As dawn broke, Logan stood fully armed on the rear gunner seat of a DFS230 light assault glider, his usual composed demeanor fixed on the steadily boarding airmen. Under Marshal Keitel's command, the air force was coordinating fully for this operation. Over half of the Junkers Ju 52 transport planes and most of the gliders were summoned to ensure the swift deployment of nearly 4,000 troops of the airborne assault group into the Battle of White Island.
Despite the gathering of a substantial number of aircraft, the German airfield on the outskirts of Saint-Lô appeared remarkably tranquil. Whether it was the soldiers carrying parachute packs or the fully armed warriors entering the gliders, almost everyone remained silent, with only the occasional rumble of trucks towing the powerless gliders to their designated positions breaking the stillness.
A distant buzzing, akin to a migrating swarm of bees, echoed through the air. Logan checked his watch; it must have been the squadrons of the German 2nd and 8th Air Fleets: fighters securing airspace around White Island, dive bombers launching assaults on British anti-aircraft defenses, and even two entire squadrons of Ju-88 bombers conducting devastating bombings on the island's administrative and military hubs, as well as its largest port, Newport!
Everything seemed prepared now, even the winds were in their favor!
By 6:30 a.m., the airfield finally stirred to life. The Ju 52s, one after another, roared to life, kicking up dust and debris near the runway. With over 300 transport planes and gliders participating in the airborne assault, concentrating them all at one airfield posed logistical challenges and risks. Thus, they were dispersed across four airfields: Saint-Lô, Vire, Flers, and Leigele. While Saint-Lô and Leigele were newly renovated large airfields, Vire served as a temporary field left by the French army, and Flers' hangars and runways belonged to a local aircraft factory—many of its engineers and technicians had evacuated south before the German occupation, leaving some equipment damaged and production halted.
Within ten minutes, Logan watched the first wave of Ju 52s take off, forming up and heading north to rendezvous with fighters coming from the east.
Based on aerial reconnaissance and recent probing, the British defense force on White Island, though reinforced, shouldn't exceed 2,000 personnel, with about 100 various anti-aircraft guns. While the air force's dive bombers would address some of these, the true challenge would fall to the German paratroopers, relying on their courage and wit to overcome!
At 6:55 a.m., the second wave of fully loaded Ju 52s began to take off. In Operation Citadel, the 3rd Parachute Battalion, along with a section of the exemplary airborne division, totaling 1,900 men, would be the first to parachute onto White Island via 120 Ju 52s. Their mission: to swiftly secure strategic points such as Newport Airfield, Yarmouth Harbor, Newtown Harbor, Wootton Harbor, Ryde Harbor, and Bembridge Harbor!
At 7:30 a.m., though the dust on the airfield hadn't completely settled, it didn't hinder the subsequent aircraft from using the runway again. As the leading Ju 52, serving as the towing aircraft, started its engines and its propellers kicked up a sandstorm, Logan closed the canopy silently, praying for a smooth flight. At this stage, it was hard to say which airborne method—gliding or parachuting—had a higher survival rate on the battlefield. Considering gliders could carry radio equipment and were better for consolidation, Logan chose this means of transportation, bypassing the need for parachute skills—despite already possessing a parachuting license and experience.
The Ju 52s ahead began to move, and the long tow cables on the ground formed an S shape. When they finally straightened out, the gliders started their forward motion like roller coasters starting their ascent—though this was far more thrilling than any amusement park ride!
"Colonel, we've received a telegram from 1st Company, 3rd Battalion. They've landed outside Bembridge Harbor and encountered minimal resistance from the British forces. They're advancing toward the port!"
"Excellent!" Logan responded calmly. Although the Panzerschrecks manufactured by Krupp had an effective range of only 60 meters and couldn't penetrate armor over 100 millimeters thick, these makeshift weapons were formidable on the 1940 battlefield, especially as vital supplements for German paratroopers previously equipped with only light arms! In just over a week, Krupp's weapons empire had showcased its robust technical and production capabilities, delivering 1,200 Panzerschrecks and corresponding super-caliber armor-piercing shells directly to the front lines in France. Like their historical counterparts, these anti-tank rocket launchers were more than capable against typical light tanks, armored vehicles, and even concrete fortifications!
Amidst slight tremors, the gliders picked up speed. Logan stole a glance at the two massive Junkers Ju 90 transport planes on the southern apron. According to engineers' calculations, when the payload of these large transport planes didn't exceed 12 tons, they could take off using extended runways. However, when the payload exceeded 12 tons, or even reached the maximum design load of 22 tons, auxiliary power was necessary.
To support Operation Citadel, Walter's Kiel factory urgently provided 30 rocket boosters. Each booster could generate a maximum thrust of 1,200 pounds, approximately 540 kilograms, for 25 seconds (these were readily available historical products, requiring no fictional tweaks).
78 Ju 52s, towing their gliders, soon took off from the four airfields and assembled in the airspace near Saint-Lô. Along with over 20 escorting fighters, hundreds of aircraft formed two massive formations heading north. From the air, the scene was spectacular. No wonder journalists like Mentz Borges, senior war correspondents, insisted on accompanying them—such grand battles were not to be encountered by everyone!