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BATTLE IN THE SKIES

Fascinating never-seen-before historic photos reveal incredible moment British spitfires and hurricanes took on the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain

The British RAF and the German air force battled it out in the skies as ships, planes and houses took the brunt of the attack

AMAZING never-seen-before photos show British spitfires and hurricanes taking on the Luftwaffe in the Battle of Britain.

The British RAF and the German air force battled it out in the skies as ships, planes and houses took the brunt of the attack over a number of months in 1940.

A downed Nazi plane is pictured here embedded in a house during the Battle of Britain
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A downed Nazi plane is pictured here embedded in a house during the Battle of BritainCredit: Media Drum World
Here a ship is seen on fire after being attacked in the English Channel in 1940
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Here a ship is seen on fire after being attacked in the English Channel in 1940Credit: Media Drum World
A destroyed plane is towed away after crashing during the fighting
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A destroyed plane is towed away after crashing during the fightingCredit: Media Drum World
Buildings all over the UK were destroyed during to intense fighting between the British and the Germans
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Buildings all over the UK were destroyed during to intense fighting between the British and the GermansCredit: Media Drum World
A squadron of German bombers flying flying over the UK during the Battle of Britain
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A squadron of German bombers flying flying over the UK during the Battle of BritainCredit: Media Drum World

Striking black and white images, released with the publication of a new book by Brian Cull, show burning ships and aircraft in the English Channel, and downed planes being carried away from the battle.

In one startling shot an upturned plane with a Swastika on its tail is embedded in a house, while another shows a squadron of planes flying to continue the battle.

The book, Battle for the Channel: The First Month of the Battle of Britain 10 July- 10 August 1940, recounts the aerial duel.

The Battle of Britain, which lasted for several months between July and October of 1940, cemented its place in history as an example of resistance.

It proved to be a watershed moment for the Nazis’ territorial aims as they then shifted their focus to conquering Britain.

Aware of the resilience of the RAF, German aircrafts bombarded British airfield bases until the autumn of 1940.

A Nazi plane pictured here in the sea after being brought down during the fighting
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A Nazi plane pictured here in the sea after being brought down during the fightingCredit: Media Drum World
The Battle of Britain waged for a number of months throughout 1940
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The Battle of Britain waged for a number of months throughout 1940Credit: Media Drum World
Ships were targeted as they crossed the Channel during the battle
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 Ships were targeted as they crossed the Channel during the battleCredit: Media Drum World
Downed planes scattered Britain and destroyed houses and streets when they were brought down
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Downed planes scattered Britain and destroyed houses and streets when they were brought downCredit: Media Drum World
Pictured here is another plane brought down into the water by the fighting
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Pictured here is another plane brought down into the water by the fightingCredit: Media Drum World
A fighter pilot leans out of his cockpit window during the fighting in 1940
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A fighter pilot leans out of his cockpit window during the fighting in 1940Credit: Media Drum World
British and German fighters went head to head as the Battle of Britain waged on
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British and German fighters went head to head as the Battle of Britain waged onCredit: Media Drum World
It took four months of fighting before the German raids were defeated
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It took four months of fighting before the German raids were defeatedCredit: Media Drum World
Ships were burnt across the channel, planes desolate and various houses destroyed throughout Britain
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Ships were burnt across the channel, planes desolate and various houses destroyed throughout BritainCredit: Media Drum World
A German plane pictured with a number of Spitfire targets attached
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A German plane pictured with a number of Spitfire targets attachedCredit: Media Drum World
Another plane pictured having crashed into the grown after being shot down in the fighting
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Another plane pictured having crashed into the grown after being shot down in the fightingCredit: Media Drum World

The incumbent Prime Minister, Winston Churchill, stated how "never, in the field of human conflict, was so much owed by so many to so few".

These were the 3,000 men of the RAF who took part in the Battle of Britain, known as ‘The Few’.

Over the course of the battle, nearly 1,000 British planes were shot down by German gunfire.

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Similarly, the Luftwaffe endured high causalities whereby almost 2,000 of its planes were destroyed.

One of the last four surviving Spitfire pilots from the Battle of Britain died earlier this month.

Ken Wilkinson, who once told Prince William a dirty joke, passed away on Monday at the age of 99.

And the legendary Second World War fighter pilot Ginger Lacey was commemorated with a blue plaque on his family home – now the site of an Aldi, a German supermarket chain.

Born James Harry Lacey in Wetherby, West Yorkshire, the pilot became an unlikely hero of the Battle of Britain.

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