The weather: improved with bright intervals.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

  • Blenheim – 62
  • Spitfire – 227
  • Hurricane – 331
  • Defiant – 22
  • Total – 642

This was the day that the RAF fielded a force of Defiants. The Defiant was a single engined aircraft but with a very distinctive feature, namely a Boulton Paul power operated four gun turret complete with air gunner to operate it, situated behind the pilot and firing backwards. The aircraft had no forward firing guns. This odd design proved a disaster in combat. 12 of these aircraft, from 141 Squadron, had taken off from Hawkinge, near Folkestone, to patrol the Channel at 5000ft. They were almost immediately attacked by a force of 20 Me109s. In minutes, 5 Defiants had been shot down into the Channel and a sixth aircraft crash landed in fields around Dover. The remaining three were saved by the appearance of the Hurricanes of 111 Squadron. The Luftwaffe had lost one Me109 in this disastrous engagement. They subsequently claimed they had shot down 12 Defiants which was not far from the truth. Following this baptism of fire, 141 Squadron of Defiants was moved to Prestwick in Scotland. The other Defiant squadron number 264 was sent to an airfield near Manchester. However, the squadron was, in due course, sent south again where a couple of days later it was in the thick of the fighting.

In the afternoon, radar reported a large body of aircraft forming up behind Calais. Three squadrons from 11 Group were vectored to intercept. Outnumbered nearly two to one they did not in the event achieve a score. The German aircraft, however, managed to destroy a boy’s school near Fowey in Cornwall. RAF losses for the day were put at 11 aircraft downed. This compared with only 4 German aircraft shot down. This four to one ratio coincided with Hitler’s speech to the Reichstag which included the famous “Last Appeal to Reason” overture to Britain. It was the German leader’s most overt reference to a possible cessation of hostilities.

266 Squadron Operational Record Book, 19 July
Cool and squally. Slight rain showers during evening. Visibility moderate. Flying 14 hours 30 minutes. B Flight at readiness, Ac Flight available. Local flying, target practice – night flying circuits and landings.

Today’s theme: The Squadrons – 74 Squadron