Anti-glider defences at Culbin.
Anti-aircraft defences

Until World War I, Britain relied on its Royal Navy to defend the country from attack. This changed with the introduction of aeroplanes. In World War II, air defence was to prove vital. In 1940, the Germans recognised the need to destroy Britain's air force before an invasion could begin. The Battle of Britain would be fought in the air. Germany, however, failed to gain mastery over Britain's Air Command. Many see this as one of the key turning points of the war. As the war continued the German strategy changed and night-time bombing became a constant threat. Britain's best defence against airborne attack was the Royal Air Force (RAF) itself. British fighter pilots destroyed most enemy planes. On the ground, however, there were various defences in place to support the fighters and protect Britain from air attack. Developed from 1935 onwards, the Chain Home radar system detected planes as they flew towards Britain's coast. The radar, however, could not detect planes once they were over Britain; this needed human observation. The Royal Observer Corp (ROC) consisted of 40,000 men and women volunteers who tracked planes and reported to Air Command. Placed on the ground were specially designed anti-aircraft guns, such as those once located at Balmacara, to protect strategically important sites. Decoys were used to lead the enemy away from their intended targets. Other targets were disguised using camouflage to prevent detection from the air.