In 1940, with France occupied, the German high command turned their attention to Britain, a short distance away from Calais.
To defeat the British, they would have to cross the English Channel, a daunting task that required the Luftwaffe to first gain control over the skies of Kent.
The summer of 1940 saw the worlds first large scale campaign that took place above the ground it was fought. The pilots of the Royal Air Force, outnumbered but with the aid of radar, met the fighters and bombers of Luftflottes' 2 and 3.
From July to October, daily raids led to the loss of 4,500 aircraft, 4,000 airmen, and nearly 15,000 civilians before Operation Sealion was postponed indefinitely.