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September 15th 1940 went down in history as the Battle of Britain Day. Throughout this conflict, the Royal Air Force fought the German Luftwaffe and repelled attacks, helping to prevent a full-scale invasion by the Wehrmacht. 85 years have now passed since this great triumph, where British pilots, along with vital support from pilots of other allied nations, helped defend the skies of Great Britain. This was their finest hour and today we celebrate and remember them!
- Plagis’ Spitfire LF Mk.IXc (rank IV) and Prendergast’s Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe (rank IV) are temporarily available for 6,090 Golden Eagles each.
- The Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M (rank II) is temporarily available for 850 Golden Eagles.
When: From September 15th (11:00 GMT) until September 18th (11:00 GMT).
Where: Great Britain > Aviation > Premium vehicles.
Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M (rank II)
- The Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M was a late, improved version of the Mk.I with a metal wing covering. This version is presented in the unique camouflage of the FAA (Fleet Air Arm) training aircraft. Hurricanes formed the backbone of the Royal Air Force during the Battle of Britain. This Hurricane is equipped with a wealth of 7.7 mm machine guns with a large ammo count, and has excellent maneuverability!
Plagis’ Spitfire LF Mk.IXc (rank IV)
- RAF Ace John Plagis flew the Spitfire LF Mk.IXc, a model which specialized in lower altitude engagements, performing best below 6 km. In this space, this Spitfire is close to unmatchable in maneuvering combat. Its armament consists of 20 mm Hispano cannons and machine guns.
Prendergast’s Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe (rank IV)
- Commanding Officer James Prendergast of No. 414 Squadron, RCAF, piloted this FR Mk.XIVe Spitfire over Normandy in preparation for D-Day. This fighter-reconnaissance version has a beefed up engine, powerful weaponry, and can mount a 500 lb bomb to engage ground targets too.
The Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I fighter has a 50% discount and is available for 575 Golden Eagles.
When: From September 15th (11:00 GMT) until September 18th (11:00 GMT).
Where: Great Britain > Aviation > Premium vehicles.
Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I (rank II)
- During the Battle of Britain, the Spitfire Fund was created to raise money for the production of military equipment. For a donation, people and organizations could pick an inscription for an aircraft. Crowdfunding was extremely successful, as the fund provided for the creation of 1,500 fighter planes. By the end of the fundraising, almost every major city in the country had left its name on a Spitfire. The Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I (P7923) is one such aircraft, created with the help of the British public. This Spitfire features a good rate of climb, exceptional maneuverability, and is armed with eight Browning machine guns!
To mark the anniversary of Battle of Britain Day, RAF fighters — Plagis’ Spitfire LF Mk.IXc , Prendergast’s Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe and Typhoon Mk.IB — are available in this bundle with a 50% discount for PC players.
When: From September 15th (11:00 GMT) until September 18th (11:00 GMT).
This bundle includes:
- John Plagis’ Spitfire LF Mk. IX Pack
- Prendergast’s Spitfire FR Mk.XIVe Pack
- Typhoon Pack
Get the “Battle of Britain 85th Anniversary” decal and Douglas Bader’s “Spitfire P9443” camouflage!
We’ve got a decal and camouflage for the 85th anniversary!
This camouflage is unique in that it features a white and black underside, not seen on any Spitfires in the game previously. Below is the historical background of this Spitfire. It’s the scheme of Douglas Bader’s Spitfire P9443 during the Summer of 1940. He was a very successful pilot during the early stages of the Second World War despite having no legs.
When: From September 15th (11:00 GMT) until September 18th (11:00 GMT).
Task: Earn 3000 mission points in battles where you have used British aircraft at rank III or higher to receive the “Battle of Britain 85th Anniversary” decal.
Task: Earn 10,000 mission points with British aircraft at rank II or higher to receive Douglas Bader’s “Spitfire P9443” camouflage for the Spitfire Mk Ia.
Please note: After finishing the task, you need to collect the reward manually.
Additional details:
- You can complete the task in random battles, except for [Assault] mode.
- Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → Battle of Britain Day.
- You can find the decal in the “Holidays” tab in the customization menu.
More about the pilot and camouflage
About the pilot, Douglas Bader
Douglas Bader joined the RAF in 1928, quickly establishing himself as a clearly gifted pilot with a penchant for acrobatics. During one of these daring maneuvers however he crashed, resulting in serious injury, the damage was so severe both legs had to be amputated. Unbroken by this, and with a pair of prosthetic legs, Bader taught himself to walk and remarkably, how to fly again.
Bader continuously requested to rejoin the RAF, but was declined on medical grounds each time. In 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War, the requirements of the RAF eased and Bader was accepted back into service. Bader proved himself over Dunkirk and the Battle of Britain, flying both the Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire. He initially flew with No. 222 Squadron, before becoming the commander of No. 242 Squadron. He would score 20 victories during his career, with 2 additional shared victories.
On August 9th 1941, Bader was forced to bail from his aircraft over France after a mid-air collision with a German plane, one of his prosthetic legs was trapped in the pedal of his aircraft, forcing him to bail out without it. Despite this he landed relatively safely, but was captured by German soldiers shortly after. In a remarkable act of gallantry and airman solidarity however, German command gave the RAF safe passage into the area to air drop a replacement, an event known as “Operation Leg”.
After the war Bader worked for the Shell fuel company, flying their planes and eventually becoming the Managing Director of Shell Aircraft, until his retirement in 1969. He wouldn’t stop there though, in the 1970s he became a key member of the Civil Aviation Authority, focusing on issues of pilot safety.
In later life Bader dedicated himself to helping the disabled and those who lost limbs, very much becoming a light in the dark, inspiring hope with visits and letters. A quote from one of Bader’s hospital visits immortalizes this sentiment perfectly: “Don’t listen to anyone who tells you that you can’t do this or that. That’s nonsense … never, never let them persuade you that things are too difficult or impossible.”
About the camouflage
Bader’s Spitfire Mk.1a was painted in the early “Temperate Land Scheme”, one of the most recognizable RAF patterns, composed of disruptive dark green and dark brown. A noteworthy feature of this early scheme is the two-tone black and white underside. This pattern was used on many early RAF aircraft in order to help spotters and anti-air gunners quickly identify friendly planes. When the theater of war shifted to Europe the priority changed from identification to concealment, and the underside of the majority of day aircraft was changed to a pale unicolor coating to help blend into the sky. The yellow square on the wing is a gas detection patch, these would fade to a darker color in the presence of harmful chemical agents.
