In World War II, the Nazi war machine was dominant at first because of two aspects: their fighting style and military tactic, known as Blitzkrieg or lightning warfare, and their world famous aircraft, the Messerschmidt. For more than two years, Germany overran much of Europe. Unlucky for Germany at the time, Britain had a fierce and firm leader. Winston Churchill, along with Franklin D. Roosevelt and Harry S. Truman, were worthy opponents to Hitler. Churchill had a very big threat to the Nazis – the Spitfire plane.
The Spitfire plane made its mark in history by not only being one of the best planes of its time, but being a turning point in the war. It was one of the legendary warplanes of World War II and the Spitfire tipped the balance in favor of the RAF in the Battle of Britain. It made RAF fighter pilots heroes. It became one of England’s most important weapons in the war. This plane was a sight of fear for the Axis powers and a beacon of hope for the British people. It was known for its durability, lightweight maneuverability and shear force in fire power. These planes saw action everywhere in the war. They supported the British and French troops from the sky and took down many planes in its day. Though today we have fighter jets that are faster than sound and more powerful than an entire battleship, the Spitfire could stay in the air for many hours at a time, which was a huge accomplishment back then. At that time, we had planes with machine guns and propellers. But the Spitfire was the closest thing to the fighter jets that they had.
When we were in London, we visited the Churchill War Rooms, an underground bunker in Westminster where Winston Churchill and other British leaders made history. This is where they directed the war. The Churchill War Rooms is part of the Imperial War Museum and has been preserved untouched, so you really get a feel for what it was like to be there during the war effort. This is where they made the plans for the Spitfire, which led the Allies to victory in World War II. I even got a Spitfire T-shirt at the Churchill War Rooms.
The entrance to the underground bunker of the Churchill War Rooms
The Map Room, where Churchill directed the war and the Spitfire strikes
This depicts Churchill on the phone with Roosevelt
Churchill surveying the damage in London from airstrikes
Spitfires served in every area of the war where British forces fought: the Battle of Britain, North Africa, Malta, the Far East. The Spitfire has earned its rightful place in military aviation history.
