WW2: How The Dowding System Made The Battle Of Britain A Success ✈️ | Forces TV

The Battle of Britain was a pivotal part of the Second World War - allowing the RAF to keep control of the air even while wildly outnumbered by the Luftwaffe.

But while it is the pilots who are often remembered for their bravery - the system that allowed them to get ahead of incoming German bombers was the brainchild of the then Fighter Command head, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding.

#BattleOfBritain #WW2 #DowdingSystem

[neilpiper]

There is a Street in Churchdown in the UK called Dowding Way in memory of this great man.

[GregWampler-xmhv]

Hugh Dowding and Keith Park won the BoB. Stuffy was deeply involved in the development of the radars themselves but, and this is little known, his greatest contribution was connecting all the stations via landlines.

And Keith Park, Hell just look at his record he excelled at everything he put his hand to. I think the treatment they got after their victory was abysmal. And then there's that unburied cat t*rd leigh-mallory.

And that note Dowding wrote to Churchill was not only a masterpiece of giving it to his bosses "with the bark on it", as we Hillbillies say but many believe it contributed to his being shuffled of to anonymity after his victory. But by God he was absolutely right and had the balls to stand tall and speak the truth. I guarantee you the REMF leigh-mallory would have kept mum.

Did others make lasting contributions? Sure, but without that radar network and their intercommunications Britain would have been in doo doo.

[KIA-MIA-POW]

The initial 12 female trainee plotters were trained by Watson-Watt and considered so important they came under the control of the RAF and not the WAAF/WRAF. They all wore RAF insignia. They were all designated Special Duties and posted to 9 Group HQ, later disbanded.

[nrich]

Dowding understood before anyone else that this battle was going to be a battle of attrition. He sent up just enough fighters to get the job done so he could outlast the Germans. The Germans began to realize that there seemed to be a never ending supply of Hurricanes and Spitefires and their losses were demoralizing.

[number]

I only recently discovered that Air Marshall Sir Hugh Dowding came from Moffat, Dumfriesshire and would have been about the same vintage
as my grandparents who lived about a mile away. It seems very strange that not one member of my family ever mentioned him or knew of him. Although labelled 'stuffy' Moffat's population was anything but and it seems so strange the way he was treated after the Battle of Britain. To this day we owe him and Air Vice Marshall Sir Keith Park (NZ) a huge debt from their insight on radar and how the squadrons were so skillfully handled in defeating the Luftwaffe and outnumbering the RAF 3-1.

[DavidH-fzky]

The Air Ministry attitude, Bader's (obviously) disastrous 'Big Wing' theory, Lee Mallory's selfish politics and the scandalous sackings (no less) of Dowding and Park still echo throughout the governance of the UK more than eighty years later. So much for progress.

[eljoe]

The part about the 303th Polish squadron chooses to show the picture of Josef František, who was actually Czech(oslovak).

[jackvisser]

I would like to take this time, and space, to wish each and everyone we know a Merry Christmas, and a much anticipated and welcome New Year. While this past year has been shall we say, a little different? Scary? Emotionally trying? It has also been a year to find new ways of doing the every day things and again, we wish you a Merry Christmas, and a very Happy New Year. Jean and JR

[drewblackmatter]

Thenks to profesore N SANTORYNIS FROM HELLAS YOU HAVE NAIT VISSION RADAR ON PLAYNS AND POLISTATIC RADAR SERVELENS.

[steveread]

I have never served myself, but I felt the urge to salute them.
Withought Sir Hugh and the few, who knows where we would be now?

[mneeser]

The statement in the introduction that, ". . . even while wildly outnumbered by the Luftwaffe." as well as the commentator's 3 - 4:1 ratio of Luftwaffe to RAF aircraft is absolute nonsense.  
The true ratio Luftwaffe:RAF was closer to 1.3 to 1.
According to Bungay, 2000 (pg. 107) RAF strength was 1, 963 aircraft, of which 754 were single seat
Wood & Dempster 2003, p. 31 the Luftwaffe had 2, 550 serviceable aircraft, of which 805 were single seat fighters.

[jonathancampbell]

I week ago I was looking for a video about this. Thanks for reading my mind

[gavgiiuktvii]

Thank you for your service God Bless You All ... MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄

[coolvideos]

Thanks for covering this! Incredible story.

[peternorris]

JUST FANTASTIC THAT 80 PLUS YEARS LATER DOWDING AND PARK ARE RECOGNISED FOR THEIR B of B EFFORTS .
PARK THEN SAVED MALTA, COMMETH THE HOUR COMMETH THE MEN,

[jonsouth]

The RAF was not outnumbered 4-1 at all, Not even 2-1. Between the Luftwaffe and the Corpo Aero Italiano, 2, 550 planes Axis planes took part while Allied forces numbered 1, 963. The 4-1 is a nice story but it is simply not historically accurate the balance of forces was just over 1.3-1 with the RAF actually having a higher percentage loss than the Axis forces 88.9% of planes that took part compared to the Axis 77.5% of planes but the Allies being more likely to recover the pilot, to be honest, the Battle of Britain was a tactical draw but a strategic victory for the Allies and a very important morale boost. The battle was a much much more even fight than popular history would say, but then again this is not the only time this type of myth has been created. When I was at school I was taught that the Spanish Armada outnumbered the defending feet 2/3-1. Whilst in reality Anglo-Dutch fleet was actually bigger than the Spanish Fleet. Yes the Dutch fleet under Justinus Von Nassau (who personally captured 2 Spanish Galleons at the Battle of Gravelines 40% of all the Galleons captured) played a major role in the campaign and were present in the decisive battles, including being singlehandedly responsible for why the Spanish Army of the Netherlands were blockaded in port and were unable to meet up with the Spanish Fleet but have been largely forgotten). The Anglo-Dutch Fleet had 34 warships of the latest design and 193 armed Merchantmen compared to the Spanish Armada that numbered 22 Warships of a much older design and 108 Armed Merchantmen. meaning that far from being outnumbered 2-1 or 3-1 the Anglo-Dutch fleet actually outnumbered the Spanish 227-130. Giving the Anglo-Dutch forces a superiority of 1.74-1. It is a common trait in UK history that we like to mess with the numbers to make a victory look more impressive or to excuse a defeat. I was taught that Rorkes Drift was defended by 139 soldiers completely ignoring the 100+ African levies under the command of Lt Alfred Henderson who also took part in the Battle fighting for the British these forces prevented the Zulus from taking the hills that overlooked the mission station especially the Oscarburg and were critical in the victory, although at the time it was very common to overlook the contributions of local levy forces.

[misaeljavier]

13:43 I love that. Do you love me? 😍💋 💝💖❤️