On Mar 10, 7:01*am, "Geoffrey Sinclair"
wrote:
"Jim Wilkins" wrote in message

...
On Mar 9, 9:55 am, "Geoffrey Sinclair"
wrote:

...
No, the Luftwaffe was having an internal debate about the best way to
quickly break the RAF resistance. ...
What do you think would have happened if the Germans had stayed with
their airfield plan?

Probably a more favourable kill ratio for the Luftwaffe but no
change to the overall result, nor would the battle have lasted
much longer.

The point is the decision time was close, either it was too late to
launch the invasion so time to cut back on the air attacks, which
were increasingly hampered by the weather and lack of daylight,
or the defences would have a day when most things went right
and inflict enough casualties to force the decision. *Also the tightly
packed shipping in the channel ports was an easy target for RAF
bombers, losses were going up.

The historical October fighting, as measured by aircraft lost on
operations was around 52 to 55% of the September losses
for both sides. *So it is not like the fighting stopped on
September 15, if the RAF had been that close to defeat you
would have expected it to show in the second half of September
and in October as the Luftwaffe largely turned away from bombing
London by day.

Compared with July, the October losses around 50% heavier for the
RAF and 100% heavier for the Luftwaffe.

August was the peak month for both sides for aircraft lost on
operations.

The battle kept going at a steady pace until November and even after
that fighting continued through the winter with the RAF starting offensive
fighter sorties in 1941.

The evolution of the fighter loss ratio, all cause losses,

July 108 Spitfire and Hurricanes to 57 Bf109s, 1.9 to 1
August 350 to 232, about 1.5 to 1
September, 343 to 234, about 1.5 to 1
October, 174 to 136, about 1.3 to 1.

Geoffrey Sinclair
Remove the nb for email.

Realistically invasion would never have worked. Barges would have been
sitting ducks for RN. Manhandling tanks by dozens of cannon fodder
onto the beaches would have been insane. Towed barges for troop
transports in the Channel? Germans had no naval force to speak of,
best would have been air surperiority if they broke the RAF and
attempts to sue for peace. Then again, we're talking Der Fuehrer, he
might have toddled off to Russia or some such. Invaded Palestine as
Himmler was looking for the Holy Grail. Who knows.