3. The early stages of the Battle of Britain were driven by economics
Churchill’s famous few were never as few as he implied in his rhetoric, and in fact, the RAF held several advantages in the early days of the Battle of Britain. By the summer of 1940 British aircraft production was running at about 300 airplanes per week, but RAF fighter pilot training was only producing pilots at a rate of about 200 per week, and these had no combat experience as had the Germans over France and the rest of Europe. Despite an initial pilot ratio of about 1.5: 1 in favor of the Germans, the RAF quickly achieved near parity in the skies over England, where pilots were directed to incoming German squadrons via the efficient Chain Home network. The RAF pilots also received the support of land-based anti-aircraft gunfire, which was most effectively used against the incoming German bombers, though it was more of an irritant to the Germans than a threat.
From July 1 to September 1940, the German Luftwaffe and the British RAF engaged each other in the air, with German bombers attacking airfields and production facilities, and the British responding with attacks on the bombers and their escorting fighters. As German aircraft were lost their experienced pilots and crew were usually lost with them, even if they did manage to parachute from their stricken plane. Many British pilots managed to return to the battle after losing an aircraft, either by landing the damaged airplane or by parachuting over friendly territory. As the summer of 1940 wore on it became evident that the British were winning the battle for air supremacy over their island, and a change of strategy became a priority for the Germans. On September 4, Hitler ordered the Luftwaffe to begin day and night raids on the industrial centers of Great Britain.