Sunderland captured and used by Germans West Africa

Individual aircraft do not have log books. The crew would have their own flying log books but these would just have details of their fight, aircraft number, and duration of flight (unless they made contact with the enemy, in which case they may note it). It is the Squadron Operational Records Book for each squadron that may mention of contact with the ship, or be noted that they flew over a ship. Unless the crew was specifically sent out to look for that particulat ship, then even the name of it would not be known or mentioned. Possibly a lattitude etc.

So it wouldn't actually require trawling through too much available information. It would require requesting the ORBs, for the two squadrons, for that date, and maybe a couple days either side just to be sure.

Now the problem is that each squadron's ORB can be different in quality, the amount of detail, and availability.

 

OK Kyte ..seems quite reasonable .. you are the expert ... your field ... I am but a seafarer .....so please help us.

 

I have requested ORBs for the relevant dates (22nd to 29th August 1942*):

AIR 27/761 - 95 Squadron
AIR 27/1209 - 204 Squadron

* I requested a few days either side just to make sure as some ORBs got written a few days after, and there maybe mention of escort request before the date of the sinking.

May take a few days to arrive. Will let you know if there is any mention.

 

Just to let you know that the thread hasn't been forgotten. I finally received the quote for the relevant pages from teh NA and have ordered copies. Am just awaiting delivery

 

Thanks Kyte ..... your are a stunner !! (Leastways I think thats what the saying is theses days ?)

Very busy on HMS Oswald .... it is all coming together very nicely ....

 

It may have been a 95 Squadron Sunderland - T9040. Unfortunately, the ORB doesn't go into too much detail but they did spot 4 ships (no names given of ships of course). The rough location of the ships isn't mentioned apart from teh Southern approaches - which may fit where this incident occurred.

 

I know this might be a silly question and I may have missed it skimming through, but did the aircraft have any markings that were reported? Or was it only the make?

 

Steve, you didn't miss anything. The squadron markings may have been hard to see at a distance (a Sunderland's orbit of even just one ship wouldn't be terribly small) but some squadrons operated with just individual aircraft letters. This was certainly common practice in North Africa. Of course, aircraft on detachment or newly arrived from the UK would be more likely to have full squadron markings but then again...LOL.

 

An interesting thought but...................

as far as I'm aware, given over forty years of flying boat reference gathering, I have never read, heard or seen anything remotely suggesting that any axis power in WWII captured or in anyway operated a Sunderland (or a Catalina for that matter) in any form.

I'm not an expert, and as we all known nothing is ever fact until it's proven (and even then it's questioned!) but I would think that by now, if it had ever have occurred, it would have come out. After all, I would want a model of it in my collection!!

Now, that would give the 'What if, brigade' a few ideas....!