Heinkel float plane English Channel summer 1940

[Roundway]

I've seen a claim that a "Heinkel float plane" was sometimes observed on the sea off the Isle of Wight between June and August 1940, apparently waiting to rescue casualties from German aircraft shot down over the sea.

For a number of reasons I'm a little sceptical, but truth is sometimes stranger than fiction so I wonder if anyone could comment or shed light on the practice?

[Graham Boak]

He.59 aircraft painted white with red crosses were used to rescue German aircrew. They were believed to be passing on convoy information so Fighter Command was given instructions to shoot them down. Thereafter they were camouflaged and more circumspect with their flight paths.

Waiting on the sea seems to be an unusual practice but this may have been witnesses misidentifying a rescue.

[Chris Goss]

Quite a common occurrence which made them even more vulnerable at the same time

[Roundway]

Thank you gentlemen, and my sincere apologies for this tardy reply. Actually my interest was prompted by an old thread on this forum (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=43125 ) which provided a link to the incident which raised my curiosity, namely p 223, footnote 2 of http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz//tm/scho...-1RAF-c10.html

The account is rather vague but implies that the Heinkel landed near the Isle of Wight before air battles started aloft, and as such might have provided a warning of an imminent attack. I appreciate such attacks would have been identified by radar as German aircraft gathered over French territory but to apparently signpost one in this way seems strange.

[Chris Goss]

Highly unlikely when many of the bomber and dive bomber had their own aircraft for such purposes. Being at sea level also limits what could be seen and by the time they might have seen RAF fighters it would have had little or no value

[Roundway]

Thank you Chris. My feeling is the story is based on a single anecdotal account, source unknown, so needs to be treated with care. That's not to say there might have been the odd occasion. A review of surface winds for that area in June 1940 suggests they were quite fresh from the NE, which I think could have resulted in unfavourable sea conditions. No matter, I'll leave it there.

[Roundway]

As an aside, which may be of passing interest, there is a brief reference to the German Sea Rescue Service at the bottom of page 6 of Air Publication 3232 Air/Sea Rescue (https://www.raf.mod.uk/our-organisat...ir-sea-rescue/ ).

My apologies if you are already aware.