In their battle with the RAF, the German air force was fighting against several important disadvantages. Their planes could only stay a short time over England before fuel ran low and they had to return home. RAF fighter planes, such as Spitfire and Hurricane, could outfly many of the Luftwaffe fighters and bombers. By the time the war broke out, the British had a useful radar system, which enabled them to find incoming German planes, and gave RAF pilots the need to fly non needed, tiring patrols.