The Battle three-seat light bomber suffered very heavy losses as its crews attempted to check the German advance in Belgium and France in May 1940.

The sixth production Battle I, built at Stockport, displays to invited guests at the official opening of Fairey Aviation's Ringway facility. Mr C.R. (later Sir Richard) Fairey is extreme right and his Stinson SR-9 is beyond him. An early Hayes-built Swordfish is at left. Photo obtained from Fairey's sixty years ago.

Some of the 1,165 Battle light bombers which were built at Fairey's Stockport factory between June 1937 and November 1940. They were taken in sections to Ringway for final assembly and air testing. From Fairey Aviation 60 years ago.

The prototype Merlin-powered Fairey Battle light bomber undergoing tests at the now closed RAE airfield at Martlesham Heath, Suffolk.

The Belgian army got 16 Battle light bombers in 1938. On 11 May 1940, six of them were shot down in a single attack against German-held bridges over the Albert Canal. The pilot of T-70, Capt André Glorie, was killed. His aircraft is represented by R3950 which served in the RAF and RCAF. Its restoration is unfortunately incomplete.