Page 73 - History of War - Issue 18-15
P. 73
SPITFIRE SM520
“PILOTS PAST AND PRESENT HAVE COMMENTED
FAVOURABLY ON ITS EASE OF HANDLING AS WELL
AS THE ICONIC SOUND OF ITS ENGINE”
ADLERTAG
On 13 August 1940, better known as
Adlertag or ‘Eagle Day’, the Luftwaffe
appeared over the skies of Kent and Sussex,
beginning the Battle of Britain. The Spitfire is
famous for Britain’s resounding victory, but in
the following months and years the RAF and
the Luftwaffe jostled for air supremacy.
The constantly updated Messerschmitts
actually began to outperform the Spitfire
by 1941, but the British clawed back the
advantage with the development of the
better and faster engines in the Spitfire IX.
With this new power system, the Spitfires
and Seafi res had a much broader role in the
RAF and Royal Navy. The improved models
could now take down V-1 rockets before they
hit their target, saving many lives and cities
in southern England.
Spitfi re pilots
would attempt to
stop a German
V-1 by nudging it
off course
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