed the entire French air force and 1,000 - mostly fighters - RAF aircraft in the battle for main land Europe. My grandfather was in the RAF for the whole war. He barely escaped Dunkirk on the very last convoy.

[@mitchellhawkes22]

13 hours that saved Britain. Not to mention the 13,000 hours that preceded it. Or the 130,000 hours that followed it. Don't forget about those other hours.

[@WilliamEvans-xy5og]

Who can forget the other 12hours no one Many respects from 🇬🇧

[@wolveneyeswolveneyes9099]

Yanks would have you believe it was their entry into the war which saved Britain, but in truth we collectively as a nation owe our salvation to those courageous , valiant and heroic boy's of the royal air force who stood against the entire Luftwaffe. We owe so much to so few.

[@tellyonthewall8751]

AND the members of the empire .. Canada, Australian, New Zeeland and India delivered more to the fighting than the yanks, but you only hear "the bloody yank tribute" .. not to forget the 2 Polish squadrons (best score of sqdr's in RAF) the Norwegian, the French and so on ... Look at the ending .. the rolling text in the '69 film, there you see the mix

[@nickdanger3802]

@@tellyonthewall8751 "The Second Battle of El Alamein was a turning point in the North African campaign. It ended the long fight for the Western Desert, and was the only great land battle won by the British and Commonwealth forces without direct American participation." BBC Fact File : Second Battle of El Alamein on line

[@nickdanger3802]

Where did the RAF's avgas come from? What machine guns were in Hurries and Spits?

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@nickdanger3802 Where did the Luftwaffe's fuel come from? How bout the Aluminium for its airframes, and the steel in its weapons?

[@nickdanger3802]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 1938 "Let the House remember that we buy our aviation spirit mostly from the United States or South America, or the Dutch East Indies. Supplies from the Dutch East Indies would have to run the gauntlet of the Mediterranean and, as to the supplies from the United States, under the Neutrality Act of 1937, the export from the United States of what can be clearly defined as munitions, is prohibited in case of war, to either of the combatants, whether the combatant is a victim or an aggressor. The President has also power to prohibit the export of things which are in his judgment ancillary to the conduct of war. It is clear that under these conditions the export of aviation spirit to this country from the United States might well be prohibited, if we were involved in a war, even though we were the victims and not the aggressors." below 1444 Hansard FINANCE BILL. HC Deb 26 May 1938, on line

[@sheanpickstock5435]

there were also commonwealt pilots from all around the Caribbean that's assisted in efforts but it's sad to say not much is known even from the Bahamas

[@philiphawley2915]

Years ago I met Mr. Eubanks from Jamaica who flew in Coastal Command from the Isle of Man. He won the Distinguished Flying Medal for sinking U boats, but he would never speak about it. A silent hero and so quiet and modest.

[@stanzanossi]

Without the brave Polish and Czech airmen, helping the British, Germany would have likely won the Battle.of Britain! A lot of English people like to think they did it themselves!!!😮 And you are right, Shean, not much credit was given to the fliers from the Caribbean, either!!!

[@lisacz6607]

Typical anti English comment but if the pole hadn’t been in the Battle of Britain we would still have won and my surname is polish as fought in ww2 then settled in England after the war and met my gran

[@patryan1375]

​@@stanzanossiyou are wrong. BRITISH PEOPLE (NOT JUST ENGLISH) praised the Poles and Czech pilots, many of whom stayed on in Britain after the war.

[@kidcreole9421]

You will find most of that generation often didn't talk openly about what they did during the war. My Polish grandfather didn't talk much about the war or his time in the army in Britain or what happened to him back home in Poland when the Germans invaded. You had to try to get him to open up a bit. They were the silent generation and didn't brag about it and didn't see themselves as heroes. All I got from ex-servicemen from that time was it was their duty to defend their homeland and to do the right thing and most of them didn't think twice about volunteering and joining up. Everyone including civilians saw it as their duty to do something to help within their capabilities. The only time my grandad really talked about his time in the polish army in Britain is when he was interviewed at great lengths by a journalist about it for the Lancashire Evening Post with fellow ex polish servicemen back in the 1990s.

[@72jonz]

Be aware, that the Messerschmidt BF-109 aircraft shown in this documentary are not German built aircraft with authentic Daimler-Benz DB601 engines . . . . They are Spanish built BF-109s under license from Germany and they have Rolls-Royce Merlin engines, yes, the same engines used in British Spitfires, Hurricanes and American Mustangs ! . . . . Just for 'full disclosure' F Y I . . . . .

[@hannahdavies7388]

This really is good

[@nasilemak868]

13:04 Nice squardon code there

[@douglassauvageau7262]

Command, Control, Communications, Computations, Intelligence, Surveillance, and Recognizance (C4ISR) superiority. An immutable principle which multiplies available kinetics for the defense or the offense.

[@ursus9104]

Britains peak in history was the Second World War which began in earnest that year in 1940. Young lads with a crash course in fighter flying were immediately thrown into the air combat and all too many of them unfortunately had to sacrifice their lives on their first missions. As their numbers began to dwindle, an appeal was issued to the entire World and Commonwealth for help and pilots poured in from occupied countries in Europe, the United States, Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand before the fighting moved to other theaters of war. Undeniably must have led to thoughts that "Now the world is ending".….

[@ashleelmb]

'the pickle factory got hit and there were pickles flying everywhere...' 🤣

[@jamesireland6606]

Great documentary

[@andrewlambert7246]

I wonder how much drag would have been negated on the 109 if the germans had created round stream like front windscreens instead of quare ones.

[@victorhodgson8767]

Typical 303 Squadron , who’s pilots were Polish + One Czech, were the most successful of ALL RAF Squadrons, they dad a different mode of engagement, they flew directly head on into the oncoming bombers , and closed within 100yds or less before opening fire, don’t forget these Polish airmen had been fighting the Germans over their own country, ( and knew the best way to attack,)before joining the RAF , The real kick in the teeth, as after the war, there was a victory parade thought London , with every conceivable unit from all over the world who had joined the fight to win the war ,EXCEPT 303 Squadron, seem that Winston Churchill & probably Whitehall, did not want to offend Stalin & The Soviet Union, who now had Poland within the Soviet Union. ( history reveals some uncomfortable truths).

[@CB-fz3li]

If you bothered to pick up a book you would know Churchill was voted out in 1945.

[@jaybee9269]

The Messerschmitt 109s in the thumbnail are historically inaccurate. They’re Spanish post-war aircraft (with Merlin engines) painted in Luftwaffe colors, perhaps for the movie “Battle of Britain”. You can tell with the air scopes in the front instead of on the left side and the cylinder stacks are higher than on Daimler-Benz powered 109s.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

There were no airworthy DB601 powered Bf109s in existence, so what do you do? Not make the film?

[@philiphawley2915]

The 109s were built under license in Spain and later sold to the Israeli Air Force.How ironic Jewish pilots flying planes designed by the Aryan Master Race. But it is good to know they also had ex RAF Spitfires

[@loftiefleet8104]

go the aussie pilots.i personaly new 2 of them.plus i lost 2 uncles in belgiam

[@andyspry3030]

The most erudite comment from Churchill as always makes me cry.. "Never before in history has so much been owed by so many, to so few."

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

So teary that you misquoted. "Never in the field of human conflict was so much owed by so many to so few".

[@KliwonSuprapto-x7o]

Marilah kita jangan meremehkan sejarah dunia dan sejarah Indonesia agar hidup kita di dunia tenang lho..

[@nickdanger3802]

“Three factors contributed to British aerial victory,” declared Air Chief Marshal Arthur Tedder of the Royal Air Force shortly after the battle ended. “The skill and bravery of the pilots, the Rolls‐Royce Merlin engine and the availability of suitable fuel.” The American contributions to fuel production were irreplaceable, Palucka asserted, because as war clouds formed over Europe during the 1930s, American companies were extracting about 60 per cent of the world’s petroleum, with the Soviet Union accounting for 17 per cent and Britain and the Netherlands most of the rest. gassed-up-the-juice-that-fuelled-victory-in-the-battle-of-britain page

[@Hokay01]

The “Pickle Factory” chap should have his own show 🤣… quite charming…

[@chipsawdust5816]

That was pretty funny, despite the horror.

[@Skyelily]

I know im late to this comment but he was my grandad 🥰

[@craigwalker5527]

Can anyone identify the poece of music used throughout? Reminiscent of Conan The Barbarian bt definitely not that. I've heard it somewhere else but it's bugging the hell out of me. Can't seem to find any details anywhere to identify it. Thanks in advance for any help 🙏

[@mazury450]

Gloria, I'm not so old, but I do like to consider myself a gentleman. What you say is of course very true, each one of those pilots was a hero as soon as they stepped into the cockpit of their planes. As indeed were the groundcrews and support staff. My comments were merely intended to add some further historical facts to those given and to make sure that the contribution of the Polish contingent are not forgotten. Historical events of huge significance are often turned by a mere few individuals, the more information we have on that, the better our understanding.

[@stephenr6913]

I cannot recommend highly enough the book "Fighter" by Len Deighton. Its forward was written by no less an authority than the great historian A.J.P. Taylor. It's a damned good read, and one of the author's few works of non fiction. My favourite quote from the book was Adolf Galland's answer when Goering asked him what he could do Galland. Galland's answer: "Get me a squadron of Spitfires for my outfit."

[@ColleenMulrey-yv6eq]

Hi there, awesome awesome awesome, thank you

[@torgeirbrandsnes1916]

Thank you! A brilliant documentary!

[@kevincaldwell4707]

I'm trying to determine in this video, how much is actual WW2 footage or recreated for movies or tv. Some of it looks too good to be vintage.

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

Lots of it is from a movie.

[@philipstearn4743]

Most of the combat is taken from the film "the Battle of Britain" That's why all the German planes have Merlin engines rather than the correct German engines, as the planes were acquired from the Spanish air force specially for the film. When the film was made, it had the 35th largest air force in the entire world.

[@ambulanza]

anyway, a raid of 200-250 bombers was nothing compared to the HUGE 1.000 bombers raids of the late war period over germany (february 3rd, 1945, 1000+ US b17 bombed berlin). If the emotions of the testimony were this for that kind of "small" raid, imagine what happened in the psyche of the german population after 3 years of intense bombing culminating in those 1k airplane raids...

[@ambulanza]

but 2 raids, 1 after the other, and the second of 400+ it's really different. Also, what would have happened if they, all 650, would have crossed all together ?

[@MilitaryTalkGuy]

Considering what WWII Germany did to the world, no pity from me. The 1000 bomber raid on the fighter facilities actually was a decisive victory and shortened the war considerably. BTW, that raid was a joint effort with US supplying the bombers and the UK supplying the fighter escorts. As for what crimes WWII Germany committed, it would be nice to think it would never happen again but alas it continues. Greed of mankind is such a sad statement. Like we are doomed to repeat the same nightmares over and over again.

[@richy69ify]

@@MilitaryTalkGuy yep Humans never learn

[@patriot8554]

Now the enemy is within England.

[@mikehurley5052]

And they come by the boatload every day.

[@patriot8554]

@@mikehurley5052 Western civilization hates itself

[@golden.lights.twinkle2329]

And we invited them in.

[@veritasvincit2745]

People do insist on voting for them whatever colour rosette they wear.

[@stephenwhorton4942]

Yes, the enemy is indeed within England. They allowed their culture to become a victim of multiculturalism

[@AlfredWellein]

Frieden, Glückseligkeit, Freude und Wohlstand für alle Menschen

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Liebe und Freundschaft von den einfachen Menschen auf der ganzen Welt zu den einfachen Menschen auf der ganzen Welt... lasst uns die globalistischen Tyrannen, die Tod und Zerstörung verbreiten, loswerden und stattdessen in Frieden leben.

[@jeanmeslier9491]

Most of the British pilots, including bomber pilots weren't old ennough to get driving licenses

[@TOFKAS01]

Thats the right age for such stuff.

[@seanmalloy7249]

In the Pacific war, two Marine pilots were returning from a flight, having shot down five and three Japanese aircraft. The lead plane did a victory roll over the field to cheers on the ground, which died away as he kept making rolls until he'd made five, then landed; his wingman flew straight in and landed. The ground crew rushed out to the field to find out who was making a mockery of the victory roll tradition, and queried the wingman. "Yep, he got five, for sure, and I got three myself," he replied. They asked him why he didn't make any victory rolls; he answered "Well, I just checked out in this plane, and I ain't sure I know how." It was the dedication of the brave men who threw themselves into the sky, regardless of their training or lack of it, that made the difference, and they should be remembered and honored for everything they sacrificed, over Britain, Europe, or the islands of the Pacific.

[@codystout5353]

My favorite non American battle to learn about.

[@Nat6999]

Arthur White is David Jason from Only Fools & Horses brother

[@dennisweidner288]

I was surprised that the Germans did not begin coming earlier in the day. It seems like they took their time in the morning.

[@luthientinuviel2823]

"If the Germans come, you'll do what you're told." Just about sums it up 😂

[@stephenwhorton4942]

The engineers that designed the Rolls-Royce merlin engine must be recognized.

[@darrenjpeters]

You could at least have found a thumbnail with legit German 109's, instead of Merlin engined post war 109's used for movies...It's not like pictures of real 109's are hard to find or anything.

[@Boris_Chang]

Ergo the line from “Us and Them”: Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way.

[@patryan1375]

@Boris_Chang. THE BRITISH WAY, NOT JUST ENGLISH. UGH!!

[@adamdfish5840]

We can thank the Russians for supplying the aviation fuel the Germans needed for these attacks.

[@flyhi2773]

No. Most of the aviation fuel used by the Germans in the battle of Britain was French stocks captured in the battle for France!

[@NicholasWarnertheFirst]

Back to the drawing board.

[@ghandimauler]

@@flyhi2773 That tracks. The logistic train from Russia would be long and burn a lot of fuel to get fuel to France. Capturing French assets like fuel would be a big priority and really cut the logistical tail in attacking the UK.

[@alvaroruizcendon8390]

Ohhh... this imagen from the film "The Batle of England" with buchones (the spanish Messer... hispanos with Merlín engines. 🤩🤩

[@caiusofglantri5513]

What was the first lone Heinkel doing? Why would the Germans send a single plane?

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

They did.... for reconnaisance or weather reporting.

[@Keithbarber]

​@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 it was mentioned it was a weather reconnaissance flight, but it was still a legitimate target as the collected information would be used to plan raids by the luftwaffe

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@Keithbarber Oh definitely, I wasn't suggesting it wasn't worth shooting down for the very reason you give.... "poke the jerries eyes out" so to speak. It was a regular early morning occurance that lone aircraft would be detected on radar or reported by the ROC, and a single eager pilot or maybe a section of 3 fighters would be scrambled to intercept, but as often as not according to many pilots accounts I've read the single German aircraft would not be found, or if it was located it would try to evade in cloud.

[@spice3767]

All these incredible folk…now look what we have become 😞

[@fr57ujf]

We in the US always think of WWII mainly in terms of our involvement. While Roosevelt did get the Lend-Lease program going, it is sobering to realize that the British had to survive from September 1939 until January 1942 before US forces entered the war. Eddie Izzard has a nice standup routine about this.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Not forgetting "Reverse Lend-Lease" where the British supplied the US with 30% of the material that the US supplied to Britain !!!

[@fr57ujf]

I'm amazed that I have never heard of this. I guess it's understandable that US history emphasizes what the US did, but the fact that Britain was able to do this while having to defend the Western Front alone is just incredible. Thanks for the information.

[@michaelrooks4030]

What do u mean survive till the Americans arrived. .😂😂😂..did u realise the British and commonwealth troops had stopped Rommel in north Africa..The Aussies were preparing to fight the Japs ..Survive 😂😂😂..we already had done that I Greece..Crete ..Battle of Britain..north Africa..did u think the germans were just playing games against us until u lot came in ..every documentary on these channels u never once not read a comment from an American who thinks we would of been over ran unless the mighty God loving yanks came to save us ..give us all a break ..we all know what part our countries play in the war ..I come from new Zealand and every ANZAC day as long as I can remember I go to the ANZAC service like all kiwis and Aussies do ..but do u hear us go on about how we won the war

[@goodshipkaraboudjan]

@@fr57ujf Not to mention during the Battle Of Britain Alcoa Corporation (Aluminum Company of America) were the biggest supplier to the Luftwaffe for aircraft production. In 1940 the USA very much hedged it's bets both ways.

[@fr57ujf]

I researched this and have not found corroborating information. I did find that before and during WWII Germany manufactured its own aluminum from bauxite imported from Hungary and Yugoslavia

[@hansleeuw2840]

The pictures that accompany the meeting of Goering in The Hague (at about 11'35") show hills that are not present in The Netherlands and certainly not in The Hague...

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

The early scenes of the film "the battle of Britain" were apparently filmed in southern Spain. Hence the very suntanned "French" peasants.

[@cgrscott]

My in-law is 90 now but, when she was a little girl growing up in Liverpool, in 1940, her parent's sent her to her grandmothers house, in the rural north, to stay away from the German bombing.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

My family lived just outside of Liverpool city centre during WW2. My mother (aged 14 in 1939) remained in the city. By 1941 she was making tea for firewatchers on the roof of Lewis's dept store during the blitz, and by 1943 was working in a small engineering factory in the city centre assembling 3" rockets for the RAF ground attack aircraft. What a generation they were.

[@paulswickard7488]

The ME109s in the picture have Merlin engines. I think they are re-engined Spanish aircraft. Everyone knows the Merlin engines are the best. Even American used them in our P-51s.

[@funstuff2006]

Yes. My first reaction was "why are you showing Buchons (Spanish 109s) as the thumbnail for a Battle of Britian video?!"

[@rudolfthecat1176]

Early Merlin's were worse than the 109's engine

[@paulswickard7488]

@@funstuff2006 eè222

[@patrickporter6536]

They couldn't get German engines after the war.

[@peterdemkiw3280]

@@rudolfthecat1176 There's absolutely nothing wrong with the 109 engine, in fact it was very good.

[@goranforsberg639]

I was born on the same day 10 years after,, Sometimes i wonder if my love of planes and flying is a result.. :)

[@adriantowe278]

Thay was real men its a shame that are government did not treat them like the heroes they was and look are government have give the country away with out a shot fired thank you for everything you did for us

[@pumelo1]

Without Czech and Poland pilots you would be lost.😉

[@pickledellies]

I do hate this...without us Americans, Russians, Brits, Czech, Poles, Canadians, Australians, Caribbeans, Indians. Can we just say there were brave, brave people, who put their lives on the line to stop a war machine. And we should just be thankful for their great gifts to us.

[@pumelo1]

​@@pickledellies that's how it was and the British didn't treat us very well and we helped you even though Chamberline "sold" us!

[@pickledellies]

@@pumelo1 That's very sad. My Father spoke very highly of both.

[@pumelo1]

@@pickledellies These are only exceptions and people who experienced the "Battle of Britain" and their descendants who did not even experience the war do not think like this at all, and I know from people who work in Britain that they don't have to be Poles at all. There are not so many Czechs like Poles. You still have that "British snot" that "overlooks" everything. You have it in your genes and some "episode" won't change it! A Gaussian curve applies. 10% are decent people, they will always and everywhere agree with decent people in other countries! And for the rest, it's far worse, in many cases it's impossible!

[@henryrussell8311]

​@@pumelo1we didn't invade you and we went to war when the Germans did, what more do you want 😅

[@martinblack781]

Lots of footage taken from the awesome movie 'The battle of Britain'

[@ngauruhoezodiac3143]

Those are not 109s in the thumbnail. They are Spanish built fighters that used 109 airframes with Merlin engines. They were used in the movie The Battle of Britain because there were only two airworthy 109s at the time.

[@christophertownley6734]

No mention of breaking the German coding system...

[@Dycdom]

Exactly… those brave Polish mathematicians who broke the enigma … and then passed all the information to the allies

[@ghandimauler]

@@Dycdom Or the code breakers in Bletchley Park.

[@chipsawdust5816]

@@Dycdom They HAD the Enigma, which they gave to the Brits since the Germans were coming. Not sure I'd credit them with breaking the German code like the British whiz kids at Bletchley Park.

[@Dycdom]

@@chipsawdust5816 you should as that's what they did . brits only use the formula and engineering which was made by Poles.Brits still were trying to aproach this linguistically ( which is Imposible )at time where poles were capable of decrepit about 70 % of messages before germans have put another wheel in enigma . There is no dispute about that. People who actually broke the enigma where Poles

[@saltburner2]

I was born during the Battle of Britain. My father said the sky was black with our aircraft heading for the channel ports.

[@parapsychologist5402]

USA should have gotten into the fight a lot earlier

[@topbanana4013]

they had no money they was in a recession

[@comptonghost9013]

We would of lost the war are military was trash before they got attacked at Pearl Harbor and bulked tf up and came in kicking a$$

[@peterdemkiw3280]

They got involved in the last 3 months of WW1 only to take charge, insisting on an armistice and not a surrender like ALL of Europe was calling for, it's highly probable WW2 wouldn't have happened if they hadn't got into the first war.

[@peterdemkiw3280]

1939 Poland subjected to a 6 week land and air attack, thousands of civilians killed, the United S of A stood by and said nothing.. Then some years later, Pearl Harbour, a 2 hour air attack and it's the biggest thing ever. They still go on about it today.

[@ghandimauler]

@@comptonghost9013 The UK was late in modernizing (the guy who developed the Seafire had to just about beat the Brit government to make a fighter from that heritage) as were most Allied countries. But to be fair, what was there in the early war was good enough, if somewhat of a disadvantage. It was really the warm up in Spain for the Germans to improve doctrine and to get some experienced troops that helped and they were good at propagating that knowledge. If the US had got into the war, say, in 1939 and got troops to France soon enough, it might have helped. But there wasn't the will in the not-uncommonly isolationist populace in the US. And really, they fought a war to gain freedom from the UK, the incentive to get involved in a European problem wasn't as clear to most of the US population. One of the things that started to bring the situation to the awareness of the US population was daily reports by US correspondents in London and other spots around the UK. Through that, the US population got a clearer idea of what was coming and that eventually helped generate more support for the UK (if not the rest of Europe). Of course, the Japanese were kind of fenced into a situation and that led to Pearl Harbour. Had they been a little luckier and caught the carriers, the whole Pacific War might have gone fairly differently (or at least taken many more years to resolve). And once your nation gets sneak-attacked, whatever else you can say about the Americans, when they are riled up, they do go at things with a vengeance. And thankfully so in this instance.

[@russellrykhus9130]

Then when the war was over, the British extradited the Polish pilots who saved them and they were interned in Russian prison camps.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Complete bollocks. 1947 UK Polish Resettlement act, read it and understand what devious rubbish you're posting.

[@TOFKAS01]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 Yes, and a lot of these heroes endet in sovjet camps....Nice treatment of dedicated allies, limey...

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@TOFKAS01 The Poles who ended up in the hands of Soviet authorities understandably but most importantly voluntarily CHOSE to return to their homeland. The vast majority of Polish ex-service personnel who had served with the British armed forces during WW2 elected to stay in the west, as they were entitled to after Britain had given the now stateless Poles a new national home by bestowing FULL UK citizenship and residency rights to them. In fact Britain was the first allied country to pass legislation to give brave Poles a new national home in 1947, France followed suit in 1948 and the US was shamed into doing so in 1949.

[@philipstearn4743]

​@@TOFKAS01and of course, you yanks have never ever betrayed any allies after a war, have you❓ Cough....Afghanistan Cough........ Vietnam Cough.......Iraq, etc, etc.

[@TOFKAS01]

@@philipstearn4743 So what? We never betrayed our allies in WW2...if we would have done that, you would speak "Krautsprech" today....

[@SpinyAnt]

God bless the British fighting forces !!! The Germans were flying into a trap, the British had no where to go, the Germans didn't understand that they were pushing the British into a trap that motivated the British into killers !!! At the end of the fighting day, what was left of the Germans scampered home to Germany, in a torn apart motley crew, devastated and overwhelmed !!! It was a notorious victory for the Nation, a major turning point for the British fighting force !!!

[@johnrogan9420]

Thank Herman Goering...world's worst Commander of Aircraft combat!

[@jaje3107]

As always Brits did everything them selfs

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Bit like Germany then... of course they took on the world alone.. (We'll forget about the Italians, Japanese, Hungarians, Bulgarians, Dutch, Danes, Belgians, Vichy French, Spanish, Yugoslavs, Ukrainians, Belorussians, Latvians, Lithuanians, Estonians, and even Russians who took part as their "supporting cast").

[@nicholassaville1933]

Lol ok America had to come be big brother twice

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@nicholassaville1933 Ha!!! As if the USSR had nothing to do with it. The US sat watching and profitting, ensuring that the British empire bankrupted itself before allowing itself to get dragged in. Looks like you've had your 80 years in the sun, and China is now doing the same to you. At least the British empire lasted a few centuries.

[@nicholassaville1933]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 hahahah bleeding to death doesn't really count as doing much in a war. We could have let them continue and just wiped out Japan and profit while Europe imploded.

[@nickdanger3802]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 Six Billion 1943 USD in four years. "As stated in the second paragraph of the Report on Mutual Aid published in November, 1943 (Cmd. 6483), we had, up to that date, spent some £1,500,000,000 in the United States since the outbreak of war on supplies of all kinds. The greater part of this expenditure was incurred in connection with contracts placed before the application of the Lend-Lease Act." Hansard British War Purchases, U.S.A. HC Deb 14 December 1944 (on line)

[@beaujeste1]

Why do you use a thumbnail of a Bouchon that most certainly was not used during BoB

[@andrewlambert7246]

The Polish pilots saved Britian!

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

Oh it's "Andrew the naughty little troll" again. The 58.5 confimed Polish kills certainly contributed to the total of 1733 luftwaffe aircraft lost to "enemy action" between July 10th and 31st October 1940, and we continue to honour and pay tribute to their contribution to the victory over totalitarianism.

[@hellomadetScuffed]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 Once committed to action, the Poles flew and fought superbly, shooting down 203 enemy aircraft for the loss of 29 pilots killed. No. 303 Squadron became the most successful Fighter Command unit in the Battle, shooting down 126 German machines in only 42 days. Czech Sergeant Josef Frantisek, also of ‘303’, was the top scoring pilot with 17 confirmed victories. Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, who led Fighter Command, would later write: “Had it not been for the magnificent material contributed by the Polish squadrons and their unsurpassed gallantry, I hesitate to say that the outcome of the Battle would have been the same.”

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

@@hellomadetScuffed Yes, the Poles fought well, they should have done, all the "average" Polish pilots had already been killed or captured over the previous year, so only the most skillful and resourceful Poles had filtered through to the UK. They were not some genetically bred "super pilots", they had simply had much more combat experience than the vast majority of British pilots at the time of the battle. Check out kill tallies at wars end, you'll see an even distribution amongst the nations. Plus dont forget the majority of the highest scorers during the battle were British, its only to be expected, we comprised 80% of Fighter Command.. "303 shot down 126 aircraft". You missed out 1 important word there "claimed". Do some research about the battle, 303's "confirmed" kill tally was 58.5 kills, of which 17 were by the man you mentioned, the Czech "lone wolf" pilot Josef František. I'm not suggesting that the Poles were lying, ALL squadrons had inflated kill tallies, due to confusion in combat, multiple claims on the same kill etc. And I freely acknowledge that even when the "confirmed squadron tally" scorecard is viewed, 303 Sqd still came out on top. I understand that the Poles are rightfully proud of their fighting prowess and determination (just as I am obviously proud of us Brits), I don't hide or deny the Poles contribution, indeed EVERY year at the remembrance day parades I've attended I see honours and tributes to the Poles specifically (but few if any made to the other nationalities), I just hate to see the facts distorted, to benefit one nation at another expense. Keep it real madet, keep it real.

[@hellomadetScuffed]

@@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684 This is what you can read on Royal Air Force Museum official website... You claim to be more credible source of information on RAF history that RAF museum. Are you alright mate?

[@KrissowskiM]

I’m Polish myself and I believe it’s enough of reminding about Polish Fighter pilots. The Britons do know and remember. It’s enough. All the brave pilots from all over the world who fought against Germans over British skies saved Britain. Let’s remember them all together without stressing and pushing over - anyway it was their fight and victory not mine or yours. Respect to our heroes. The only pity is USSR never paid any price nor reparations for supporting Germany and staring WWII hand in hand with Adolf...

[@javierespinoza7075]

Iron Maiden - Aces High

[@altair458]

If not for AMERICA there would be no england

[@richy69ify]

didn't you watch the video?

[@autoclearanceuk7191]

America was not in the war at this time.

[@Grumszy]

If you want Battle of Britain facts. Look for Mark Felton KZbin.

[@dewiz9596]

When I was 16, I had my first “real girlfriend”. . . who ended up “breaking my heart”. But, her dad, “Skid” Haines was “One of the few”. . . He earned his moniker landing his shot-up Hurricane “sideways”. He was a hell of a piano player, too!

[@gibson617ajg]

It's a good job that his surname wasn't 'Marks'.

[@paul-andrelarose3389]

What a contrast with the current apathy of the population and the betrayal of its politicians! 2024/02/09. Ontario, Canada.

[@walterkronkitesleftshoe6684]

"Betrayal OF its politicians"? I assume you meant to type "betrayal BY its politicians".

[@bryantc2899]

41:42 pickles are flying everywhere😅

[@TheDyerOG]

12:50 sptifire spits fire