THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN - SEPTEMBER SKIES

This is a private, non-commercial, non-monetised project. An ambitious Luftwaffe ace encounters a 19-year-old RAF recruit flying his first Spitfire sortie in the Battle of Britain over Kent. What could possibly go wrong... for the both of them?

Two films - Two interlocking fates: A remixed combo production featuring 'The Thirty Acres' and 'England's Son'.

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Two Yorkshire lads go off to war, one in a Spitfire, one in a Hurricane.

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On September 15 1940, all hell breaks loose in the skies over a Kent village. For a 19-year-old Hurricane pilot, this will be a day unlike any other.

See also:

Hitler's V Weapons, Summer 1944 - With Operation Overlord, the greatest air and seaborne invasion in history, now underway across the Channel in Normandy, the British people dare to imagine the war may soon be over. But for London and the Kent villages, a new nightmare is about to begin.

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RAF Staplehurst is a former WW2 Royal Air Force Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) situated in central Kent, England. The airfield is located approximately 1 mile (1.6 km) northeast of Staplehurst, about 38 miles SE of London.

Built during 1943 as an Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) for Operation Overlord (Normandy invasion), Staplehurst was used briefly by RAF fighter squadrons during August to October 1943 and then allocated to the US Ninth Air Force.

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What is the background to 1066, the most famous date in English history? If you think you know the whole story, this film will amaze you

[johntatham]

I was born in Tunbridge Wells on December 2nd, 1940 3 days after Robin Tafter crashed in a field within a couple of miles of my birthplace. I cannot imagine what it must have been like for my mother, who died in 1943 so I could not ask her, and other civilians in the area. My father died in service with the British Army and I was shipped off to Canada as a young teenager after the war where I still live.
I was fascinated by this incredible documentary that took place so close but about which I was blissfully unaware. Thank you Mr. Day for your incredible work. I have seen other documentaries of yours and enjoyed them all.

[countrywideboy]

A very sad story, of our young men back then dying at 19 is tragic, I work on a ex RAF base, that lost 247 crew in 1943, not a day goes by, when I don't think of them, Least we Forget.

[grumpyoldbikers]

Please Dont ever stop these amazing history lessons. These young hero’s MUST always be remembered, thank you for doing this.

[carolehouston]

What a great programme. I was not born then but in the 50’s and it gets to me the ages of those who fought and died in the wars!
It’s time to stop this happening anymore. I send love and a great thanks to those families who were affected by the loss of family members and those injured too. We owe a lot to them. Don’t let it happen again!

[thomasstanworth]

Tremendous documentary. I’m an avid armchair military historian and this had me gripped. Thank you! May all the lads rest in peace.

[davidarchibald]

Thank you so much for that bitter-sweet story of courage, sacrifice, and entwinement. Young men with so much to live for, thrown into dreadful battle, lives that could have given humanity so much if lived out, snuffed out. We should have learned this lesson, learned to be better and become fathers to better men, but we failed. Today, the horrors of war are more prevalent, more hideous, and equally pointless. We need to learn these stories, remember them, and maybe they did not die in vain.

[RivetGardener]

Amazing the amount of people-treasure the UK lost as pilots during this part of the war. Huge amounts of college aged kids died, piling upon the same from WW1. What a devastation to the country. Add to the food shortages after both world wars, in spite of America shipping millions of pounds of food to support the country, the tightness of the times is demonstrated by the smallness of the kids born the decades after. The UK suffered hard...harder than we in the US can ever know. We should be ever grateful for their support for our country- it works both ways.

[peghead]

Sad that many family's lineage were erased as a result of The Great War and World War Two world-wide, this production, in my opinion, absolutely "raised the bar" for documentaries, many thanks.

[spudzilla]

What a beautifully told story of young men from both sides who gave their all to serve their country . Harrowing to see so many young men and women struck down before they even got started with their adult lives . My dad was in the RAF during the Suez crisis in Jordan, so i have always had an interest in planes from this era, before and beyond . A fabulous history lesson, Thank you .

[tonyfranks]

We will always owe them. I flew light planes for fun but could not have flown with just my basic skills in combat in a Spitfire or Hurricane with any degree of skill with so few hours. Incredible am indebted to them for my life and lifestyle..

[adamsawyer]

Thank you for this.

When I was a boy I read and watched everything about the war and the Battle of Britain and found it all tremendously exciting and terrifying.

Now I am a father to a young son I view it all very much more with a great sadness for all these lives cut short. I can only hope he never has to go through such times himself.

[j.dunlop]

In 1970 my brother's and I attended boy scout jamboree, London, England was celebrating 30th anniversary of the Battle of Britain! The movie came out same name, we got to listen to the survivor pilots, not fully understanding, what a sacrifice they made! The old pilot's were very emotional, for it being 30 years later! The burned scarred pilot, made a serious impression!

[rarerufus]

Fascinating, an excellent production. My parents were married at Woodmansterne Church, not far from Croydon, on 28 Sept 1940. Dad was on leave from the Med (RNVR) and whilst sadly neither are still with us, this kind of documentary truly illustrates what a different world it was when they met, married and thankfully survived the conflict.

[cameronbosman]

I can't like this twice and this will haunt me. What a fantastic documentary! Thank you.

[jamesmcbride]

What a great documentry, well put together with great respect, we will always be indepted to the young men that gave there lives for us. God bless them !

[GhostRider]

that was absolutley facinating from start to finish !!! the tears were rolling down my face at the end, so many young lads, and i use the term lads lighty as in effect they were just kids, and never got to experience old age with a wife and children, it absolutley breaks my heart, thank you for this Phillip, kind regards always ...Shaun.

[patrickrose]

My maternal great grandfather ' John George Maltby' Hucknall Towns last Boer War survivor, was working in the canteen at R. A. F. Hucknall at this time.
My mam told me of the day he came home and exclaimed " Well ! We've caught one today" ! 😅
Later on, the first five or six P51's were there to have their Allison engines replaced by the Merlin. It was also the site of the first VTOL - " The Flying Bedstead" prototype testing.
Loved the video, best regards 😊

[ColinFreeman-khus]

There is no better WW2 documentary maker than yourself. Better than brilliant, simp, y a masterpiece. Again

[petedudson]

Excellent video. Group Captain John Hemingway aged 104 now the sole surviving airman of the Battle of Britain.

[kevingill]

What a fabulous documentary of a true story! so sad that many young men lost their lives on both sides fighting for their country. A must watch.