b'THE BATTLE OF BRITAIN Scan hereTHE MIGHTY MASTERSScan here THE RAFS FINEST HOUR for the fullOF THE AIR for the full itinerary itinerary1418 July 2025 Historical Background THE US EIGHTH AIR FORCE IN ENGLAND5 days In the early summer of 1940, RAF Fighter Command was faced with the Expert Historian: dilemma of bolstering the crumbling defence of France or withholding its2429 July 2025 Historical BackgroundDilip Sarkar resources in order to defend the United Kingdom. Fortunately, under the6 days It is difficult to overestimate the contribution made by the US Eighth Air Force leadership of Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding, those precious resources Activity Level: 2 were husbanded, developed and refined into what became known as theExpert Historian: to the destruction of Nazi Germany in the Second World War. From their Dowding System. This system was to prove its worth later that summerDilip Sarkar arrival in the UK in mid-1942 until May 1945 this massive air armada flew over when the German Luftwaffe sent sortie after sortie across the English600,000 sorties to bomb occupied Europe and dropped over 670,000 tons This tour of Southeast England visits many ofChannel with the objective of destroying the RAF and thus clearing theActivity Level: 2 of bombs. Led by Generals Ira Eakerthe proponent of daylight precision the front-line airfields and bases that wouldskies in preparation for a full-scale invasion of Southern England. Vastlybombingand Jimmy Doolittle - also known for his daring raid on Tokyo - the have been familiar to the men of No. 11 Groupoutnumbered during those frenzied months, nearly 3000 young men flewMighty Eighth were involved in a veritable rollcall of operations including RAF during the Battle of Britain. Overlookingmultiple daily sorties against the mighty Luftwaffe but despite horrendousThis tour explores the major sites in theseveral destructive raids on Berlin, the disruption of transport networks as a the English Channel, we will hear of thecasualties they ultimately prevailed through inspirational leadership,east of England connected with the Eighth,prelude to Operation Overlord and the besting of the German oil industry. heroic deeds of the likes of Billy Fiske andprofessionalism, technological innovation and the dedication of a myriadvisiting airfields, cemeteries, memorials,The Eighth succeeded in eroding the German Luftwaffes capability giving Arthur Clowes and imagine their desperateof supporting ground crew. As Sir Winston Churchill famously said, never incontrol towers and museums small andthe Allies air supremacy and ultimate victory in Europe. But it came with aerial duals in the skies above. We will enjoythe field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few. large, including the American Air Museuma heavy price with 6,000 Eighth airmen killed and another 28,000 made at Duxford where we get up close to a B-17 exclusive access and special guided tours ofFlying Fortress. Led by our expert historianprisoners of war. The Eighths motto Peace Through Strength was clearly superb collections of Spitfires, Hurricanes,this is a tour not to miss as we celebrate theexemplified in their outstanding war record. ME 109s and a host of other aircraft andachievements of these masters of the air.relevant artefacts: you will even get to sit in a Spitfire cockpit where you will have the controls explained to you (agility required). The highlight of the tour will be the Battle of Britain air show at RAF Duxford where you will watch the aerial performance of a whole host of Spitfires, Hurricanes, Messerschmitts and other period aircraft and get up to close to them on the ground.Day 1 Introduction and Sit in a Spit: Meet at St Albans hotel for sandwich lunchand introductory talk; RAF Museum at Hendon - sit in a Spitfire cockpit.Hotel in St Albans1 night. (L, D)Day 2 Command: Bentley Priory, Polish War Memorial, RAF Uxbridge. Continue to Chichesterhotel 1 night. (B, D)Day 3 Dogfight: RAF Westhampnett, Tangmere, Boxgrove Priory, Seven Sisters,Beachy Head. Continue to Eastbourne - hotel for 1 night. (B, D)Day 4 Scramble: Through Romney Marsh to RAF Hawkinge, lunch atDay 1 Cambridge for 5 nights. City tour, introductory talk. (L,D) The Jackdaw Inn, Battle of Britain Memorial at Capel-le-Ferne.Day 2 Duxford & American Air Museum (B,D) Continue to Folkestone - hotel for 1 night. (B, D) Day 3 Horham & Thorpe Abbots airfields(B,D)Day 5 Biggin Hill and Kenley: Biggin Hill - guided tour of the Spitfires,Day 4 Parham & Rougham airfields. (B,D) Memorial Museum and chapel; continue to RAF Kenley. Return toSt Albans - hotel for 2 nights. (B, D) ESSENTIALS Day 5 Bletchley Park. (B,D)ESSENTIALS Day 6 . Duxford and the Battle of Britain Air Show: view airshow (we cannot 4-star hotels, meals as indicated,Day 6 . Cambridge American Military Cemetery. (B)4-star hotels, meals as indicated, forecast the exact programme but you are sure to see Spitfires,drinks with dinner, all entrance fees,Hurricanes and ME 109s); Flightline Experience (close up to thetour manager and expert historian drinks with dinner, all entrance fees, aircraft); explore museums. Return to St Albans hotel to depart orthroughout, all internal travel,tour manager and expert historian stay an optional night. (B) optional travel from UK.throughout, all internal travel.54 www.theculturalexperience.com I info@theculturalexperience.com I UK0345 475 1815 I USA(toll-free) 877 209 5620 www.theculturalexperience.com I info@theculturalexperience.com I UK0345 475 1815 I USA(toll-free) 877 209 5620 55'