The Battle of Britain Five Months That Changed History, May—October 1940 by James Holland (z-lib.org).epub

newsreels around the world relaying images of screaming Stukas and
hordes of dark bombers dropping their loads, the Luftwaffe was very much
a symbol of Germany’s new military might. It had been the Luftwaffe,
above all, that had shocked and awed the Poles, and it was expected that in
the west it would do so again.
The Luftwaffe could call on 1,272 twin-engine bombers and 307
Junkers Stuka and Henschel dive-bombers as dawn broke that morning. As
had been tried and tested, their first task was to neutralize the enemy’s own
air forces. Now ripping apart the early-morning quiet with the thunderous
roar of aero engines from two air fleets, Luftflotten 2 and 3, these bombers
were in the process of carrying out a large number of combined air attacks
on airfields and communications throughout Belgium, Holland and northern
France.
Amongst those now flying over the Dutch coast were Junkers 88
bombers of III/KG 4. Leading the 9th Staffel was Oberleutnant Hajo
Herrmann, a square-jawed, pale-eyed 25-year-old, who already had over
twenty combat missions to his name as well as considerable experience of
flying in Spain during the Civil War. A supremely calm and cool-headed
individual, Hajo had taken off in the dark just before dawn from
Delmenhorst, near Bremen in Northern Germany. One of his aircraft had
crashed on take-off, killing all four of the crew. It had not been an
auspicious start, but soon the pale crest of light spread from the east behind
them. Flying low out over the North Sea and across the East Friesian
Islands, they then turned west and later, altering course, flew south-west
parallel to the Dutch coast, the twin Jumo engines thrumming in the now
bright early-morning sky. Climbing sharply to some 12,000 feet, Hajo then
led his squadron in a right-angled turn in towards the coast, to the airfield at
Bergen aan Zee that lay just beyond the coastal dunes.
From 12,000 feet they made a diving attack. ‘We had achieved
surprise,’ noted Hajo. ‘The Dutch fighters were unable to intercept us, and
we left the dust behind without any damage to ourselves.’ The systematic
and thorough destruction of the Dutch air force had begun.
Meanwhile, at the Führer HQ at Felsennet, artillery could now be heard.
Hitler gathered his staff around him. ‘Meine Herren,’ he said, gesturing to
the west, ‘the offensive against the Western powers has begun.’