Battle of Britain Aircraft (July - October 1940) - The Fighting Aircraft of the Finest Hour

Despite overwhelming odds for Britain in the summer of 1940, the German Luftwaffe failed in its bid to bring the British mainland to complete surrender.

There are a total of 22 Battle of Britain Aircraft (July - October 1940) - The Fighting Aircraft of the Finest Hour in the Military Factory. Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order (1-to-Z). Flag images indicative of country of origin and not necessarily the primary operator.

Thumbnail picture of the Arado Ar 196

Arado Ar 196
The Arado Ar 196 reconnaissance floatplane could be found on nearly every front during the war.

Thumbnail picture of the Boulton Paul Defiant

Boulton Paul Defiant
The Boulton Paul Defiant became a useful defensive-minded night-fighter platform primarily over Britian during World War 2.

Thumbnail picture of the Bristol Beaufighter

Bristol Beaufighter
Amazingly, the first production-quality Bristol Beaufighter aircraft flew a mere twelve months after the prototype went airborne.

Thumbnail picture of the Bristol Blenheim

Bristol Blenheim
The British Bristol Blenheim lost more aircrews than any other RAF aircraft during World War 2 - yet it fulfilled roles clearly needed during the early war years.

Thumbnail picture of the CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher)

CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher)
The CANT Z.1007 proved one of the better Italian tri-motor designs as a medium bomber during World War 2.

Thumbnail picture of the Dornier Do 17 (Flying Pencil)

Dornier Do 17 (Flying Pencil)
The German Dornier Do 17 was initially an impressive medium bomber design of the late 1930s though it eventually lost any advantage to enemy fighters during the early-1940s.

Thumbnail picture of the Dornier Do 18

Dornier Do 18
The Dornier Do 18 was an outdated flying boat design for Germany at the start of World War 2 but managed several distance records for its time aloft.

Thumbnail picture of the Dornier Do 215

Dornier Do 215
The Dornier Do 215 was originally a German product intended for export - the arrival of the World War 2 officially changed that.

Thumbnail picture of the Fiat Br.20 Cicogna (Stork)

Fiat Br.20 Cicogna (Stork)
Though a capable bombing platform, the Fiat BR.20 Cicogna was simply outclassed at the start of the Second World War.

Thumbnail picture of the Fiat Cr.42 Falco (Falcon)

Fiat Cr.42 Falco (Falcon)
The Fiat CR.42 was designed off the successes of the CR.32, with Italy still believing in the capabilities of biplane aircraft.

Thumbnail picture of the Fiat G.50 Freccia (Arrow)

Fiat G.50 Freccia (Arrow)
The Fiat G.50 Freccia was initially tested on the combat grounds that was the Spanish Civil War.

Thumbnail picture of the Focke-Wulf Fw 200 (Condor)

Focke-Wulf Fw 200 (Condor)
The Fw 200 was the lesser-known of the German World War 2 bombers, relegated to maritime anti-shipping duty and VIP transport.

Thumbnail picture of the Gloster Gladiator

Gloster Gladiator
The Gloster Gladiator was already made obsolete by the time of its inception, yet the type soldiered on through 1944.

Thumbnail picture of the Hawker Hurricane

Hawker Hurricane
The true star of the Battle of Britain was the rugged and reliable Hawker Hurricane.

Thumbnail picture of the Heinkel He 111

Heinkel He 111
The most important German medium bomber of World War 2 became the classic Heinkel He 111 series - a prewar design that managed to fight into the final days.

Thumbnail picture of the Heinkel He 115

Heinkel He 115
The Heinkel He 115 is considered by many as the best seaplane to have served in World War 2 on any side.

Thumbnail picture of the Heinkel He 59

Heinkel He 59
A pre-war design, the Heinkel He 59 floatplane biplane was outmatched heading into 1944 and did not survive in service long enough to see the end of the conflict.

Thumbnail picture of the Junkers Ju 87 (StuKa - Sturzkampfflugzeug)

Junkers Ju 87 (StuKa - Sturzkampfflugzeug)
Performance limitations aside, the Junkers Ju 87 StuKa was an effectively devastating weapon for the German Luftwaffe in the early part of World War 2.

Thumbnail picture of the Junkers Ju 88

Junkers Ju 88
Like the Dornier Do 17 and the Heinkel He 111, the Junkers Ju 88 became a mainstay of the German Luftwaffe bombing campaigns throughout all of World War 2.

Thumbnail picture of the Messerschmitt Bf 109

Messerschmitt Bf 109
The exceptional Bf 109 fighter was more than a handful for allied fighter pilots and bomber crews.

Thumbnail picture of the Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer (Destroyer)

Messerschmitt Bf 110 Zerstorer (Destroyer)
During World War 2, the German Messerschmitt Bf 110 twin-engine heavy fighter found periods of success - and failure.

Thumbnail picture of the Supermarine Spitfire

Supermarine Spitfire
The Supermarine Spitfire became the undisputed champion of the British cause during World War 2.