10th June 1944 / 18th June 1940

[antarmike]

The RAF returns, when it operates it's first aircraft from tempory airstrips in Normandy, first op being 10th June, It is less than 4 years since the last Hurricanes left France on 18th june 1940.

 

The defence of France had cost the RAF 1,029 Aircraft and over 1500 personnel, Now it enjoys almost total air supremacy, and is very much on the offensive.

 

June 7th had seen RAF Typhoons and American Mustangs were used to great effect from British Airfields, when they attacked the German 7th Army's Armoured division, as it moved up to the Channel coast. Now the flying time had been shortened and endurance over France would be even longer. The tide had turned.

[AlienFTM]

The RAF returns, when it operates it's first aircraft from tempory airstrips in Normandy, first op being 10th June, It is less than 4 years since the last Hurricanes left France on 18th june 1940.

 

The defence of France had cost the RAF 1,029 Aircraft and over 1500 personnel, Now it enjoys almost total air supremacy, and is very much on the offensive.

 

June 7th had seen RAF Typhoons and American Mustangs were used to great effect from British Airfields, when they attacked the German 7th Army's Armoured division, as it moved up to the Channel coast. Now the flying time had been shortened and endurance over France would be even longer. The tide had turned.

 

I once (in the early 1970s) saw a source which quoted the total number of Luftwaffe sorties flown over the invasion beaches on D-Day as ... three. This source preferred to use the term "air monopoly."