WWII Aircraft of the Day - The Short Sunderland

The Short Sunderland

The Short Sunderland - Britain
By Salem

The Short Sunderland was one of the Royal Air Force's biggest seaplane.
It was often called the "Flying Porcupine".
The Short Sunderland was used for long distance transport, search and rescue and patrolling for U-boats.
It was even used for reconnaissance work.
Even tough the Short Sunderland was big, it wasn't the most manouverable and was no match for the deadly Messerschmitts.

WWII Aircraft of the Day - The Cant Z 506 Arione

The Cant Z 506 Arione

The Cant Z 506 Arione -Italy
By Salem

The Cant Z 506 Arione was a winner in bad weather.
This seaplane could take-off and land in the strongest winds and had served alongside the German's.
The Cant Z 506 Arione was originally intended to be used as a civilian airliner, but by the end of WWII, they were being used as air-sea rescue planes.

WWII Aircraft of the Day - The Heinkel He 59

The Heinkel He 59

The Heinkel He 59 - Germany

By Salem

The Heinkel He 59 was a seaplane often used for air-sea rescue duties.

It had been designed as a torpedo bomber and during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39) and was a member of the Condor Legion.

The pilots soon discovered that the Heinkel He 59 made an ideal night bomber and could glide silently towards the enemy.

WWII Aircraft of the Day - The Heinkel He 115

The Heinkel He 115

The Heinkel He 115 - Germany

By Salem

The Heinkel He 115  was a sleek improvement of the Heinkel He 59.

Even though it was a seaplane of German design and build, it was used not only by the Germans but also Norway and even the R.A.F. had used them.
This had confused the Germans and once two German Heinkel He 115s had landed in a Norwegian held fjord because they had seen other Heinkel He 115s and were captured.

WWII Aircraft of the Day - The Blohm und Voss BV138

 The Blohm und Voss BV138

 The Blohm und Voss BV138

Germany

By Salem

One of the notable seaplanes of the Luftwaffe was the triple- engined Blohm und Voss BV138 flying boat.

The German pilots had a kind of nickname for this aircraft, they called it the "Flying Shoe".

When the Blohm und Voss BV138 was first tested, it was found to be unsuitable in rough water conditions, so it was taken away and redesigned.
The newly designed aircraft was inadequately armed, but as the war progressed it became more and more armed.