Luftwaffe Bombers vs British AA Defences

During the start of the Battle of Britain in July 1940, the Luftwaffe's forces included 1,200 medium bombers, 300 Ju 87 Stukas, and 760 Bf 109 and Bf 110 fighters. Facing them, the British AA Command had 359 4.5in. guns, 666 3.7in. guns, and 226 3in. guns, as well as 3,538 light and medium AA guns. Despite being outnumbered and strained, the AA Command shot down around 300 German aircraft by the end of the Battle on 31 October 1940, and the count eventually rose to 578 by the end of the Blitz on 11 May 1941. In this informative study, aviation expert Donald Nijboer examines the tactics used by both sides and explains how the AA Command successfully forced the Luftwaffe to fly higher, break up their formations, and decrease their accuracy.