German seaplane tenders. Do anything?

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Purple fang
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German seaplane tenders. Do anything?

#1

Post by Purple fang » 26 Mar 2006, 05:21

Saw a photo of one of these in 38 during the new swabeland expedition. What all did they do in the war?

http://www.steelnavy.com/SiteAdditions04-3.htm

There's a model of a ww1 german tender in the link.

varjag
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Re: German seaplane tenders. Do anything?

#2

Post by varjag » 26 Mar 2006, 12:32

Purple fang wrote:Saw a photo of one of these in 38 during the new swabeland expedition. What all did they do in the war?

http://www.steelnavy.com/SiteAdditions04-3.htm

There's a model of a ww1 german tender in the link.
I think that the 'seaplane-tender' concept in Germany was mainly a civilian project, mail flights etc. - and would be
surprised to hear that the KM actually operated seaplane-tenders. There was little need for such 'dinosaurs' in the
German navy and hence most were converted to more useful purposes after the war began, Varjag

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carrier ... y.htm#ostm


Simon Orchard
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#3

Post by Simon Orchard » 27 Mar 2006, 15:54

Strange you say that and at the same time give a link showing the WWII seaplane tenders.

Several of them operated here in Tromsø, in spite of their being a large seaplane base here tenders were extensively used because aircraft (mainly Bv138) used much less fuel on take off thus extending their range\endurance.

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#4

Post by varjag » 28 Mar 2006, 00:18

Thanks Simon for that snippet - I was totally unaware of that. While the ships could act as
floating workshops usefully - do you mean that they were actually catapulting Bv 138's from
them at Tromsö - to save fuel? rgds, Varjag

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#5

Post by Simon Orchard » 28 Mar 2006, 09:00

Yep, in fact i can post photos of them in use. I'll get something scanned this evening.


Here's another link about them
http://www.ww2.dk/articles/catapult.htm

Martti
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Re: German seaplane tenders. Do anything?

#6

Post by Martti » 28 Mar 2006, 16:41

varjag wrote: I think that the 'seaplane-tender' concept in Germany was mainly a civilian project, mail flights etc. - and would be
surprised to hear that the KM actually operated seaplane-tenders. There was little need for such 'dinosaurs' in the
German navy and hence most were converted to more useful purposes after the war began, Varjag

http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carrier ... y.htm#ostm
Actually germans built additional seaplane tenders and catapult ships during the war specifically for military use. Falke, Bussard, Richthoven and Hans Albrecht Wedel were completed 1942 - 1943.

Simon Orchard
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#7

Post by Simon Orchard » 28 Mar 2006, 20:23

Here we go.

The Falke at Tromsø with a couple of Bv138

Image


If you look in the background behind this Junkers W 34 you'll see 3 seaplane tenders, again at Tromsø.

Image

John T
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#8

Post by John T » 28 Mar 2006, 21:01

Simon Orchard wrote:Strange you say that and at the same time give a link showing the WWII seaplane tenders.

Several of them operated here in Tromsø, in spite of their being a large seaplane base here tenders were extensively used because aircraft (mainly Bv138) used much less fuel on take off thus extending their range\endurance.
I have been pondering on these ships too. I read Als da eis brach and If I remember correctly,
On the first days of Weserübung two seaplane tenders arrived in Bergen and Stavanger(?)
One was Bernhard Von Tschirschky
and the other Karl Meyer.
But The link http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/carrier ... y.htm#ostm lists Meyar as completed in August 1940 ?

Whish source is right or was it two ships with the name Karl Meyer ?


Best Regards
/John T.

Purple fang
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#9

Post by Purple fang » 30 Mar 2006, 06:07

Wonder what missions the BV 138 did out of Norway?

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#10

Post by varjag » 30 Mar 2006, 11:59

Purple fang wrote:Wonder what missions the BV 138 did out of Norway?
Out of Tromsö...looking for convoys and their escorts no doubt, Varjag

Simon Orchard
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#11

Post by Simon Orchard » 30 Mar 2006, 12:02

Recconnaissance work. Most significantly in looking for and tracking the Arctic convoys heading to and from Murmansk and Archangel. In fact North Norway was one of the most important and active areas where the Germans used seaplanes. Pretty much every type they had came up here at one time or another. At it's height, around 1943, the Luftwaffe had around 5000 men at Tromsø. There were 3 main seaplane bases North of the Arctic circle, Sørreisa which was close to the important airfield of Bardufoss, Skattøra at Tromsø and Billefjord further North which was also close to another major airfield, Banak.

He115
He59
Do 24
Do 26
Do 18
Ju 34\See
Ju 52\See
Bv 138
Bv 222
Ar 196

Purple fang
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#12

Post by Purple fang » 30 Mar 2006, 12:08

U-boat assistance as well no? refuel etc.


Or Vice versa. "20 Bv 138C-1s were equipped with a modified fuel filter to remove possible pollutants when refueling from u-boats."

home.swipnet.se/our_stuff/Planes/BV138.htm

Dang link.

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#13

Post by Simon Orchard » 30 Mar 2006, 14:32

Not u-boat assistance as such but long range recconaissance work for U-boats. On several occasions a Bv138 was dispatched to work with a U-boat for days or weeks at a time and refueled from the U-boat. Something the 138 could do as it used diesel. That site gives a good account of where and how they were used.

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Marcus
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#14

Post by Marcus » 30 Mar 2006, 18:25

Thanks for sharing those nice photos Simon.

/Marcus

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#15

Post by varjag » 31 Mar 2006, 14:23

Simon Orchard wrote:Yep, in fact i can post photos of them in use. I'll get something scanned this evening.


Here's another link about them
http://www.ww2.dk/articles/catapult.htm
Simon, was thinking about this 'fuel-saving' bit......was that REALLY the reason? The fuel-saving - between a
catapult launch and a water-takoff, must have been negliable. As far as range - with 'safe return reserve' - almost
non-existant. There must have been other factors at play here - like accomodation for aircrew on board the ships?
Varjag

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