In this episode of Walking the Ground: Battle of Britain, James Holland and Al Murray travel to RAF Duxford, home of 19 Squadron and the first operational Spitfires, to investigate one of the most hotly debated strategies of the air war — the “Big Wing.” The tactic, championed by Douglas Bader and Air Vice-Marshal Leigh-Mallory, aimed to counter the Luftwaffe’s overwhelming numbers by massing up to five RAF fighter squadrons into a single, powerful formation.

James and Al step inside Duxford’s original Operations Room, exploring how the Big Wing was planned, controlled, and launched. They reveal how Bader’s aggressive leadership, Leigh-Mallory’s ambition, and pressure from politicians and newspapers turned this tactical experiment into a national controversy. While the concept promised strength in numbers, its fatal weaknesses — slow assembly times, limited fuel, and loss of tactical flexibility — often meant arriving too late to intercept German bombers.

This episode uncovers the power struggle between the RAF’s top commanders — Dowding, Park, and Leigh-Mallory — and how disagreements over air-defence tactics shaped careers and reputations. Walking the Ground shows how the Big Wing debate became symbolic of the tension between bold offence and measured defence in 1940. With access to Duxford’s historic hangars and map tables, James and Al piece together what really happened when strategy, ego, and politics collided in the skies over Britain.

With special thanks to;
Imperial War Museums
Duxford Imperial War Museum