"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message
...
On Mar 8, 2:36 pm, "Keith Willshaw"
wrote:
...
While 11 group was undoubtedly under great pressure fighter command
as a whole was at full establishment with 670 fighters available for
combat.
Dowding was concerned because he believed , rightly IMHO, that he
should have 2 pilots for each aircraft and by Sept 1st he only had 1100
pilots available. Even so throughout the BOB the RAF was able to take
pilots out of the line for rest and leave. The worst case scenario for
Dowding
was moving squadrons to airfields north of London.
....
Keith

Bader wrote as if 12th Group could fill the gap any time they were
invited.


Bader never lacked confidence in his own abilities. From a purely technical
point of view he may have had a point but in a democracy there is a
political aspect. To have abandoned London and the SE could have
lead to the replacement of Churchill with a leader more likely to
make peace.

Keith