Britain was keen to tell its people that factories were working full-tilt. And so they were – out-producing Germany in aircraft, tanks and ships by the summer of 1940.

Britain’s new Prime Minister, Winston Churchill. His geo-political understanding was crucial to Allied fortunes.

An Allied trans-Atlantic convoy. On any given day, more than 2,000 merchant ships were sailing on Britain’s behalf. Even with European markets cut off, Britain’s access to the world’s resources was at a level of which Germany could only dream.

Hitler salutes a triumphal procession. The Germans were still giddy with victory in July 1940, and most believed the war was all but over.

Teddy Suhren, 1WO on the U-boat U-48.

Squadron Leader George Darley, brought in to shake up 609 Squadron and lick them into shape following their losses over Dunkirk.

Donald Macintyre, destroyer captain and Escort Group commander, protecting trans-Atlantic convoys.

A British merchant ship is struck by a torpedo and sunk.

U-48 returning from a successful patrol. With much of the British Home Fleet on invasion watch, leaving convoys under-protected, the summer and autumn of 1940 became known as the ‘Happy Time’ for the small band of U-boats operating in the Atlantic.

The President of the United States, Franklin D. Roosevelt (left), speaking on 10 May 1940, and his friend and advisor, Harry Hopkins (right).

The Wiltshire farmer, A. G. Street.

General Adolf von Schell, the man given the unenviable task of trying to streamline the German motor industry.

Britain and Germany were Europe’s biggest meat consumers. Britain’s national meat was mutton, a more practical source of meat as sheep had multiple benefits and did not compete with humans for foodstuffs. The same could not be said for pork, which was Germany’s national meat.

The Me110 ‘Destroyer’: armed to the teeth, but ill-suited to air-to-air combat.

A Chain Home radar station, one cog in Britain’s very effective air defence system.

A Heinkel 111 bomber flies over southern England.

Spitfires of 609 Squadron taking off from Middle Wallop airfield, August 1940.

The Italian Fascist leader, Benito Mussolini.

Italian uniforms: elaborate, varied and impractical for a cash-strapped, resource-poor nation.

Italian cavalry. Compared with Germany and Britain, Italy was badly behind the times in terms of modern military equipment.

Parades such as these hid innumerable shortcomings in the Italian military.

The world’s only six-star general Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring was an effective politician and businessman but a poor military commander. His mismanagement of the Luftwaffe over Dunkirk and during the Battle of Britain cost Germany dear.

The painting by Paul Nash shows a scene common over the southern English skies in August and September 1940.

The construction of Rolls-Royce Merlin engines. Britain was producing more than double the number of aircraft per month than Germany during the Battle of Britain.

A Luftwaffe bomber crewman on operation over England.

A Downed Ju88 in southern England. the Luftwaffe never really recovered from the huge losses it suffered during the long summer of almost constant operations in 10940.