The Allies knew that the Normandy landings would be an era-defining moment. Succeed and victory in the war was surely theirs. Fail, and the consequences could be catastrophic. Well before D-Day, the Allies planned to use air power to set the stage for the landings. RAF and USAAF aerial reconnaissance, airborne landings, and tactical bombing were imperative to the success of Operation Overlord during and after D-Day. 

How did the Allies win air superiority? Where was the German response to D-Day? And how did Allied air power affect the fighting on the ground? IWM Curator Dr. Hattie Hearn explores D-Day in the air, from the campaign for air superiority to the bloody battle to breakout from the Normandy Beachhead.