Editing RAF Fighter Command (section)

== Second World War ==

=== Battle of Britain ===
{{see also|RAF Fighter Command order of battle 1940}}
[[File:Piloci 303.jpg|thumb|Shot of the fighter pilots of the Polish [[No. 303 Squadron RAF|303 Squadron]], 1940. Foreign fighter squadrons began forming in July 1940.]]
During the late 1930s Fighter Command expanded greatly and replaced its obsolete [[biplane]] squadrons – generally outfitted with [[Bristol Bulldog]], [[Gloster Gauntlet]] and [[Hawker Fury]] biplane fighters leading up to, and through the period of its founding – with the [[Hawker Hurricane]] and the [[Supermarine Spitfire]]. Fighter Command was tested during the [[Battle of Britain]] in the summer of 1940 when the German [[Luftwaffe]] launched an offensive aimed at attaining air superiority over the [[English Channel|Channel]] and the UK as a prerequisite to the launch of a seaborne invasion force (codenamed [[Operation Sea Lion]]). Fighter Command was divided into several groups, each defending a different part of the UK. [[No. 11 Group RAF|11 Group]] took the brunt of the German attack, as it controlled southeast England and [[London]]. It was reinforced by [[No. 10 Group RAF|10 Group]], which covered southwest England, [[No. 12 Group RAF|12 Group]], which covered the [[English Midlands|Midlands]] and [[East Anglia]], and [[No. 13 Group RAF|13 Group]], which covered the North of England and Scotland. [[No. 14 Group RAF|14 Group]] was established on 26 June 1940. [[No. 60 Group RAF|60 Group]] was established to run the [[Chain Home]] radar stations in early 1940. In the end, the Germans failed to attain air superiority, although the RAF had been eating severely into its reserves during the battle, as had the Luftwaffe.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theengineer.co.uk/content/archive/why-the-luftwaffe-failed-to-secure-air-superiority-in-wwii/|title=September 1945: Why the Luftwaffe failed to secure air superiority in WWII|date=19 September 2024|publisher=The Engineer|access-date=21 November 2024}}</ref>

=== 1941 air offensive ===

{{main|Circus offensive}}
By May 1941, the squadrons based at all the main fighter airfields operated in wings, under the tactical control of the new post of [[wing leader]], a survivor of 1940 with the rank of [[Wing Commander (rank)|wing commander]]. Fighter Command began a campaign to gain air superiority over northwestern France. Short-penetration fighter operations were used to draw the {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} into a war of attrition and keep as many German fighters in the west, particularly after the [[Operation Barbarossa]], the German attack on the Soviet Union, began in June 1941. Large Spitfire formations were sent out with a few medium bombers to lure the German fighters into combat. The {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} left [[Glossary of German military terms#J|''Jagdgeschwader'' 2]] (JG 2) and [[Jagdgeschwader 26]] (JG 26) in western Europe, comprising 180 fighters at most.{{Sfn|Murray|1983|p=134}}

The advantages enjoyed by Fighter Command during the Battle of Britain were reversed, the short range of the Spitfire becoming a tactical disadvantage and British pilots became [[prisoners of war]] if shot down. Fighter Command claimed 711 {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} fighters shot down but only 236 were lost from all causes, 103 in combat, for a loss of 400 RAF fighters.<ref>'The JG 26 War Diary' (Volume 1), Caldwell (1996) page 199.</ref> As 1941 ended, the appearance of the new [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]], considerably superior to the [[Supermarine Spitfire (early Merlin powered variants)#Mk V (Types 331, 349 & 352)|Spitfire Mk V]], put the British fighters at a worse disadvantage.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.historyhit.com/the-spitfire-v-or-the-fw190-which-ruled-the-skies/|title=The Spitfire V or the Fw190: Which Ruled the Skies?|date=5 April 2019|publisher=History Hit|access-date=21 November 2024}}</ref>

The [[The Blitz|Blitz]] of 1940 continued against civilian and industrial targets. Fighter Command night defences improved considerably in the new year; the [[Bristol Beaufighter]] supplanted the [[Bristol Blenheim]] as the principal [[night fighter]], equipped with improved [[aircraft interception radar]], and became increasingly effective in [[ground-controlled interception]] (GCI).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisation/stations/raf-boulmer/news/80th-anniversary-of-the-first-ground-control-intercept-radar-site/|title=80th Anniversary of the First Ground Control Intercept Radar Site|date=1 January 2021|publisher=RAF|access-date=21 November 2024}}</ref>

=== 1942–45 ===
[[File:Spitfire Tipping V-1 Flying Bomb.jpg|thumb|A [[Spitfire]] tipping the wing of a [[V-1 flying bomb|V-1]], which disrupted the missile's automatic pilot during [[Operation Crossbow#V-1 defence|Operation Crossbow]], 1944.]]
The difficult task of slowly grinding down the Germans continued into 1942 and 1943. Squadrons also found themselves on tiring defensive patrols as small formations of Fw 190s flew 'hit and run' nuisance raids along the south coast and the [[Hawker Typhoon]] came into squadron service. On 19 August, during the [[Dieppe Raid]], the RAF had an opportunity to engage large numbers of {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} aircraft. The Spitfire squadrons (42 with Mark Vs, and four with Mark IXs) flew ground-attack, escort and air-superiority sorties and prevented the {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} from interfering in the ground and sea battle, claiming 106 victories. Postwar analysis showed that the RAF lost 106 aircraft, including 88 fighters and 18 bombers; 29 fighter losses were from flak, one ran out of fuel, two collided and one was a victim of friendly fire.<ref>Franks 1998, pp. 56–62.</ref> The actual {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} loss was 48 aircraft, 28 being bombers, half of them [[Dornier Do 217]]s from [[KG 2]]. JG 2, lost 14 Fw 190s and eight pilots killed, JG 26 lost six Fw 190s with their pilots.<ref name="Weal 1996, p. 26">Weal 1996, p. 26.</ref> Spitfire losses stood at 70 destroyed and damaged to all causes; the number lost to Fw 190s is unknown.<ref>Franks 1998, p. 56-62.</ref><ref>Delve 2007, p. 73.</ref> The {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} claimed 61 of the 106 RAF machines lost, which included all types, JG 2 claiming 40 and JG 26 claiming 21.<ref name="Weal 1996, p. 26" /> In 1942 Fighter Command claimed 560 victories against a true loss of 272 German fighters from all causes, for 574 RAF day fighters destroyed.<ref>The JG 26 War Diary (Volume 1), Caldwell (1996)</ref>

By the autumn of 1942, the arrival of the [[United States Army Air Forces]] (USAAF) [[Eighth Air Force|8th Air Force]] and its daylight bombers added bomber escort to Fighter Command's tasks. Until American [[Republic P-47 Thunderbolt]] fighter groups were operational in May 1943, the command's Spitfires performed a key role in protecting the increasing numbers of [[Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress]]es and [[Consolidated B-24 Liberator]]s operating over Occupied Europe. The Spitfire's chronic lack of operational range – not unlike [[Aircraft of the Battle of Britain#German fighter fuel capacity|the Bf 109E's dilemma]] during the Battle of Britain – meant such protection was limited to the Channel and the European coast. The Spitfire had a range of only {{convert|479|miles}}.<ref>Jane 1946, pp. 139–141.</ref>

In February 1944, Fighter Command was split into the [[Air Defence of Great Britain]] (ADGB), the former name of Fighter Command, to defend Britain, and the [[RAF Second Tactical Air Force|Second Tactical Air Force]], to support ground forces after the invasion of Europe.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Dildy|first1=Douglas|title=Fighter Command: the Original IADS|journal=RAF Salute 2016|year=2016|page=57|publisher=Key Publishing|location=Stamford|isbn=9781910415672}}</ref> On 15 July, [[No. 14 Group RAF]] (established 26 June 1940) was disestablished. In 1944 ADGB made the greatest effort in its history during [[Operation Overlord]], the invasion of France which began on 6 June. RAF and Allied fighter units suppressed the meagre German air opposition and supported ground forces by strafing German positions and transport. Later that year, the final test of ADGB (renamed Fighter Command in October 1944) in the war occurred against the [[V-1 flying bomb#Countermeasures in England|V-1 flying bomb]] during [[Operation Crossbow#V-1 defence|Operation Crossbow]].<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Eden|first1=Paul E|title=Fighter Command...Again|journal=RAF Salute|date=2016|page=75|publisher=Key |location=Stamford|isbn=9781910415672}}</ref> RAF fighters also flew long-range night intruder operations against German airfields and aircraft (e.g. at take-off/landing) at the time the {{lang|de|Luftwaffe}} night fighters would be scrambled against [[RAF Bomber Command]] (see [[Bombing of Peenemünde in World War II#Operation Whitebait and other raids of that night|Operation Hydra]]).<ref>{{Harvnb|Irving|1964|pp=214, 249.}}</ref>

In January 1945, Fighter Command included 10, 11, 12 and 13 Groups, plus [[No. 38 Group RAF|38 (Airborne Forces) Group]], [[No. 60 Group RAF|60 Group]], and [[No. 70 Group RAF|70 (Training) Group]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=List of RAF commands January 1945 |url=https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/documents/carl/nafziger/945BARB.pdf|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200213215937/https://usacac.army.mil/sites/default/files/documents/carl/nafziger/945BARB.pdf|url-status=dead|archive-date=13 February 2020}}</ref> 10 Group was disestablished on 2 May 1945, and 70 Group on 17 July 1945.<ref>[http://www.rafweb.org/Organsation/Grp06.htm Air of Authority, List of Groups 70 - 106], accessed September 2020.</ref> In 1946, 60 Group was amalgamated with [[No. 26 Group RAF|26 Group]] to become [[No. 90 (Signals) Group RAF|90 (Signals) Group]] and transferred to Transport Command/British Air Force of Occupation. From 1939 to 1945, RAF Fighter Command lost 3,690 killed, 1,215 wounded and 601 POW; 4,790 aircraft were lost.<ref>'Fighter Command' Chaz Bowyer, 1980</ref>