Hugh Dowding commanded the British Fighter Command during the Battle or Britain. One might have expected a more splashy Spitfire fighter to go with that. Dowding’s strategy involved reserves, logistics, and replacements to extend the battle, a strategy he was later sacked for. The simple, sturdy Hurricane more fit his strategy. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
This is an issue on British Royal Air Force commanders and aircraft from their period. What struck me was that the post war commanders and their Vulcan bombers and Lightening fighters were ignored. A lot of money was spent on equipment never used. The proponents would say not using them shows success, but different equipment was required for modern warfare.
Todays stamp is issue A352, a 17 penny stamp issued by Great Britain on September 16th, 1986. It was a five stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 30 cents used.
Hugh Dowding began as a fighter pilot during the first world war and was given ever more responsibility in the interwar period. In 1936 he became commander of Fighter Command. He developed a very early integrated air defense system to prevent air attacks on the British Isles. He reached retirement age in early 1939 but was asked to stay in place. After France fell to Germany, he designed a Fabian strategy to constantly harass and inflict losses on the Luftwaffe. This might extend the battle and give time for the army to recover from the Dunkirk evacuation to better face invasion. The strategy worked and Germany switched tactics to punish British cities. This was the nighttime bombing Blitz.
The increased civilian deaths naturally caused much consternation. A rival strategy called big wing involving set piece air battles involving much larger British formations of fighters was proposed. Hugh Dowding was fired in November 1940 in favor of a proponent of that strategy. He warranted no stamp. Dowding was made a hereditary Lord to soften the blow but became much embittered. Surprisingly in his later years he became a vegetarian and animal rights activist.
The Hawker Hurricane fighter first flew in 1935 and was Christened Hurricane by King Edward VIII. It was designed by Sydney Camm and featured the Rolls Royce Merlin engine also used in the Spitfire and the American P51 Mustang. In the quick aeronautical progress of the 1930s the Hurricane was aging by 1940. It was tasked with going after slower bombers and shot down 55% of the attackers brought down air to air during the Battle of Britain. One huge advantage it had was it’s simplicity. It required one third less man hours to build than a Spitfire. It also was frown off aircraft carriers and as a fighter bomber. 14,487 were built by 1944 when production ended before the end of the war. In a strange twist it was built in Yugoslavia prewar. When their supply of Rolls Royce engines dried up, the Yugoslav Hurricanes were reengined with Daimler Benz engines from the Messerschmitt Me 109. This foreshadows Czech, Israeli, and Spanish post war Me 109s receiving Rolls Royce Merlin engines.
Well my drink is empty and I will have to stock up for there to be enough adult beverages to toast the veterans of the Battle of Britain. Come again soon for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2019.