Weather: mainly fair, intermittent showers.

Fighter Command Serviceable Aircraft as at 0900 hours:

  • Blenheim – 55
  • Spitfire – 237
  • Hurricane – 391
  • Defiant – 21
  • Gladiator – 7
  • Total – 711

There were several major incursions by mixed groups of bombers surrounded by large concentrations of fighters which ranged over Kent with some aircraft penetrating to London. However, 4 squadrons of the RAF managed to intercept. In Brighton, 11 people were killed during a morning raid. In the air fighting that day, 8 German aircraft were destroyed for a loss of 7 RAF fighters.
That night the London Docks were once again targets and Lambeth Palace was damaged.

266 Squadron Operational Record Book – 20 September
Average temperature – visibility very good. Practices included battle climb, squadron formation flying – fighter command attacks and dog fighting.

Reported Casualties (RAF Campaign Diary 20th September 1940):

*  Enemy: 6 confirmed, 1 probable, 2 damaged
*  Own: 7 aircraft with 4 pilots killed or missing.

Today’s theme: The Squadrons – 85 Squadron