Adriatic Sea, 1944. The rescue of airman, likely German, by the seaplane Q8+B8, one of the former Italian Air Force’s CANT-Z-506 of the Luftwaffe’s Seenotstaffel 6. Victor Sierra

Rescue on the Adriatic

The rich war chest made in Italy by the German forces after the Kingdom of Italy’s armistice (September 8, 1943) included also a number of Italian seaplanes found around 13 different bases around Italy. Of this about 30 was Cant-Z-506 “Airone” three engines floatplanes employed above all for search-and-rescue missions and for mail flights in the Adriatic area. The Luftwaffe main user of the former Regia Aeronautica’s Cant-Z-506 for rescue missions was the Seenotstaffel 6 formed on March 1941 in Sicily, Augusta Naval Air Station (Syracuse) under the control of Seenotzentrale (L) Sizilien, moved in Liguria, Portofino, on August 1943, and afterwards, October 1943, to Venice where was disbanded on August 19, 1944. Few Luftwaffe’s Cant-Z-506 was flown in France and in the Germany. None survived to the war. The all-white floatplane code Q8+KR with the Red Cross marking of this photo is precisely one of the Seenotstaffel 6’s Cant-Z-506 photographed with its crew likely on Venice after a rescue mission (note the ambulance on the left and the stretcher’s unloading). Victor Sierra

Black cross for an Italian seaplane

Tripoli, Castel Benito airfield, early 1943: the wreckage of a burnt-out Luftwaffe’s Focke Wulf FW 200 Condor, one of aircraft of this type employed on Mediterranean Theatre Operational as transport planes rather than the Condor’s typical role of maritime patrol aircraft (the Condor was originally a long range civil passenger aircraft designed for the Luft Hansa). This photo was taken just after the capture of Castel Benito by the Allied armed forces. Note, in fact, the presence in background of a British fighter: the Hawker Hurricane Mark IIB, HL681 “A” of No. 274 Squadron RAF. This latter were temporarily installed on Castel Benito there until the airfield at Mellaha could be made serviceable for use. Victor Sierra

