10. The British night defenses started the battle ill-equipped and prepared
When the Germans began their attacks on the City of London the land-based defenses – anti-aircraft guns and searchlights – were lacking in their ability to deal with the threat. The searchlights were weak, often unable to reach the altitudes of the German bombers sufficiently to illuminate them for the gunners. The guns themselves often lacked even a cursory fire control system. The firing of the guns was encouraging to British morale since it meant that the incoming Germans were at least facing opposition, but in the early phases of the battle they did little actual damage to German aircraft, and the shrapnel from their shells falling back to earth likely contributed to British damage and casualties. Airborne radar was primitive and unreliable, and fighters capable of effective night fighting were scarce, though the British began converting existing aircraft to night fighting configurations.
Airborne radar used for the interception of enemy aircraft, guiding friendly airplanes to a point where visual identification could be made, was in its infancy, was unreliable, and few airplanes so equipped were available. Still, some successes were achieved during night combat missions, leading to American scientists and military observers to note the British advances in the area of radar (the United States Navy was at the time experimenting with radar on its battleships and heavy cruisers). By the end of 1940, the British had nine-night fighter-equipped squadrons available, though most were equipped with aircraft which were all but obsolete. On the night of November 15 during a night raid on Coventry by the Germans more than two dozen factories were damaged or shut down due to the destruction of electrical power distribution. Opposition by British fighters was virtually non-existent.
