Who Usually Came Out on Top in Fighter Engagements during the Battle of Britain: RAF or Luftwaffe?

The Battle of Britain, fought from July to October 1940, is often regarded as one of the first instances where air power decisively influenced the course of battle. During this period, the Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Luftwaffe engaged in numerous aerial encounters, with the RAF generally maintaining air superiority.

Initial Superiority and Objectives

The Luftwaffe initially possessed numerical superiority, aiming to establish air superiority over Britain. However, the RAF's effective tactics, superior training, and the use of radar for early warning provided a counterpoint to these advantages. As a result, the RAF successfully repelled the Luftwaffe's attempts to cripple their forces, leading to significant German losses.

The RAF's Aircraft and Performance

The RAF, notably the Supermarine Spitfire and Hawker Hurricane, demonstrated remarkable effectiveness against German bombers and fighters. These aircraft, combined with RAF tactics, inflicted heavy losses on the Luftwaffe. The Luftwaffe was unable to achieve their objective of crippling the RAF, thereby securing a strategic victory for the British.

Luftwaffe Losses and RAF Efficiency

Statistically, the RAF outperformed the Luftwaffe, with far fewer aircraft lost during combat. A significant reason for this was that RAF operational losses often included fighter aircraft that were shot down, labeled as non-combat. In contrast, the Luftwaffe's loss records were incomplete and contained many inaccuracies. According to various estimates, the RAF flew nearly three-and-a-half times the Spitfire and Hurricane sorties as the Germans did with the Messerschmitt Bf 109. This disparity meant that the British experienced more combat losses, but the overall effectiveness of the RAF's tactics was clear.

Luftwaffe Losses and RAF Statistics

According to the Battle of Britain: Then and Now, the Luftwaffe lost 667 Messerschmitt Bf 109s during the battle. Of these, about 567 were shot down by the RAF. The RAF, on the other hand, lost around 980 Spitfires and Hurricanes, of which about 350 were non-combat losses, leading to 630 combat losses. The Spitfire had a 2:1 kill-ratio against Bf 109s, while the Hurricane had roughly a 1:1 ratio.

Hidden Losses and Incomplete Records

Additionally, Luftwaffe units initially underestimated their losses and provided incomplete reports for the first few weeks of the battle. It was only on July 28 when they were instructed to submit consolidated reports, but these were inherently incomplete. Ultra intercepts revealed additional losses that were never reported to the authorities in Berlin. For example, Squadron 52 shot down six Bf 109s during a successful mission, but only three of these losses were acknowledged. Furthermore, an engineless Bf 109 landed in England and was examined by the RAF, but the corresponding WerkNr (factory number) was omitted from German records to preserve the integrity of their records.