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| Battle of Britain: Flypast for 75th anniversary of 'Hardest Day' | Battle of Britain: Flypast for 75th anniversary of 'Hardest Day' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| Aircraft including 18 Spitfires and six Hurricanes are flying over south-east England to mark 75 years since the Battle of Britain's "Hardest Day". | Aircraft including 18 Spitfires and six Hurricanes are flying over south-east England to mark 75 years since the Battle of Britain's "Hardest Day". |
| The event will recall 18 August 1940, when Bromley's Biggin Hill and other South East military bases came under attack from the German Luftwaffe. | The event will recall 18 August 1940, when Bromley's Biggin Hill and other South East military bases came under attack from the German Luftwaffe. |
| It became known as the "hardest day" as both sides recorded their greatest loss of aircraft during the battle. | It became known as the "hardest day" as both sides recorded their greatest loss of aircraft during the battle. |
| The Battle of Britain lasted throughout the summer of 1940. | The Battle of Britain lasted throughout the summer of 1940. |
| It was the first major campaign fought entirely in the air. | It was the first major campaign fought entirely in the air. |
| The Luftwaffe flew 850 sorties, involving 2,200 aircrew, while the RAF resisted with 927 sorties, involving 600 aircrew. The RAF and German Air Force lost 136 aircraft in one day. | The Luftwaffe flew 850 sorties, involving 2,200 aircrew, while the RAF resisted with 927 sorties, involving 600 aircrew. The RAF and German Air Force lost 136 aircraft in one day. |
| BBC iWonder - Why do we love the Spitfire? | BBC iWonder - Why do we love the Spitfire? |
| The special commemoration, staged from the former RAF airfield at Biggin Hill, now a commercial airport, will honour the pilots, engineers, armourers, operations staff and ground crews who faced attack that day. | The special commemoration, staged from the former RAF airfield at Biggin Hill, now a commercial airport, will honour the pilots, engineers, armourers, operations staff and ground crews who faced attack that day. |
| It is being marked with three flight formations which took off from the airport at 13:00 BST: | |
| On 10 July, aircraft including Hurricanes and Typhoons took part in a flypast over Buckingham Palace as part of the 75th anniversary. | On 10 July, aircraft including Hurricanes and Typhoons took part in a flypast over Buckingham Palace as part of the 75th anniversary. |