Hydroplanes used by the RAF ?

[Alex Smart]

Hello,

From memory I have seen in an old magazine, pictures of Hydroplanes in use by the RAF in the Middle East and elsewhere.
Were these oddities used by any specific RAF Squadrons or Maritime Units or just one or two used by the odd unit here and there ?

Oh, and were they by chance given serial numbers ?

Thanks
Alex

[Leendert]

Alex,

Found a picture of a craft named a hydroplane here:

http://www.theatlantic.com/photo/201...mpaign/100140/

Scroll down to picture 15.

Picture is from 1942 in the Nile delta.

Regards,

Leendert

[Leendert]

Alex,

Flight Magazine of Dec. 24th, 1942 had some other pictures: of the "hydroglisseur".

See http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchi...ml?search=nile

Regrads,

Leendert

[Alex Smart]

Hello Leendert,
Yes, thats the photo, from Flight, thanks.
Is it known if it was the only one or were there others in service ?
Looks like the motor was an ex Seagull/Walrus pod.
Alex

[Boris Ciglic]

There was the No.2 Yugoslav Squadron, operating eight Do 22 floatplanes and a SiM XIV-H floatplane under command of No. 230 Squadron / 201 Naval Cooperation RAF Group from Alexandria and Aboukir, after they escaped from Yugoslavia in April 1941. From 7 May 1941 until 23 April 1942 the squadron flew 912 combat missions (1.760 flying hours) and lost four aircraft:
Do 22 "311" on 26.8.41.
Do 22 "312" on 22.10.41.
Do 22 "307" on 22.12.41.
SiM XIV-H "157" on 2.2.42.

Cheers,
Boris

[Boris Ciglic]

... and the floatplanes administratively received RAF serials, but these were never applied on them (AX708-AX715 for Do 22's and AX716 for the SiM-XIVH)

[Brian]

Hi Boris

Were any of the floatplanes you list lost to enemy action? If so, by flak or fighters?

Cheers
Brian

[Boris Ciglic]

None were lost to enemy action, 311 and 312 were scuttled after suffering engine failure, 307 was not actually lost as I wrote but rather hit by flak from a friendly cargo ship and one of its crew members severely wounded. 157 crashed in sandstorm.

Cheers,
Boris

[Rainer]

I'm not sure if the following event is related to the friendly fire incident mentioned above, but in the morning of 22 Dec 1941 the Norwegian motor merchant HARBOE JENSEN was en route from the Suez to Alexandria when they reported being attacked by a seaplane believed to be a Fiat about 7 nautical miles 140° from Rosetta Lighthouse. No damage but one of her crew members was wounded by shrapnel.

Unfortunately I wasn't able to find more details about this action but in my opinion it is unlikely that the ship was engaged by an Italian seaplane off the mouth of the river Nile. Mistook the sailors the unfamiliar silhouette of a Do 22 for an enemy aircraft?

[Brian]

Excellent!

Many thanks Boris and Rainer

Another friendly fire incident for the files.

Cheers
Brian