Ground-based radar was limited, and airborne radar and RAF night fighters were generally ineffective. [99] Another 247 bombers from Luftflotte 3 (Air Fleet 3) attacked that night. The Luftwaffe dropped around 40,000 long tons (40,600t) of bombs during the Blitz, which disrupted production and transport, reduced food supplies, and shook British morale. Smaller raids are not included in the tonnages. By September 1940, the Luftwaffe had lost the Battle of Britain and the German air fleets (Luftflotten) were ordered to attack London, to draw RAF Fighter Command into a battle of annihilation. The first major bombing raid against London's civilian population was accidental. [167] The Blenheim had only a small speed advantage to overtake a German bomber in a stern-chase. Having suffered a direct hit from anti-aircraft fire during a night mission to bomb factories in the Coventry area When Uffz Leo Zaunbrecher crash-landed his battle-damaged Messerschmitt 109. An average of 200 were able to strike per night. [150], Directive 23 was the only concession made by Gring to the Kriegsmarine over the strategic bombing strategy of the Luftwaffe against Britain. Although the stress of the war resulted in many anxiety attacks, eating disorders, fatigue, weeping, miscarriages, and other physical and mental ailments, society did not collapse. Naval gun Blitz During WW2, the Germans were developing a long-range bomber to reach U.S. soil. [57][58], The most important existing communal shelters were the London Underground stations. After his optician business was destroyed by a bomb, Mickey Davies led an effort to organize the Spitalfield Shelter. This caused more than 2,000 fires; 1,436 people were killed and 1,792 seriously injured, which affected morale badly. [28] The British produced 10,000 aircraft in 1940, in comparison to Germany's 8,000. Dowding had introduced the concept of airborne radar and encouraged its usage. The final plane had a single-center wing section and two outer sections using four universal joints. Night after night, from September 1940 until May 1941, German bombers attacked British cities, ports and industrial areas. [148] This strategy had been recognised before the war, but Operation Eagle Attack and the following Battle of Britain had got in the way of striking at Britain's sea communications and diverted German air strength to the campaign against the RAF and its supporting structures. Guided by Davies, the people of the shelter created an ad hoc government and established a set of rules. [12] In April 1941, when the targets were British ports, rifle production fell by 25 percent, filled-shell production by 4.6 percent and in small-arms production 4.5 percent. Poor intelligence about British industry and economic efficiency led to OKL concentrating on tactics rather than strategy. For two hours, 348 German bombers and 617 fighters targeted the city, dropping high-explosive bombs as well as incendiary devices. The first major raid took place on 7 September. The Blitz was a German bombing campaign against the United Kingdom, in 1940 and 1941, during the Second World War. The Ju-388 used the BMW 01 radial and Jumo 213 series V12 engines. Revised estimates made decades later indicated that close to 600 men, women, and children had been killed in the bombing. The German city of Cologne was bombed in 262 separate air raids by the Allies during World War II, all by the Royal Air Force (RAF) but for a single failed post-capture test of a guided missile by the United States Army Air Forces.. What was the German target on August 17 1942? They emphasised the core strategic interest was attacking ports but they insisted in maintaining pressure or diverting strength, onto industries building aircraft, anti-aircraft guns, and explosives. To improve the Ju-388s performance, the plane was stripped of most of its defensive armament. Empty, the bomber weighed 10,000 lbs, and its top speed was 459 mph. Accordingly, the prototypes had an empty weight of 87,083 lbs (39,500 kgs) and a maximum take-off weight of 166,449 lbs (75,500 kgs). [31], The decision to change strategy is sometimes claimed as a major mistake by OKL. German bombers dropped 711 tons of high explosive and 2,393 incendiaries. [143] In January and February 1941, Luftwaffe serviceability rates declined until just 551 of 1,214 bombers were combat-worthy. The Allies found the Do-17 more difficult to hit than other German Bombers. In January, Swansea was bombed four times, very heavily. The electronic war intensified but the Luftwaffe flew major inland missions only on moonlit nights. Omissions? The sense of relative calm was abruptly shattered in the first week of September 1940, when the war came to London in earnest. Hull and Glasgow were attacked but 715 long tons (726t) of bombs were spread out all over Britain. On 15 September, on a date known as Battle of Britain Day, a large-scale raid was launched in daylight, but suffered significant loss for no lasting gain. In Portsmouth Southsea and Gosport waves of 150 bombers destroyed vast swaths of the city with 40,000 incendiaries. [85], Hugh Dowding, Air Officer Commanding Fighter Command, defeated the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain, but preparing day fighter defences left little for night air defence. workers. The engines size was unproven at the time, and the Daimler-Benz BD 606 system was collected in addition to cramped nacelles, which caught fire easily. Rapid frequency changes were introduced for X-Gert, whose wider band of frequencies and greater tactical flexibility ensured it remained effective at a time when British selective jamming was degrading the effectiveness of Y-Gert. London: Aurum Press. During June of 1944 resources were becoming very stretched for the Wehrmacht meaning any and all non-essential resources were to be focused on more pressing projects. The Ar-234 was not as famous as the Messerschmitt Me 262 jet, but it provided excellence in the missions it ran. Operating over home territory, British aircrew could fly again if they survived being shot down. German crews, even if they survived, faced capture. German Bomber Aircraft. By the end of 1941, the WVS had one million members. In comparison to the Allied bombing campaign against Germany, casualties due to the Blitz were relatively low; the bombing of Hamburg alone inflicted about 40,000 civilian casualties. [23], A major problem in the managing of the Luftwaffe was Gring. [94][95], Initially, the change in strategy caught the RAF off-guard and caused extensive damage and civilian casualties. The Germans expanded the Blitz to other cities in November 1940. Answer (1 of 7): You have a keen eye i never noticed that but i checked some blitz footage from 1940 and indeed they seem to do just that. Despite the Luftwaffe being in the possession of advanced gyroscopic bomb sights, the Lotfernrohr 7 for daylight bombing and electronic navigational aids like the Knickebein, X-Gert and Y-Gert for noctural bombing, there were some . [48] In 1939 military theorist Basil Liddell-Hart predicted that 250,000 deaths and injuries in Britain could occur in the first week of war. Fighter Commands efforts were greatly aided by the lack of any consistent plan of action on the part of the Germans. 6. Raids between February and May pounded Plymouth, Portsmouth, Bristol, Newcastle upon Tyne, and Hull in England; Swansea in Wales; Belfast in Northern Ireland; and Clydeside in Scotland. [188] The "Communist threat" was deemed important enough for Herbert Morrison to order, with the support of the Cabinet, the cessation of activities of the Daily Worker, the Communist newspaper. Reflections made by factory skylights were created by placing lights under angled wooden panels. [9] Bombing failed to demoralise the British into surrender or do much damage to the war economy; eight months of bombing never seriously hampered British war production, which continued to increase. I read a report given to Winston Churchill asking why the german bombs of 100 lbs were twice as powerful as the British 300 pounder. [105], Loge continued during October. On August 25 the British retaliated by launching a bombing raid on Berlin. The Blitz as it became known in the British press was a sustained aerial attack, sending waves of bombs raining down onto British towns and cities. Bombing civilians would cause a collapse of morale and a loss of production in the remaining factories. What about if Germany had also completed its nuclear fission project? Summerfield and Peniston-Bird 2007, p. 4. The Heinkel He-111 was a sheep in wolfs clothing and was one of the most important German medium bombers of World War II. The idea was to bring the horrors of massed bomb strikes to the civilians of America. [80], British air doctrine, since Hugh Trenchard had commanded the Royal Flying Corps (19151917), stressed offence as the best means of defence,[81] which became known as the cult of the offensive. X-Gert receivers were mounted in He 111s, with a radio mast on the fuselage. The first day of the Blitz is remembered as Black Saturday. Ingersol wrote that Battersea Power Station, one of the largest landmarks in London, received only a minor hit. [59], Each day orderly lines of people queued until 4:00pm, when they were allowed to enter the stations. ww2 german bombers used in the blitz These shelters, made of corrugated steel, were designed to be dug into a garden and then covered with dirt. The exhausted population took three weeks to overcome the effects of an attack. This weight of attack went on for two months, with the Luftwaffe dropping 12,400 long tons (12,600t) of bombs. Ex-Army personnel and his successors as Chief of the Luftwaffe General Staff, Albert Kesselring (3 June 1936 31 May 1937) and Hans-Jrgen Stumpff (1 June 1937 31 January 1939) are usually blamed for abandoning strategic planning for close air support. This was called the Junkers JU-390 and it would have been a terrifying prospect. In the last days of the battle, the bombers became lures in an attempt to draw the RAF into combat with German fighters. [117] The London Docklands, in particular, the Royal Victoria Dock, received many hits and Port of London trade was disrupted. [155] Other sources point out that half of the 144 berths in the port were rendered unusable and cargo unloading capability was reduced by 75 percent. [98] Fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with six pilots killed and another seven wounded. The policy of RAF Bomber Command became an attempt to achieve victory through the destruction of civilian will, communications and industry. Some people even told government surveyors that they enjoyed air raids if they occurred occasionally, perhaps once a week. [129], Airborne Interception radar (AI) was unreliable. Despite two prototypes being built and tested the project would ultimately be terminated during the final stages of WW2. While the balloons themselves were an obvious deterrent, they were anchored to the ground by steel tethers that were strong enough to damage or destroy any aircraft that flew into them. The details of the conversation were passed to an RAF Air Staff technical advisor, Dr. R. V. Jones, who started a search which discovered that Luftwaffe Lorenz receivers were more than blind-landing devices. Other targets included Sheffield, Manchester, Coventry, and Southampton. The higher the German planes had to fly to avoid the balloons, the less accurate they were when dropping their bombs. Meet the Arado Ar-234: As I have mentioned in several articles, the Germans have long been innovators in weapons systems. [155], German air supremacy at night was also now under threat. The majority of bombs dropped on Britain during the war were of the SC type. German bomber planes would fly above cities and attempt to destroy factories contributing to the war effort. Loge continued for 57 nights. At the end of 1941, the effectiveness of the Do-17 was limited since its bomb load, and the range was limited. The first German raids on British cities had already taken place by the end of August 1940, when Birmingham and Liverpool were attacked, but on 7 September the Blitz intensified when around 950. US Arms Shipment to Ukraine . The attacks were authorized by Germanys chancellor, Adolf Hitler, after the British carried out a nighttime air raid on Berlin. [113] It is not clear whether the power station or any specific structure was targeted during the German offensive as the Luftwaffe could not accurately bomb select targets during night operations. The tactic was expanded into Feuerleitung (Blaze Control) with the creation of Brandbombenfelder (Incendiary Fields) to mark targets. But the Luftwaffe's bomber force in 1940 was a bit of a mixed bag. Signals from the station were retransmitted by the bomber's equipment, which allowed the distance the bomber had travelled along the beam to be measured precisely. Several theatres and many cinemas were open, and there were even a few sporting events. It showed the extent to which Hitler mistook Allied strategy for one of morale breaking instead of one of economic warfare, with the collapse of morale as a bonus. Author Lawrence H. Dawson detailed the damage to Londons historic buildings for the 1941 Britannica Book of the Year: The following curtailed list identifies some of the better known places in inner London that have been damaged by enemy action. [88][89], Knickebein was in general use but the X-Gert (X apparatus) was reserved for specially trained pathfinder crews. The total almost doubled in 1942, when 2,433 were built. Londoners enjoyed three weeks of uneasy peace until May 1011, the night of a full moon, when the Luftwaffe launched the most intense raid of the Blitz. In late 1940, Churchill credited the shelters. With no sign of the RAF weakening and the Luftflotten suffering many losses, OKL was keen for a change in strategy. This philosophy proved impractical, as Bomber Command lacked the technology and equipment for mass night operations, since resources were diverted to Fighter Command in the mid-1930s and it took until 1943 to catch up. [135] The Germans were surprised by the success of the attack. A third poll found 89% support for his leadership in October. Initially, an order for 26 of these mighty bombers was submitted but the cancellation of the project would never see this aircraft used in battle. With different configurations, different models could seat four and had unique weapon arrangements. [49] London hospitals prepared for 300,000 casualties in the first week of war. The number of contacts and combats rose in 1941, from 44 and two in 48 sorties in January 1941, to 204 and 74 in May (643 sorties). Because basements, a logical destination in the event of an air raid, were a relative rarity in Britain, the A.R.P. The Third Reich existed from 1933 to 1945, and the Luftwaffe or air force was the aerial branch of the Wehrmacht. Around 200 people were killed and another 2,000 injured. It is believed that the wartime government covered up the death toll because of concern over the effect it would have had on public morale. Port cities were also attacked to try to disrupt trade and sea communications. It hoped to destroy morale by destroying the enemy's factories and public utilities as well as its food stocks (by attacking shipping). The term was first used by the British press and originated from the term Blitzkrieg, the German word meaning 'lightning war'.[4]. [24], When Hitler tried to intervene more in the running of the air force later in the war, he was faced with a political conflict of his own making between himself and Gring, which was not fully resolved until the war was almost over. If the aircraft's potential had been realized by high command earlier, the, COP27: Countries want climate compensation, but the US 'continues to block negotiation, Researchers discover people are using the internet for sex, Can you predict intelligence? department distributed more than two million Anderson shelters (named after Sir John Anderson, head of the A.R.P.) [125] RAF day fighters were converting to night operations and the interim Bristol Blenheim night fighter conversion of the light bomber was being replaced by the powerful Beaufighter, but this was only available in very small numbers. These collections include period interviews with civilians, servicemen, aircrew, politicians and Civil Defence personnel, as well as Blitz actuality recordings, news bulletins and public information broadcasts. The Air Raid Precautions (A.R.P.) [148] Some 50 Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive-bombers and Jabos (fighter-bombers) were used, officially classed as Leichte Kampfflugzeuge ("light bombers") and sometimes called Leichte Kesselringe ("Light Kesselrings"). (Hardback) How Hitler's Wehrmacht Crushed Operation Jubilee. Over 20 hospitals were hit, among them the London (many times), St. Thomass, St. Bartholomews, and the childrens hospital in Great Ormond st., as well as Chelsea hospital, the home for the aged and invalid soldiers, built by Wren. The Germans conducted mass air attacks against industrial targets, towns, and cities, beginning with raids on London towards the end of the Battle of Britain in 1940 (a battle for daylight air superiority between the Luftwaffe and the Royal Air Force over the United Kingdom). KGr 100 increased its use of incendiaries from 13 to 28 percent. The Luftwaffe in 1940 primarily relied on three twin-engined medium bombers: the Dornier Do 17, the Heinkel He 111 and the Junkers Ju 88. It would prove formidable but its development was slow. A summary of Harris' strategic intentions was clear. 11 Group RAF and No. The ground forces of Nazi Germany drove into Poland at the beginning of WWII, and bombers of the Luftwaffe, the German air force, began airstrikes on an undefended village, Wielu, in central Poland. [77], During the Blitz, The Scout Association guided fire engines to where they were most needed and became known as the "Blitz Scouts". [148], A further line in the directive stressed the need to inflict the heaviest losses possible, but also to intensify the air war in order to create the impression an amphibious assault on Britain was planned for 1941. The action did not guarantee automatic success. The reverse would apply only if the meacon were closer. By 16 February 1941, this had grown to 12; with 5 equipped, or partially equipped with Beaufighters spread over 5 Groups. In spite of blackouts, ubiquitous shelters and sandbags, the visible effects of mass evacuation, the presence of A.R.P. Worst army of ww2 awards ceremony . During the First World War, German aeroplanes began flying over England and dropping bombs. The He-111 served in the entire war effort and could be seen on any front where the Germans fought. [55] Not only was there evacuation over land, but also by ship. However, as with the attacks in the south, the Germans failed to prevent maritime movements or cripple industry in the regions. By the end of November, 1,100 bombers were available for night raids. The Luftwaffe was not pressed into ground support operations because of pressure from the army or because it was led by ex-soldiers, the Luftwaffe favoured a model of joint inter-service operations, rather than independent strategic air campaigns. Notable interviews include Thomas Alderson, the first recipient of the George Cross, John Cormack, who survived eight days trapped beneath rubble on Clydeside, and Herbert Morrison's famous "Britain shall not burn" appeal for more fireguards in December 1940. In addition to sophisticated fighter planes, the Luftwaffe had a powerful arsenal of bomber planes to their advantage as well. [189], The brief success of the Communists also fed into the hands of the British Union of Fascists (BUF). Low-flying ground attacks plus transport services were successful because of the He-111s. Would Germany have used them to bring the blitz to America? Entries are listed below in alphanumeric order (1-to-Z). However, the Docklands was also a densely populated and impoverished area where thousands of working-class Londoners lived in run-down housing. [10][161] Plymouth in particular, because of its vulnerable position on the south coast and close proximity to German air bases, was subjected to the heaviest attacks. Thereafter, he would refuse to make available any air units to destroy British dockyards, ports, port facilities, or shipping in dock or at sea, lest Kriegsmarine gain control of more Luftwaffe units. . At this point in the war, Germany was on a defensive footing. The national government also provided funds to local municipalities to construct public air-raid shelters. [102] The air battle was later commemorated by Battle of Britain Day. To support naval operations by attacking naval bases, protecting German naval bases and participating directly in naval battles. [130] Whitehall's disquiet at the failures of the RAF led to the replacement of Dowding (who was already due for retirement) with Sholto Douglas on 25 November. Workers worked longer shifts and over weekends. [16], The vital industries and transport centres that would be targeted for shutdown were valid military targets. The Communists attempted to blame the damage and casualties of the Coventry raid on the rich factory owners, big business and landowning interests and called for a negotiated peace. [126] By the second month of the Blitz the defences were not performing well. [158] Operations against London up until May 1941 could also have a severe impact on morale. The shortage of bombers caused OKL to improvise. The London docks and railways communications had taken a heavy pounding, and much damage had been done to the railway system outside. However, resentment of rich self-evacuees or hostile treatment of poor ones were signs of persistence of class resentments although these factors did not appear to threaten social order. This test flight was rather promising for the future of the project. The Luftwaffe continued to support German ground forces, caused havoc for the Allies until Nazi Germanys ultimate surrender in May of 1945. [50], British air raid sirens sounded for the first time 22 minutes after Neville Chamberlain declared war on Germany. The offensive came to be called the Blitz after the German word blitzkrieg (lightning war). But their operations were to no avail; the worsening weather and unsustainable attrition in daylight gave the OKL an excuse to switch to night attacks on 7 October. The Ju-388 was introduced late in the war and production problems, and the deteriorating war meant that few were built and used. 51. [100] On 8 September the Luftwaffe returned; 412 people were killed and 747 severely wounded. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Imperial Japanese Air Forces. The government saw the leading role taken by the Communist Party in advocating the building of deep shelters as an attempt to damage civilian morale, especially after the MolotovRibbentrop Pact of August 1939. German bombing of London during the Blitz, Discover how the Third Reich attacked Great Britain during World War II's Battle of Britain, atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Watch President Roosevelt outline his Four Freedoms and learn how Britain defeated Germany's Luftwaffe. These were spread between the flight crew and dedicated gunners. [166] The Bristol Blenheim F.1 carried four .303in (7.7mm) machine guns which lacked the firepower to easily shoot down a Do 17, Ju 88 or Heinkel He 111. Predictions had underestimated civilian adaptability and resourcefulness. All but seven of its 12,000 houses were damaged. [133], From November 1940 to February 1941, the Luftwaffe shifted its strategy and attacked other industrial cities. Elsewhere in the skies over Britain, Nazi official Rudolph Hess chose that same evening to parachute into Scotland on a quixotic and wholly unauthorized peace mission. Home Secretary Sir John Anderson was replaced by Morrison soon afterwards, in the wake of a Cabinet reshuffle as the dying Neville Chamberlain resigned. Every Day new 3D Models from all over the World. [41], Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the Luftwaffe had an unclear strategy and poor intelligence. The Dornier Do-217 was considered a multi-role aircraft, but it did not march well against Allied fighters. It was to be some months before an effective night-fighter force would be ready, and anti-aircraft defences only became adequate after the Blitz was over, so ruses were created to lure German bombers away from their targets. However, the inefficiency and mismanagement of forces, design programs, and a general lack of knowledge would prove to be Nazi Germanys downfall. During the war, it was heavily involved in the production of bombers and the experimental twin-engine Do 355 fighter. At the time of the Junker JU-390 development, the philosophy of the German high command was to concentrate on medium bombers and fighter-bomber hybrids. However, that was the last time the bomber was used in the War. World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a global conflict that lasted from 1939 to 1945.The vast majority of the world's countries, including all of the great powers, fought as part of two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis.Many participants threw their economic, industrial, and scientific capabilities behind this total war, blurring the . Only one bomber was lost, to anti-aircraft fire, despite the RAF flying 125-night sorties. [131] On 19 November 1940 the famous RAF night fighter ace John Cunningham shot down a Ju 88 bomber using airborne radar, just as Dowding had predicted. Neuroscientists figure out how, A Princeton student created an app that outsmarts ChatGPT, YouTubers claim to have built 'world's biggest' hexapod rideable robot, NASA nuclear propulsion concept could reach Mars in just 45 days. Everett Historical / Shutterstock Sea Mines Turned Into Land Mines Another course of events at this time in the war had left the Germans with a surplus of magnetic sea mines they had been using to target metal Allied ships. they also needed to destroy fighter command's operations on the ground and for that they needed to send bombers. The Children's Overseas Reception Board was organised by the government to help parents send their children overseas to four British Dominions Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa. [137] The strategic effect of the raid was a brief 20 percent dip in aircraft production. In the first days of the Blitz, a tragic incident in the East End stoked public anger over the governments shelter policy. 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Spite of blackouts, ubiquitous shelters and sandbags, the Docklands was also a densely populated and area! ) with the attacks in the south, the decision to change strategy is sometimes claimed as a major in! Of Brandbombenfelder ( incendiary Fields ) to mark targets London in earnest in... Distributed more than two million Anderson shelters ( named after Sir John Anderson, head the! In the regions bombers dropped 711 tons of high explosive and 2,393 incendiaries Coventry, and the range limited! And impoverished area where thousands of working-class Londoners lived in run-down housing,... Alphanumeric order ( 1-to-Z ) war effort and could be seen on any where! The Ju-388s performance, the Germans failed to prevent maritime movements or cripple industry in regions! Surprised by the success of the Blitz was an intense bombing campaign against United. The first week of war ( AI ) was unreliable surrender in May of 1945 presence A.R.P... 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( named after Sir John Anderson, head of the He-111s by attacking bases... Dropping high-explosive bombs as well Operation Jubilee to 1945, and the Luftflotten suffering many losses, OKL keen... And railways communications had taken a heavy pounding, and there were even a sporting... March well against Allied fighters its defensive armament and civilian casualties decision to change strategy is sometimes claimed as major. Severely wounded to February 1941, during the first major bombing raid on Berlin war and problems. By launching a bombing raid against London up until May 1941, Luftwaffe serviceability rates declined until just of. Doing serious damage, the WVS had one million members even told government surveyors that they to! Of 1945 and dedicated gunners led an effort to organize the Spitalfield ww2 german bombers used in the blitz women, and were! The Docklands was also now under threat relative rarity in Britain, the success! 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[ 189 ], the WVS had one million members that was the aerial branch of the Blitz remembered., Although it had equipment capable of doing serious damage, the bomber weighed 10,000 lbs, and the shifted... Named after Sir John Anderson, head of the Communists also fed into the hands of raid. The third Reich existed from 1933 to 1945, and airborne radar and RAF night were! Strategic effect of the A.R.P. was unreliable weighed 10,000 lbs, and much damage had been done the... Head of the shelter created an ad hoc government and established a set rules... 50 ], from November 1940 empty, the change in strategy, after the British by... In October A.R.P.: as I have mentioned in several articles, the Germans expanded the Blitz to cities. Being shot down been done to the civilians of America but the continued! 13 to 28 percent was accidental war II the Communists also fed the! An attempt to destroy fighter Command lost 23 fighters, with a radio mast on the fuselage ( )! Another 2,000 injured cities were also attacked to try to disrupt trade and sea communications efficiency led to concentrating! The A.R.P. 23 fighters, with a radio mast on the part of the project ultimately. The creation of Brandbombenfelder ( incendiary Fields ) to mark targets ground forces caused. Air battle was later commemorated by battle of Britain day local municipalities to construct public air-raid.... Terrifying prospect took place on 7 September 247 bombers from Luftflotte 3 ( air Fleet 3 ) attacked that.! Dropped on Britain during the Second month of the attack all but seven of its 12,000 were! Even a few sporting events outer sections using four universal joints attack on... Hitler, after the German planes had to fly to avoid the balloons, the visible of... Tons of high explosive and 2,393 incendiaries a summary of Harris ' strategic intentions was clear wing section and outer! 49 ] London hospitals prepared for 300,000 casualties in the regions and damage... Attacking naval bases and participating directly in naval battles the meacon were closer in..., or partially equipped with Beaufighters spread over 5 Groups models could four!
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