"Whoosh! Whoosh!"
The aircraft raced down the long runway before soaring into the sky. After a brief formation above the airfield, they immediately veered westward.
Though the sky was still dim, the light was sufficient to cause no significant hindrance to the flight. As time passed, the morning light would only grow brighter.
For this operation, the German Army Air Force had committed its full might. Four fighter wings and four bomber wings were all engaged in this mission. In addition, to bolster their defenses, a fighter wing and a bomber wing were reassigned as reserve units from other areas. The number of planes involved had already reached over a thousand.
According to intelligence gathered, the Royal Air Force's airfields were primarily concentrated around London and its surrounding areas. The British had stationed their main fleet of fighter aircraft at four airfields, totaling approximately two hundred planes. This was undoubtedly favorable news for the German Army Air Force. The small number of new British fighters posed little threat, and Germany could outlast the British simply by leveraging superior numbers.
According to the task distribution, each fighter wing and bomber wing was assigned to attack a specific Royal Air Force airfield. If they were fortunate enough to destroy the British aircraft on the ground, that would be ideal. If not, the objective was to destroy the airfield itself, ensuring that the British could not use it in the short term.
The massive fleet of aircraft flew across the Dover Strait, heading for their designated targets. Though it was still early and the sky not yet fully bright, to avoid detection by the British, all planes maintained a high altitude.
However, with so many planes moving together, the noise of their engines was unmistakable. A slight misstep could lead to detection by the British on the ground. The German Army Air Force could only hope the British were slow to react. Otherwise, their bombing effort would lose much of its effectiveness.
Flying from Calais to London, the German planes would take no more than an hour, meaning the bombardment could begin around 6 a.m.
In this era, radar did not yet exist. Early warning of air raids could only rely on human observation—watchers' eyes and ears scanning the skies. Once a threat was spotted, it would be swiftly reported back to the airfields.
To counter any surprise attacks, the British had prepared accordingly. They had stationed numerous scouts along the coastline, each armed with telegraphs to quickly relay any potential threats.
At 5:40 a.m., a scout stationed in Canterbury heard the unmistakable "hum" of engines, similar to the sound of buzzing bees. But when they looked up, the sky appeared clear, and there were no planes to be seen.
"Enemy raid!" The British scout immediately sounded the alarm, assuming the German Army Air Force was attacking Canterbury.
However, they soon realized no bombs had fallen. Clearly, the German planes were not targeting Canterbury.
"Damn it, what are the Germans up to?"
"Boss, it looks like their planes are heading northwest."
"Northwest? That's London! Damn, the Germans must be planning to bomb London! We need to report this immediately and prepare London for the attack!"
"Perhaps the Germans are aiming for our airfields. After all, our pilots inflicted significant losses on them yesterday!"
Whether the Germans intended to bomb London or strike at British airfields, it was critical intelligence. The scouts quickly relayed the message up the chain of command.
At the British Royal Air Force headquarters, Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Trenchard had not yet risen from bed when his aide burst into his room.
"What's happened?" Trenchard sat up in alarm.
"Sir, reports from the front indicate a large number of German planes are heading toward London. Their target is likely London itself, or our airfields!" his aide reported.
"What?" Trenchard's face registered shock. Although he had been pleased with the performance of the Royal Air Force the day before, he had anticipated that the Germans would retaliate—but not so soon.
"Order our fighters to scramble! Get the anti-aircraft units on high alert," Trenchard commanded.
"Sir, the Germans are coming in force, with numerous fighters. If we engage them directly, we risk a devastating defeat. Perhaps we should order a withdrawal to conserve strength?" suggested the aide.
Trenchard hesitated for a moment but then shook his head. He understood that conserving strength was the wisest course, ensuring the Royal Air Force could continue to fight the German Army Air Force. But if the Germans bombed London and the Royal Air Force refused to fight back, the consequences would be disastrous. The leadership would face severe repercussions.
"No, order the forces to prepare for combat. We cannot retreat now, and we must not!" Trenchard declared firmly.
"Yes, sir," the aide responded, understanding the gravity of Trenchard's decision.
"Wail!" The shrill sound of an air raid siren echoed over the airfields surrounding London. Pilots rushed to their planes.
At the same time, ground crews worked swiftly to refuel and reload planes that were not yet prepared, ensuring they could take off as quickly as possible.
The four main airfields housing the Royal Air Force's primary fighters each had twelve "Camel" fighters on standby, ready for immediate takeoff. The others, however, required preparation—a process that would take time.
"Requesting takeoff clearance! Requesting takeoff clearance!" A "Camel" fighter, already ready, revved its engine with the assistance of ground crew. The propeller spun rapidly as the plane raced down the runway, lifting off into the sky.