A few I haven't seen before. "Rare photos reveal the carnage of burnt and mangled aircraft that rained down onto our towns and cities at the height of the Blitz as the Battle of Britain raged overhead. The incredible collection shows the smouldering wreckage of Nazi warplanes strewn across fields, homes and shops destroyed and members of the public staring at captured Luftwaffe aircraft on display. During the Second World War, the British public had a never-ending fascination with wrecked German planes and huge crowds would gather to catch a glimpse of Messerschmitts and Dorniers carted around the UK to raise funds for the war effort. But while some photos in the archive show smiling Brits posing with wreckage - most show the trail of destruction left by a clash that would shape the outcome of the war. During the four months of the Battle of Britain, from July 1940 to October that year, RAF heroes clashed with Luftwaffe pilots in the vital fight for air supremacy - with a victory that ultimately scuppered Hitler's planned invasion. However, after the country had defended its shores from Hitler's airforce - its cities and ports were then battered by the Blitz. For eight months between 1940 and 1941 the country was subjected to a constant barrage of bombing from the Nazis. In September 1941 alone, 5,300 tonnes of explosives were dropped on London with other cities like Coventry suffering a 10-hour bombardment in one night, where 500 tonnes of high explosives and 900 incendiary bombs were dropped. The financial cost of the Blitz, by the end of the horrific campaign, came to around £20,000,000 - with 116,000 buildings destroyed in London alone - but the human cost was catastrophic, leaving 43,000 dead. " Photos reveal clean-up operation in Blitz-struck Britain | Daily Mail Online
Gordon, I cannot find a link, of course it could be my eyes and I am missing it !! Sounds most interesting. Gaines
It's the green script at the bottom, Gaines. It's not immediately obvious at first glance, so I've given it a bit of space.
Great photos of which I have never seen one ! I tended to think of bombs but a falling aircraft at say 5000 pounds + for a ME 109 or much more for a Heinkel bomber is a lot of kinetic energy plus some may still have had bombs and all some amout of gasoline presented another type of threat Thank you for posting these. Gaines
Yes - we all know about bombs being dropped but aircraft that have been shot down is another aspect. Interesting to see the Italian aircraft, not much is spoken about their role in the Battle of Britain or after. I see the Daily Mail still have problems spilling werds priperly TD
Very interesting selection of photos ( even though the Daily Mail seem unaware of After The Battle's various publications... )
