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The Spitfire's Gun Problem During the Battle of Britain
Published about 2 months ago • 3 min read
A comparison of weapons
Were the Spitfire's guns up to the task during the Battle of Britain?
Hello friends! Get ready for some great gun camera footage, behind-the-scenes at the Fox Tucson, and a sneak peek at my next video, which will take us to Vietnam in 1972!
To start with, we all know the Spitfire. It was one of the most influential aircraft of World War II and carried the bulk of the work for the RAF after 1941. It also looks beautiful and flies with more grace than perhaps any other aircraft ever made.
But—in 1940, during Britain's most trying moment—was its armament really up to the task? In my latest video, I try and break down this question and compare the lethality of the Royal Air Force fighters and the Luftwaffe's competitors. The truth is abundantly clear by diving into some of the gun camera footage from both sides. In case you haven't watched it, check out that video below.
If you have already seen it, here is a little bit of deleted content that didn't make it into the final video.
In this footage below, we have some of the first documented use of a 20mm cannon on the Supermarine Spitfire. And it actually comes in January of 1940—six months before the Battle of Britain!
This footage was not included in my video because the quality was just not good enough, unfortunately. Apparently, RAF gun cameras were quite a bit behind those of their German adversaries. But it is fascinating proof that the cannon Spitfire was ready—and even combat tested—well before the Battle of Britain. But poor reliability would leave it unavailable for England's darkest hour.
In addition, this video was originally supposed to be a more all-encompassing video on the Spitfire's gun progression throughout the war. However, I realized that due to video schedule timelines, I did not have enough time to complete that full script. So this video was also left out. My researcher, HW97 Karbine, also found this clip. It is some of the coolest gun camera footage I have ever seen, showing a cannon-armed Spitfire going after a German Ju-88. But this footage is taken from the gun camera of a different German fighter, who is opening fire on the Spitfire, who is fixated on his target. Absolutely insane footage from the British Archives.
If you enjoy that behind-the-scenes content, you will love this next topic. As many of you know, last month, we premiered 10 Good Men at the Fox Tucson Theatre in Arizona! It was an amazing event that featured three of the veterans who are in the film.
More than 500 of you guys came out to see the film and celebrate these heroes. Now—if you couldn't make it, I have put together a cool behind-the-scenes video on my Patreon!
Watch the full video by becoming a Patreon member HERE.
In this video, we get to meet some of the veterans from the film and experience a very cool moment at the Fox. If you guys want to check it out, join my Patreon here! I am trying to push my supporter content hard here as part of Supporter September. With AI competition becoming more of a problem for me every day, having those additional sources of revenue for my work is crucial. However, you can watch a short snippet of the video without being a paid member.
Regarding the 10 Good Men 2026 Screening Tour, things are going well! Our next big show is going to be in Chicago (Elmhurst to be specific) in two weeks on September 23rd! The City of Elmhurst has been kind enough to support this project greatly, and it is shaping up to be a terrific event. I will be attending in person to do a Q&A after the showing and hope to see some of you there! Get tickets here.
Classic York Cinemas in Elmhurst, IL - see you there September 23rd!
I am also thrilled to announce our next MAJOR showing of the film! This will be in Glendale, California, at the Historic Alex Theatre! I am so excited for this event, as Walt Disney played his films at this venue and it is a beautiful location to share this story. My good friend and producer George Retelas and I will be there in person as well! Get tickets here and tell your friends!
The Alex Theatre in Glendale, CA! 10 Good Men is premiering here on Nov. 4th!
Finally, I am going to give you guys a sneak peek at my next video! This one will be one of my rare ventures into Vietnam. Here, we will follow a famous pilot as he takes on the Mig-21 in 1972 and does the unthinkable to protect one of the U.S. Air Force's most tightly held secrets. Don't miss it because it is a fascinating story that has been making headlines in the last year or so due to a renewed effort for a Medal of Honor recommendation. It should come out in just a couple of days! See if you can figure out who it might be.
F-4 Phantoms in action over Vietnam in 1968. My next video will focus specifically on the 555th TFS!
Thanks so much as always, everyone. Love you guys!
-Your grateful friend, TJ
Please reply with your thoughts or feedback here! Here's to saving more history together.
I'm an aviation history YouTuber and filmmaker who shares stories of aircraft, dogfights, & veterans. Subscribe and join over 2,000+ newsletter readers every month!
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