When the Battle of Britain erupted, many Luftwaffe pilots anticipated a swift victory. Yet soon that confidence had been replaced by chronic fatigue and a crippling fear of drowning in “dirty water”. This Long Read written by aviation historian Victoria Taylor charts the mental disintegration of Hitler’s flyers.

HistoryExtra Long Reads brings you the best articles from BBC History Magazine, direct to your ears. Today’s feature originally appeared in the July 2025 issue, and has been voiced in partnership with the RNIB.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices