Weather: Thunderstorms in the Channel, patchy clouds over Dover.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

  • Blenheim – 62
  • Spitfire – 224
  • Hurricane – 308
  • Defiant – 11
  • Total – 605

A large convoy was attacked opposite Dover. In a dogfight above this convoy, 2 Hurricanes were lost and 4 damaged. There was a major dogfight when 50 Me109s and Me110s clashed with some 24 Hurricanes and Spitfires. The RAF lost that day 3 aircraft against 9 German aircraft destroyed which included 5 Me109s. The day’s performance made up for the previous day’s disappointing tally.

PO DH Wissler – Diary, 20 July
It was my evening off and Brigid managed to get a pass so we went out to the “Red Lion” near Duxford and had dinner together in F/L Quinn’s car. A very nice evening.
(Reproduced with kind permission of the Imperial War Museum and Copyright holder)

Today’s theme: The Airfields They Flew From – Kenley