On This Day, 1939: On 21 October 1939, 46 Squadron Hurricanes intercepted Heinkel He 115 floatplanes over the North Sea in the…
Read the entry →Second World War Articles
In-depth articles, analysis and long reads from The RAF Chronicle.
Battle of Britain Enters Its Final Phase of Night Raids
Second World War
On 6 October 1940, the Battle of Britain entered its final phase as Luftwaffe attacks shifted from daylight assault to night bombing.
Read the article →The RAF and the Fall of France: Retreat and Lessons of 1940
A long read on the RAF in the Fall of France, from bomber losses and retreat to evacuation,…
PRU Spitfire Finds Bismarck in Norway: 21 May 1941
On 21 May 1941, a photo-reconnaissance Spitfire found Bismarck in Norway, giving British planners crucial intelligence before the…
RAF in the Battle for Crete: Air Superiority and Withdrawal
RAF in the Battle for Crete shows how German air superiority shaped the campaign, weakened the defence and…
RAF Withdraws from Crete Under Luftwaffe Air Superiority
On this day in 1941, the RAF withdrew its remaining aircraft from Crete as Luftwaffe air superiority made…
617 Squadron Launches the Dams Raid with Upkeep Mines
On this day in 1943, 617 Squadron launched the dams raid, using Barnes Wallis’s Upkeep mine in the…
Strategic Bombing Offensive Effectively Begins in 1940
On this day in 1940, Bomber Command sent ninety-nine bombers against Ruhr targets, effectively opening the RAF’s strategic…
Heavy Losses over Sedan Expose RAF Vulnerability in 1940
On this day in 1940, RAF attacks on the German breakthrough at Sedan suffered severe losses, exposing the…
Reinforcing Malta by Air: RAF Fighters and Survival
How repeated RAF fighter deliveries to Malta helped the island survive siege, contest Axis air attack and remain…
First Success for Fido in the Battle of the Atlantic
On this day in 1943, a Liberator of 86 Squadron crippled U-456 with Fido, proving the value of…
The RAF’s First Deliberate Raid on Germany Begins Over Rhine
On this day in 1940, Whitleys of 77 Squadron and 102 Squadron carried out what is often described…
Operation Oppidan and Operation Hansford Deliver Fighters to Malta
On this day in 1942, Operations Oppidan and Hansford delivered Spitfires to Malta, strengthening the island’s RAF fighter…
RAF Aircraft Fuel Systems, Range and Operational Endurance
How RAF fuel systems, tank design and fuel management shaped aircraft range, endurance, mission planning and operational reach.