Luftwaffe foreign Flying boat

[kaki3152]

Is this a LeO 246? The tail doesn't look right, clear Luftwaffe markings.

[mhuxt]

SE 200.

[Chris Goss]

SCNASE SE 200 coded 20+01. Flown to Germany Jan 44 but sunk at moorings on Lake Constance by Allied aircraft in Apr 44

[Stig Jarlevik]

It can also be added that 20+01 was c/n 1 (some state 01 since it was the first prototype) and ex F-BAHE. First flight on 8.10.1942.
In May 1943 it received its German code 20+01.
It remained for quite awhile at Berre/Marignane and made very few flights in 1943 (its 22nd total flight was made on 3.11.1943). Not sure which was the first date in Jan 1944 when it was flown to Germany since it seems to have failed a couple of times....
Destroyed on 13.4.1944 on Lake Constance as Chris stated
Cheers
Stig

[kaki3152]

Thanks gentlemen for the answers. Another photo identified.

[FalkeEins]

Originally Posted by Stig Jarlevik

It can also be added that 20+01 was c/n 1 (some state 01 since it was the first prototype)
Destroyed on 13.4.1944 on Lake Constance as Chris stated
Cheers
Stig

Only three of the five SE.200s ordered were actually built (at Marignane, Marseilles). Work on them continued after the fall of France, while work on a fourth and fifth machine was started. The first aircraft, christened Rochambeau flew on 11 December 1942. Following testing, it was seized by the Germans and taken to the Bodensee (Lake Constance), where it was destroyed in an air-raid by RAF Mosquitoes on 17 April 1944 (cf. Hartmann " L'hydravion le plus rapide du monde.."). A USAAF raid on Marignane on 16 September destroyed the second SE.200. Aircraft no. 3, coded F-BAIY made its maiden flight on 2 May 1946..on 30 July 1946 it flew a test flight at its maximum TOW of 70 tonnes. It made its last flight in 1949 but wasn't scrapped until 1963

[Stig Jarlevik]

Well Falke

My source is Gerard Bousquet.
Have not come across your source so it seems the 'French' has to sort this out.
I will check with an independent source which one is correct

Cheers
Stig

[Stig Jarlevik]

Neil and All

Have now received new details from France (taken largely from a book published by Gérard Bousquet in 2006 and checked with his articles in Le Fana in 1998). A great thanks to Jean-Pierre Dubois for his help!!

c/n 01 Registration F-BAHE assigned on 21.7.1942. Test runs made on 16.9.1942 by pilot Jacques Lecarme for 25 minutes (no lift off). First flight 8.10.1942 by Jacques Lecarme (his logbook is checked for both dates) lasting five minutes at 10 meters height. Allocated Luftwaffe code 20+01 in May 1943 (a photo dated 12.5.1943 shows the aircraft with its French registration painted out and only an F on the fin)
It was flown to Germany on 17.1.1944.
Back in 1998 Bousquet was uncertain when c/n 01 was actually destroyed. Many dates had been quoted in the past and the one most likely to him (or at least that was my interpretation) was 13.4.1944.
Since then he is now certain that the aircraft was attacked by a single intruder Mosquito from 605 Sq flown by S/Ldr Negus and F/O Gapper on the night of 6-7.4.1944. This aircraft and crew went MIA that same night!!
The SE 200 was raised in 1961 and sold as scrap.

c/n 02 Assigned registration F-BAHF on 21.7.1942 was destroyed by an RAF raid on Marignane on the night of 9-10.3.1944 when it was 80% complete.
Luftwaffe code 20+02 assigned in May 1943 and had been painted on the aircraft.

A second contract (336/42 dated 28.12.1942) was given for two aircraft (not three!) and the registrations F-BAIY and F-BAIZ were assigned to No 03 and No 04. These registrations was re-confirmed in a letter to SNCASE in late July 1945! Still no fifth aircraft on order!

c/n 03 Damaged by RAF bombing during the night of 9-10.3.1944
F-BAIY made its first flight 2.5.1946 and after tests assigned to CEV at Marignane on 10.6.1947 and first flown under their control 18.7.1947.
Last flight was by two pilots from Aeronautique Navale on 16.11.1950 (log book check) and wfu.

c/n 04 competed 95% when all work was terminated on 10.5.1947. A photo taken two days later shows only the engines to be missing.
Parts were used to keep c/n 03 in the air and the remains was sold for scrap in 1950

The reported c/n 05 is highly unlikely to ever have existed. There are no contracts or official order of the aircraft. No registration was ever allocated.
It is much more likely that the so called 10% damage was to c/n 03 which is known to have been slightly damaged in the RAF raid in March 1944.

It would be interesting to know if anyone has any further details regarding the intruder raid which destroyed c/n 01.

Cheers
Stig

[FalkeEins]

Stig

..thanks for your extensive reply, sorry I didn't see it sooner! I've got a big blog post coming up on this machine. I'm hunting for any info currently on a possible evaluation undertaken by the Seetransportstaffeln - possibly something in Le Fana 346, part two of Bousquet's four-parter, the only issue I don't have currently..