Weekly Summaries

Statistical summary, Week 16:

* Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1727 planes
* Strength: 1735 planes
* Balance: over strength 8 planes
* Weekly Aircraft Production: 9 Beaufighters, 16 Defiants, 69 Hurricanes, 42 Spitfires

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In effect, the issue over which the Battle had been fought had been decided back in September, during the battles over London on September 15th and September 27th. As October began, the Germans withdrew their twin-engined bombers from daylight operations over Britain. The Do17, the He111 and the Ju87 Stuka dive bomber were no longer to be seen in the skies of this country. It was the same with the invasion fleet and the barges in the French ports which were already being withdrawn. The threat of the invasion, Sealion, was over.

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Statistical summary, Week 15:

* Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1700 planes
* Strength: 1737 planes
* Balance: over strength 37 planes
* Weekly Aircraft Production: 6 Beaufighters, 8 Defiants, 55 Hurricanes, 25 Spitfires

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Dowding had been teetering on the edge of enforced retirement for more than a year. He was now 58 years old. He had never been popular in the upper reaches of the Service. Ever since his appointment as AOC in C of Fighter Command, on that Command’s creation in the summer of 1936, he had fought tooth and nail to get what he thought he needed for his command. He tended to ignore the fact that other commands in the RAF also had needs which required attention. He had been in line for the ultimate post for Chief of the Air Staff, that is Head of the Air Force, but he was passed over. He took that reasonably well. He was, after all, totally committed to the task of preparing Fighter Command for battle.

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Dowding was a hugely successful commander except in one respect. He allowed a disagreement between two key subordinates, Keith Park and Trafford Leigh Mallory, to erupt into a row which in the end cost him his command and Park his job in 11 Group.

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Statistical summary, Week 12:

* Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1662 planes
* Strength: 1581 planes
* Balance: understrength 81 planes
* Weekly losses: 46 Hurricanes (23 damaged), 32 Spitfires (24 damaged)
* Weekly Aircraft Production: 0 Beaufighters, 10 Defiants, 58 Hurricanes, 34 Spitfires

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Statistical summary, Week 11:

• Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1662 planes
• Strength: 1509 planes
• Balance: understrength 153 planes
• Losses: 12 Hurricanes, 7 Spitfires (+9 damaged), 7 unidentified to date
  
• Aircraft Production: 4 Beaufighters, 6 Defiants, 57 Hurricanes, 40 Spitfires

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Statistical summary, Week 9:

• Total Fighter Command Establishment: 1558 planes
• Strength: 1381 planes
• Balance: understrength 177 planes
• Losses: 74 Hurricanes (+ 34 damaged), 52 Spitfires (+31 damaged), 4 Blenheims
  
• Aircraft Production: 5 Beaufighters, 11 Defiants, 54 Hurricanes, 36 Spitfires

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