Chapter 12: Divine Guidance

The arrival of this butterfly changed the situation of the war but did not alter the unpredictable weather of the English Channel.

Since entering August, the southern part of England has been plagued by bad weather as recorded in history. Consequently, the German Air Force failed to maintain its vigorous offensive after the great victory at the end of July. Within ten days, there were six large-scale air raids and some sporadic small-scale battles, resulting in total losses of around one hundred aircraft on both sides, with slightly more losses on the attacking side.

Taking advantage of this relatively stable period, the German High Command finalized the operational plan proposed by Air Force Colonel Logan, naming it the "Fortress Plan." Among the participating forces, the 1st Parachute Regiment of the 1st Parachute Division of the 7th Airborne Division, the 2nd Parachute Regiment of the 2nd Parachute Division, the Model Parachute Regiment, and the 1st Battalion of the 2nd Regiment of the 22nd Airborne Division formed an airborne assault group, totaling over 6,000 troops. Joseph Dietrich gladly agreed to participate with his Führer Escort Regiment, which was preparing to be upgraded from a regiment to a brigade. After more than two months of rest and training, they were well-equipped and had high morale. Similarly, General Hermann Göring's division was also preparing to be upgraded from a division to a brigade, with a total strength of nearly 8,000 troops. Finally, to strengthen the air cover, Field Marshal Kesselring allocated the 26th Fighter Squadron (the famous Schlachtgeschwader, which performed remarkably well on the Western Front) to General Richthofen's command.

More than just these factors boosted Logan's confidence. Due to the high approval rating of the "Fortress Plan" by the Führer, it was decided to appoint him as the operation commander. Given the direct involvement of over ten thousand troops, the military significance was extraordinary. Upon nomination by Little Mustache and unanimous agreement by the Air Force high command, Hans Logan was promoted to Air Force Colonel, bypassing the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. (Although the German military did not implement a system of wartime/temporary ranks, instances of promotion beyond standard ranks were not uncommon. For example, Wilhelm List skipped the rank of Colonel to become a General in 1935. After the war, Hitler rewarded several generals, with promotions sometimes skipping multiple ranks within months.)

In addition to these developments, Logan generously shared the "secret" of metal foil radar interference, teaching it to German experts, although Göring was still bedridden like a dead pig. (It is said that the Germans had discovered this technology long ago, but Göring had securely locked it away in a safe, untested.) After testing with their own radar, the technical department confirmed the feasibility of this novel technology and urgently placed massive orders with major metal companies and food factories.

Simultaneously, to ensure the confidentiality of the plan, Logan specifically requested that all communications be conducted through official letters and wired telephones before the operation was launched. He was particularly wary of Britain's deciphering of the Enigma code. If such a highly classified operation were prematurely revealed to the British, the German paratroopers would be sent on a one-way trip!

On August 10, 1940, Saturday, overcast skies prevailed.

At an airport on the outskirts of Saint-Lô in northern France, Logan, dressed in paratrooper combat gear, deliberately concealed his Colonel's rank, which didn't quite match his age, but the silver oak leaf Knight's Iron Cross on his collar remained, a honor forged in blood and fire.

Looking northward, he frowned at the thick clouds overhead. This weather not only hindered Stukas from diving in such conditions but also risked the large formation of aircraft getting lost in the clouds. Flying at low altitudes to avoid ground anti-aircraft fire would be equally dangerous, and British fighters could swoop down from the clouds at any moment.

In short, weather was a significant factor in warfare.

Turning his gaze back to the airport runway, two Bf-109s were taking off one after the other. Before dusk, these fighters would take turns guarding their airspace. The airport, radar stations, jamming stations, and ports were all potential targets for British attacks!

On the northern apron, a row of Messerschmitt fighters with dark green and gray mottled camouflage were undergoing maintenance or refueling. Further south, there were about forty distinctive Junkers Ju-52s. In the 1930s, these tri-motor aircraft had been popular in Europe. However, as the war progressed, they quickly disappeared from the ranks of bomber units, retained only as transport aircraft for the Air Force, used by paratroopers and logistical units.

On the apron across from the Ju-52s, over twenty unpowered gliders painted in gray and white block camouflage looked like resting dragonflies. Without exception, each glider was adorned with black and white Iron Crosses on its wings and fuselage, but they were not as conspicuous against this color scheme. Similarly, each glider had soldiers without weapons performing technical checks and maintenance. Some were attaching braking parachutes to the tail, while others were lubricating the MG15 machine guns mounted on the dorsal side. These guns, which used drum magazines, were the only means of defense for the DFS 230 gliders in the air.

The hands of the watch pointed to 6 o'clock, and the thick cloud cover showed no signs of dispersing. Logan once again looked southeastward towards the airport. Under the long wait, several black dots appeared.

A young Air Force officer ran over, "Colonel, the three runways are ready!"

The new title still sounded somewhat awkward, and Logan nodded to the officer, who was likely older than himself, "Good!"

The black dots in his line of sight were getting closer. Before long, it became apparent that they were six aircraft in pairs: three four-engine tow planes and three large gliders. While German Air Force personnel were familiar with the former, the latter were a sight that most of them had never seen before, prompting everyone to stop their work and look up in curiosity.

Like traditional gliders, these heavy gliders, officially named "Giants," had no self-propulsion. Structurally, they resembled enlarged DFS 230 assault gliders, except with square cargo-hold fuselages. As they were being ferried, they were all flying empty, making it look effortless for the tow planes. When they were only a few kilometers from the runway, the three tow planes successively released their tow ropes. Without any external interference, the "Giants" descended slowly and ultimately landed on the runway amidst the astonishment and prayers of onlookers—during the entire process, the massive landing gear played a crucial role. In the inexplicable cheers of the crowd, Logan became even more confident about the upcoming operation. He even began to imagine: British infantrymen would be shocked enough to see such behemoths descending from the sky, but how pitiful would their expressions be when they spotted the feared German tanks from the Western Front right in front of them?

Just then, the thick cloud cover suddenly cracked open, and the long-lost sunlight poured onto the ground like divine light. As evening approached, the golden rays, tinged with crimson hues, created such a scene that filled one's heart with anticipation for the imminent battle!