This day during The Battle of Britain, Day 8.
By R.T. Bickers
Wednesday, July 17: Rainy and dull.
Day: Bad flaying conditions hindered even the daily weather and tactical reconnaissance sorties. In the afternoon bobmber molested shipping off eastern England and Scotland.
Night: Mines sown off the Welsh coast at Swansea and Cardiff and in the Thames. A few bombers over south-west England.
Aircraft losses: RAF 1, Luftwaffe 2.
Another account from Battle-of-Britain.com
17th July
Weather Forecast
Dull and overcast with occasional rain throughout the country.
Combat Report
Again, poor weather kept the action to a minimum. A raid was carried out on a factory in Ayrshire by He111's, which were attacked by Spitfires of No: 603 Squadron. Small raids crossed the coast during the afternoon, two of which saw Hurricanes of No: 64 Squadron deal with a Do17 that dropped bombs near Kenley and Spitfires of No: 92 Squadron attack a Ju88 over Bristol.
The night brought bombing raids in the South West on Port Talbot, near Swansea and Radstock with mines being dropped in the Bristol Channel and along the Plymouth coast. Raids were also plotted in the East with bombs dropped near Rochester, Felixstowe, Harwich, Chatham, near Barking and Gillingham.
Statistics
R.A.F. Losses: 2 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 1 pilot killed or missing and 1 wounded.
Luftwaffe Losses: 6 aircraft damaged or destroyed, 11 pilots & aircrew killed or missing and 3 wounded.
NOTE: Losses include non-combat patrols and other accidents.
German Battle of Britain Dogfight footage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1j77YiFTIw
Luftwaffe bombing raids
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRaW3Oo3naM
From R.T. Bicker's BOB
A Spitfire on the assembly line.
A Ju 87B of I/StG 77 screams earthwards in it final dive with both crewman still on board, near Chichester.
Hurricanes of B Flight, No. 85 Sqd. at Castle Camps having just re-equipped after returning from France in June 1940. During the Battle of Britain, the white hexagon was carried beneath the cockpit.
The death of a Bf 110 is captured by the gun camera of a Hurricane.
He 111 of III/KG 26
The nose gunner's position in a He 111. As can be deduced here, a right handed gunner can shoot slightly more easily to his left. It took a marksman to get results with this weapon.
Shay
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Semper Fortis
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