Adlertag - The first attack

Tuesday August 13th 1940, Adlertag. After the Kanalkampf (july 10th till august 11th) and a first attack on English radar stations on august 12th, the Luftwaffe for the first time attacked Southern England in force. Part of the first assault was an attack by 74 Dornier 17 bombers of KG2 on the airfield at Eastchurch. They were to be escorted by 60 Bf110’s of ZG26. Bad weather caused the Germans to postpone this first attack. This command did reach the Bf110’s, however the Dornier’s could not be reached and they continued towards Eastchurch. 74 Squadron Hornchurch (Spitfires), 111 Squadron Croydon (Hurricanes) and 151 Squadron North Weald (Hurricanes) subsequently encountered KG2. This mission is a semi-recreation of this attack by the “Firebirds“ - 56 (Fighter) Squadron RAF (Virtual). It was flown on sunday november 27th 2011. In it, Hurricanes flying from North Weald were put against Dornier’s escorted by Bf110’s. Adlertag, the