The Battle of Britain brought home the realities of war for the British public, as bombs fell on our cities and dogfights were silhouetted against the summer sun.
Former RAF serviceman Stefan Bird will be supporting the RAF Benevolent Fund this summer when he takes part in the cycle race, Prudential RideLondon-Surrey 100.
Typhoon fighter pilot Derek Lovell received the best present of all on 5 May 1945, when Germany announced its surrender to the Allied forces on his 23rd birthday.