[Seaplanes]

The last thread on this subject was unfortunately closed and as I had hoped for a fruitful discussion of this topic and an investigation into the photo presented by Sidney, I want to take the risk and start a new thread.

Since Sidney and I can not agree on the model. I might be able to help a little on finding the date of this photograph. The numeral on the fuselage side of the aircraft, in this case "5", tell me that the photo must have been taken after 2.7.1936. On this date this new marking system for fighter aircraft was ordered by Reichsminister der Luftfahrt und Obebefehlhaber der Luftwaffe. Among several new items, each aircraft shoud carry a German numeral between 1 and 12 on the side of the fuselage in white colour and with a thin outline in black. This does not indicate the unit, merely identifying an aircraft within a Staffel. This new system was to be implimented before 1. September 1936.
The He 51 had a very short career within the Luftwaffe, being quickly replaced by the Arado Ar 68. The time span for the photo can then be July 1936 to end of 1937.

The unit insignia is not known to me, but if it is the 1./136, this is the
floatplane equipped Staffel. However, during the winter months some of these floatplanes were converted with wheel undercarriages due to the ice situation along the German North Sea coastline.

Finally I want to post three pages of repair and maintenance statistics from the three major repair facilities for the He 51. Here is given the version of each aircraft, the Werk Nummer, the date received and the number of days in for rapir or overhaul. I have a total of 14 such pages with some 350 individual aircraft. The total He 51 production was about
500 aircraft, so this should be quite representative.

If someone has different documentation it would be interesting for everyone involved.