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Luftwaffe West: The Battle for France and the Low Countries (May 1940 - June 1940)

Luftwaffe West: The Battle for France and the Low Countries (May 1940 - June 1940)

After the the initial shock of the invasion, the Luftwaffe quickly established air supremacy (as opposed to air superiority) as the French air arm was on the verge of collapse. The French Air Force (Armee de l'Air) had only just begun to make the majority of bomber sorties; between June 5th and 9th, over 1,815 missions, of which 518 were by bombers, were flown. The number of sorties flown declined as losses were now becoming impossible to replace. The British Royal Air Force (RAF) attempted to divert the attention of the Luftwaffe with 660 sorties flown against targets over the Dunkirk area but losses were heavy; on June 21st alone 37 Bristol Blenheims were destroyed. After June 9th, French aerial resistance virtually ceased, some surviving aircraft withdrew to French North Africa. The Luftwaffe now 'ran riot'. Its attacks were focused on the direct and indirect support of the German Army (Wehrmacht). The Luftwaffe subjected lines of resistance to ferocious assault, which then quickly collapsed under armoured attack.

The Luftwaffe virtually destroyed the Armee de l'Air during the campaign and inflicted heavy losses on the RAF contingent that was deployed. It is estimated the French lost 1,274 aircraft during the campaign, the British suffered losses of 959 (477 fighters). The battle for France had cost the Luftwaffe 28% of its front line strength, some 1,428 aircraft destroyed (1,129 to enemy action, 299 in accidents). A further 488 were damaged (225 to enemy action, 263 in accidents), making a total of 36% of the Luftwaffe strength negatively affected. The campaign had been a spectacular success for the German air-arm.

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RAF Hawker Hurricane Fighter - No.5 Squadron, France, 1940 RAF Hawker Hurricane Fighter - No.5 Squadron, France, 1940 (1:72 Scale)

The Hawker Hurricane was the first monoplane to join the Royal Air Force as a fighter aircraft, capable of reaching speeds in excess of 300-mph in level flight. Often compared with the sleek-looking Supermarine Spitfire, the Hurricane, in actuality, shouldered the brunt of the fighting during the "Battle of Britain", equipping more than three-fifths of the RAF's Fighter Command squadrons.

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German Junkers Ju-87B Stuka Dive-Bomber - Stab III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77, Caen, France, 1940 German Junkers Ju-87B Stuka Dive-Bomber - Stab III./Sturzkampfgeschwader 77, Caen, France, 1940 (1:72 Scale)

During the early to mid-stages of the Second World War, the Stuka (short for "sturzkampfflugzeug" or dive-bomber) struck terror in the hearts and minds of soldiers and civilians alike. The Stuka was a rugged machine, designed to swoop down and destroy its target using 500-lb bombs or tear into them using 37mm flak guns mounted underneath the wings.

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RAF Gloster Gladiator Mk. II Fighter - "B" Flight, No.615 ("County of Surrey") Squadron, France, 1940 RAF Gloster Gladiator Mk. II Fighter - "B" Flight, No.615 ("County of Surrey") Squadron, France, 1940 (1:72 Scale)

One of the only biplane fighters to have any measurable success in the Second World War, the Gloster Gladiator was the product of a bygone era combining with modernity for one last fling. The Gladiator was obsolete by September 1939, but it still had what it took to make a significant impact on history. Air Ministry specification F.7/30 realized (correctly) that future fighters were going to be faster and better armed.

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French Lior et Olivier LeO 45 Medium Bomber - 1st Escadrille, Groupe de Bombardement I/31, 1940 French Lior et Olivier LeO 45 Medium Bomber - 1st Escadrille, Groupe de Bombardement I/31, 1940 (1:144 Scale)

The Liore-et-Olivier LeO 45 was a French medium bomber that was used during and after the Second World War. It had been originally designed and developed for the newly formed Armee de l'air as a modern medium bomber capable of performing independent strategic operations, unlike the majority of previous French bombers.

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Vichy French Air Force Dewoitine D.520 Fighter - Pierre Le Gloan, GC III/6, Syria, 1941 [With Collector Magazine] Vichy French Air Force Dewoitine D.520 Fighter - Pierre Le Gloan, GC III/6, Syria, 1941 [With Collector Magazine] (1:72 Scale)

The Dewoitine D.520 was perhaps the best fighter available to the Armee de l'Air during the German invasion of France in May 1940. It was yet another example of a combat aircraft which flew on both sides during World War II.

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RAF Gloster Gladiator Mk. II Fighter - No.72 Squadron, Church Fenton, England, 1937 RAF Gloster Gladiator Mk. II Fighter - No.72 Squadron, Church Fenton, England, 1937 (1:72 Scale)

One of the only biplane fighters to have any measurable success in the Second World War, the Gloster Gladiator was the product of a bygone era combining with modernity for one last fling. The Gladiator was obsolete by September 1939, but it still had what it took to make a significant impact on history. Air Ministry specification F.7/30 realized (correctly) that future fighters were going to be faster and better armed.

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RAF Westland Lysander Mk. II Reconnaissance Aircraft - No. 13 Squadron, 1939 RAF Westland Lysander Mk. II Reconnaissance Aircraft - No. 13 Squadron, 1939 (1:72 Scale)

The Lysander is a two-seat reconnaissance and artillery spotting monoplane defined by Specification A 39/34 in response to Operational Requirement OR. 18. Three squadrons of Mk. Is and three of Mk. Us equipped during 1938/39 moved to France with BEF in 1939; about 50 Westland Lysanders were shot down and 30 destroyed on the ground in May 1940.

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German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - W.Nr.5057, "Yellow 1" Oberleutnant Josef "Pips" Priller, 6./Jagdgeschwader 51, Mardyck, France, October 1940 German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - W.Nr.5057, "Yellow 1", Oberleutnant Josef 'Pips' Priller, 6./Jagdgeschwader 51, Mardyck, France, October 1940 (1:72 Scale)

Numerically the most abundant fighter produced by either side during WWII, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Jagdwaffe on both the eastern and western fronts, as well as in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Of the eight distinct sub-types within the huge Bf 109 family, the most populous was the G-model, of which over 30,000 were built between 1941-45.

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German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - Hans-Joachim Marseille, "White 14", I.Jagd/Lehrgeschwader 2, Calais-Marck, France, 1940 German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - Hans-Joachim Marseille, "White 14", I.Jagd/Lehrgeschwader 2, Calais-Marck, France, 1940 (1:72 Scale)

Numerically the most abundant fighter produced by either side during WWII, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Jagdwaffe on both the eastern and western fronts, as well as in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Of the eight distinct sub-types within the huge Bf 109 family, the most populous was the G-model, of which over 30,000 were built between 1941-45.

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German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - Oblt. Gerhard Schopfel, Staffelkapitan 9/Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter", Caffiers, France, August 1940 German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - Oblt. Gerhard Schopfel, Staffelkapitan 9/Jagdgeschwader 26 "Schlageter", Caffiers, France, August 1940 (1:72 Scale)

Numerically the most abundant fighter produced by either side during WWII, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Jagdwaffe on both the eastern and western fronts, as well as in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Of the eight distinct sub-types within the huge Bf 109 family, the most populous was the G-model, of which over 30,000 were built between 1941-45.

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German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - Wilhelm Balthasar, 1./Jagdgeschwader 1 "Oesau", France, 1940 German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-4 "Emil" Fighter - Wilhelm Balthasar, 1./Jagdgeschwader 1 "Oesau", France, 1940 (1:72 Scale)

Numerically the most abundant fighter produced by either side during WWII, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Jagdwaffe on both the eastern and western fronts, as well as in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Of the eight distinct sub-types within the huge Bf 109 family, the most
populous was the G-model, of which over 30,000 were built between
1941-45.

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German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7/B "Emil" Fighter - "Blue H" Triangle, II./Schlachtgeschwader 1 "Oesau", Luftwaffe Ground Support Jabo, Stalingrad, Russia, Winter 1942-43 German Messerschmitt Bf 109E-7/B "Emil" Fighter - "Blue H" Triangle, II./Schlachtgeschwader 1 "Oesau", Luftwaffe Ground Support Jabo, Stalingrad, Russia, Winter 1942-43 (1:72 Scale)

Numerically the most abundant fighter produced by either side during WWII, the Messerschmitt Bf 109 formed the backbone of the Jagdwaffe on both the eastern and western fronts, as well as in the Mediterranean and North Africa. Of the eight distinct sub-types within the huge Bf 109 family, the most
populous was the G-model, of which over 30,000 were built between
1941-45.

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