The Battle of Britain: Command, Control and the Dowding Factor
The summer of 1940 brought the greatest air battle in history to the skies above England, the Battle of Britain. How did the Royal Air Force overcome overwhelming odds against Germany’s Luftwaffe? What stopped the German air offensive? Was it British planning, command structure, aircraft, and leadership or was it the Luftwaffe’s aircraft capabilities, undefined mission objective, and lack of leadership? Did the RAF win or did the Luftwaffe withdraw from their offensive?
These and other questions will be addressed as ASU alum and veteran aviator Mike Lavelle presents a case study of leadership in technology and systems integration, reflecting on the leadership of Air Chief Marshall Hugh Dowding and lessons from “The Battle” that can be applied today.
The fall 2018 Aviation Speaker Series events are organized by ASU’s College of Integrative Sciences and Arts, Faculty of Interdisciplinary Humanities and Communication.