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Jemiba said:"Catafighter is best solution..."
In a seastate as in the picture you've posted, the loss rate of
Catafighters against a floatplane fighters probably would have
been more or less the same ...![]()
Jemiba said:"...float equipped Swordfish for A/S and later, float equipped Hurricanes and/or Spitfires to give the Condors a nasty surprise"
I can imagine, that the concept of the seaplane carrier as a convoy escort wasn't seen with
much enthusiasm at that time ! For recovering the aircraft, the ship at least would have had
to slow down, if not to stop. A gift for every Uboat in vicinity ! ;D
The Hein mat, I think. I have a recollection that the French La Galissonniere class cruisers could pull this trick, but I can't remember where I read it.a way had been developed that would enable floatplanes to be recovered without the ship stopping.
As forthe Chitose's were ... ... also able to operate an air group of seaplanes –. using a Hein Mat for underway recovery.
just about every capital ship and cruiser carried at least one spotter floatplanethe landing and recovery of a floatplane at sea,
something that, AFAIK, isn't as trivial as it may seem.
The Hein Mat recovery system used a mat on a roller that was unrolled directly astern the recovery ship. It was tried by several European navies but was discarded by the beginning of WWII. This should not be confused with the U.S. Navy system in which the recovery ship steamed in an arc into the wind to create a slick for the floatplane to land. A bright yellow sled was let out on a cable off to one side of the ship. A barb-like hook on the bottom of the central float engaged a cargo net on top of the sled and then sled and attached plane were hauled in to the side of the ship where a crane lifted the aircraft back aboard. Although not without problems, this system was successful enough to be used from the 1920's until the end of the
floatplane era after WWII.
What about the pilot?During a battle, when there's no other methode for spotting and recce, it doesn't
really matter, if the aircraft can be recovered more or less intact, I think.
But, BTW ... what this thread started with ?
TsrJoe said:file DSIR 23/10553 at the UK. National Archives (original file dated 25 September 1940)
cheers, Joe
Was the Type 356 number credit to both land and float Mk. XXI versions ?TsrJoe said:Serial numbers for the allocated floatplane Hurricane and Spitfire conversions ...
Hawker (Langley) Hurricane Mk.1, N2599
Supermarine Type 342 Spitfire Mk.1, R6722
Supermarine Type 344 Spitfire Mk.III, N3297
Supermarine Type 355 Spitfire Mk.Vb, W3760
Supermarine Type 355 Spitfire Mk.Vb, EP571
Supermarine Type 355 Spitfire Mk.Vb, EP574
Supermarine Type 385 Spitfire Mk.IX, MJ892
Supermarine Type 356 Spitfire Mk.21, project only
Supermarine Type 542 Attacker, project only
cheers, Joe
HiView attachment 691074
While no P-38 was ever fitted with floats, they did go skiing!
P-38G
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P-38J
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View attachment 691077