In this section we shall address the matters related to airforce and air defence.
The 75 mm anti-aircraft guns at Souburg airfield had been identified by the Luftwaffe on the second day of the campaign and were attacked several times by German fighter aircraft.
Despite these repeated attacks, the battery suffered no damage and none of its crew members were injured. One German aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire, although its destruction could not be confirmed. A Heinkel He 111 of 7./KG 27 later crashed near Flushing, though it cannot be conclusively linked to the claims made by the anti-aircraft battery. It is possible that this bomber had been operating as part of a joint mission with aircraft from 8./KG 27, which had also been observed over the area and engaged by anti-aircraft fire. According to squadron reports, also one aircraft from 8./KG 27 had been so heavily damaged by the defences around Flushing that it crashed while attempting an emergency landing at its home base, killing the entire crew
British Hawker Hurricanes were observed several times over the Zeeland coast and further south near Breskens. Around 10:30 hours, they succeeded in shooting down a German Junkers Ju 88 bomber, which crashed near Retranchement.
Later that afternoon, Hurricanes of No. 17 Squadron were sighted in the northern part of Zeeland, where they encountered fighters of JG 51. A fierce aerial battle developed, eventually moving eastward towards Dordrecht.
At approximately 15:00 hours, German pilots claimed no fewer than six Hurricanes destroyed. In reality, only four British aircraft were lost. They were flown by Flight Lieutenant M.S. Donne, Pilot Officer P.D. Hulton-Harrop, Flight Sergeant J.A.A. Luck, and Flying Officer G.W. Slee. Three of the aircraft came down in the vicinity of Dordrecht, while the fourth crash-landed at Numansdorp.
The RAF pilots also inflicted losses on the Germans. Three Messerschmitt Bf 109s of 3./JG 51 were confirmed shot down, crashing near Dordrecht at Zevenbergschen Hoek, Zwijndrecht, and Dordrecht itself.
On the island of Schouwen-Duiveland, the ground forces had enjoyed little rest during the night. Early in the morning, an airborne alarm was sounded, prompting patrols to search the area, though no trace of the reported enemy could be found. Around 06:00 hours, the 40 mm Bofors guns of the 162nd Anti-Aircraft Battery at Haamstede Airfield shot down a passing German Junkers Ju 88. The aircraft crashed on the beach near Renesse, and all but one member of the crew were killed.
The three crews of the Dutch G-1 fighters that had landed on the beach at Oostvoorne on 10 May were disappointed when their request for support reached the airfield commander and was only partially served. Haamstede Airfield - like Flushing Airfield - was only able to provide fuel for the aircraft; ammunition was unavailable and so were cranks for the engines. Nevertheless, the commander initiated efforts to obtain the necessary supplies from elsewhere within Fortress Holland. By the time the required resources finally arrived on 13 May, the three valuable aircraft had shortly before been destroyed by _Luftwaffe- strafings.
At approximately 14:30 hours, three Heinkel He 111 bombers - flying in a Kette (V-) formation - attacked Haamstede Airfield with 50 kg bombs and machine-gun fire. The bombers made several passes over the field, inflicting light to moderate damage. The large KLM hangar suffered heavy damage from a series of bomb hits, while several aircraft were damaged by shrapnel and machine-gun fire. A number of planes were destroyed, and one man was wounded.
As the airfield commander had established his headquarters inside the hangar, he was forced to relocate to an alternative command post. This movement, however, was observed by shell-shocked troops from the guarding unit, who mistakenly interpreted it as a signal to retreat. Some units panicked completely, disabled their weapons, and fled into the dunes - a typical reaction among poorly trained troops experiencing their first bombardment. Officers required considerable time and effort to restore order and return the abandoned weapons to service.
Between 15:00 and 16:00 hours, German bombers dropped a series of bombs on the junction of the Bath Line and the Kreekrak causeway. Both the road and the railway line were severely damaged. Two unoccupied army barracks were destroyed, while the local waterworks and telephone connections were temporarily put out of action. In a rather ironic twist, Dutch military-engineers of the 3rd Railway Company, stationed in Goes and Roosendaal, were ordered to repair the railway immediately - only to receive orders two days later to demolish it again in order to prevent its use by the Germans.
One heavy machine-gun casemate narrowly escaped a direct hit from a 50 kg bomb. Although the explosion failed to destroy the structure, the entire bunker was tilted by the blast. Despite the unusual new angle of its firing embrasure, the casemate remained occupied and operational.
At approximately 17:45 hours, a formation of modern French Morane-Saulnier MS.406 fighters intercepted two squadrons of Heinkel He 111 bombers over Zuid-Beveland as the latter were returning from their missions. The German aircraft, belonging to 1./KGr 126 and 3./KGr 126, had earlier attacked targets in Zeeland and north of Antwerp.
At least two He 111s were shot down near the point of interception. One crashed near Oosterhout, while another came down at Woensdrecht, costing the lives of two crew members. The surviving airmen were captured by Dutch forces and taken prisoner. A third He 111 was pursued and intercepted over Breda. So severely damaged by the attacking Morane fighter was the bomber that it eventually crashed northeast of Antwerp. On this occasion, the French pilots achieved their victories without suffering any losses themselves.
Earlier that same day, French 25 mm anti-aircraft guns had shot down a Heinkel He 111P of 3./KG 54 northwest of Hulst after it had attacked targets over Belgian territory. One crew member was killed, while the remaining three were captured and later transported to England as prisoners of war.
The clash between French naval Potez aircraft and German Messerschmitt Bf 110 fighters has already been discussed in the section dealing with naval operations..
A considerable number of civilians lost their lives as a result of the collateral damage caused by the continuing German air raids, particularly in the harbour district of Flushing. A large number of residents - especially those living near the docks - fled in search of safer shelter elsewhere.
The civilian population suffered greatly, yet remarkably many people attempted to carry on with daily life as though nothing extraordinary was happening around them. In these difficult days of total war, the sober and pragmatic character of the Dutch people revealed itself in a particularly striking manner. One could only wish that the local Dutch troops had shown the same composure and resilience