Today the veterans who fought in the Battle of Britain and flew bombers into the heart of Germany were honoured at the Canadian Aviation and Space Museum. These men flew against overwhelming odds being vastly outnumbered by the German Air Force and those in the bombers flew missions unsupported by fighter aircraft, until later in the war, far into the enemy heartland. Many did not return. Canadians fought not only in their own units but also as part of the RCAF. The Battle of Britain was a turning point in the war as that defence stopped Hitler from invading Britain and completing his domination of Europe. It allowed Britain to survive and become the staging ground for Operation Overlord (D-Day) four years later.
The ceremony included a fly-past by a 5 plane formation of a WWII Lancaster Bomber from the Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum flanked by 4 WWII fighter aircraft from Vintage Wings. During the ceremony, 13 veterans were also awarded the Bomber Command Bar in honour of their service in Bomber Command during WWII. At the reception following the ceremony, the new RCAF badge was unveiled.
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