In The Battle of Britain, which 1940 air campaign is fought over the United Kingdom?

The Battle of Britain depicts the 1940 air campaign fought over the United Kingdom.

The 1969 film, directed by Guy Hamilton, dramatizes the struggle between Germany’s Luftwaffe and Britain’s Royal Air Force during World War II. The campaign took place primarily from July through October 1940 and involved German attempts to gain air superiority before a possible invasion of Britain.

The film uses a large international cast, including Laurence Olivier as Air Chief Marshal Hugh Dowding, Trevor Howard, Michael Caine, Christopher Plummer, and Curd Jürgens. It was made with cooperation from several air forces and is known for using surviving aircraft, including Spitfires and Hurricanes, alongside period imagery and models. A common mix-up is treating the Battle of Britain as another name for the Blitz. The Blitz was the subsequent sustained bombing campaign against British cities, while the earlier air battle focused on control of the skies.