Early morning, 26 of September. Maritime group “West” has sent several “Do-18″ for the reconnaissance mission before next day’s planned destroyers operation.

At 10:45 one of the Do-18 appeared to the north of the Great-Fisher bank. He spotted the whole fleet of military ships. He reports: 4 battleships, 1 carrier and there are cruisers and destroyers.

It was unique chance to harm Britain fleet in good amount - keeping in mind Hitler’s order not to touch ships in ports.

12:50 - 1st squadron of He-111 (9 planes) from the KG 26 “Lion” has took off. Commander Cpt. Wetter.

13:00 - I/KG 30 “Eagle” of four Ju-88, commander Lt. Shtorp took off to join the first group.

Unfortunatelly, it was everything 10th Fliegerdivision was able to sent against such a tasty target.

3rd bomber in Ju-88 squadron was controlled by the pilot Karl Franke. Soon this name will be very popular in Luftwaffe.

15:00 - Franke dropped his bombs on the carrier. He’ve spotted one big splash near the ship and some flash on the nose of the ship. Under heavy AA fire Franke was happy to get away fast as possible. Report was: “Two bombs SC-500 away. Target - carrier. One felt near the ship, other, possibly, hitted the nose. Result wasn’t followed up.”

This muzzy report became a reason for the great noise about carrier that was sunk by Luftwaffe. Goering called 10th Fliegerdivision headquarter with loud claims, why he wasn’t told about destroyed carrier. He was given an answer: “Because headquarter has no exact information about it”.

It was sent another recon plane to find out, what’s happened with “Ark Royal”. At 17:00 pilot reports: “Enemy fleet spotted. Two battleships and support ships.” Carrier has disappeared! Recon plane was given another order - “Check out surface for the oil spots”. Acceptable spot was found very fast. North Sea is full of oil spots, but nobody wanted to think it about.
Hering, Milch and Jeschonnek were thinking what to do now. They wanted to wait till official Britain note. But was too late, propaganda has started to make huge noise about this issue - “Luftwaffe has sunk British carrier with one single bomb only! In addition one battleship has received a bomb strike. All the pilots has returned home with no losses!”

Goering had to react only. By his order Franke was promoted to the lieutenant and got Iron Cross of the 1st and 2nd classes.
British admiralty has humbly announced that “Ark Royal” has returned to its base, photos of the carrier were provided.
German propaganda said it is lie, but its already political issues.

What was the truth: “Ark Royal” has left for the South Atlantic in the beginning of the October 1939. Carrier got the torpedo from “U-81″ on the 14th November 1941 and sank finally.

German reports about “Ark Royal” were updated. End of the story.

P.S. Several months later Goering meets Franke in Luftwaffe test center in Rechlin. He said only one phrase “You still owe me one carrier”.

Source: Cajus Bekker “The Luftwaffe War Diaries”