Quote Originally Posted by PanzerJaeger View Post
...It was meant to gain air superiority in preparation for Operation Sea Lion.
Bollocks. The Germans made virtually no preparation whatsoever for anything resembling an invasion of England. Hitler was, at best, lukewarm about the whole idea. The aerial bombardment, coupled with low morale following France, was supposed to bring England to the negotiating table.

There never was going to be a Sea Lion, and it could never have been successful had one been staged. Absolutely nothing in the figures on sealift, naval covering forces, etc. give any hope for a sustained effort by Germany following an amphibious strike. Total pipe dream.

The Germans badly under-estimated England's will to resist and wasted a ridiculous number of pilots from what was probably the premier tactical support air force in existence at the time (better even than the USMC who pioneered the close support stuff).