Only slightly off-topic: Allied seaplane squadrons based in lagoons in South Pacific?

[Grotius]

Hi all,

I'm trying to learn more about seaplane use in WW2 in the Pacific, in particular floatplanes and flying boats based in lagoons or bays, although I'm certainly interested in ship-borne floatplanes too. I'm especially interested in what daily life was like for the pilots of those marvelous aircraft.

I've found a bit by googling and checking Amazon, but I'm surprised I'm not finding more. Can anyone point me to a good book or website on the topic? Or even a movie? Or maybe just share your own knowledge? Heck, I'd even be curious where you guys tend to base your seaplanes in WITP/AE. I'm interested in both sides' practice, but I'm especially interested in what life was like in and around Allied seaplanes.

Many thanks in advance!

[Platoonist]

In addition to lagoons and bays, lakes were used whenever available.



Lake Tegano on Rennell Island just south of Guadalcanal was used as a flying boat base by both Japanese and American forces during the war. The island is a former atoll that was raised 400 feet above sea level by tectonic activity. The original lagoon then became a large brackish lake, Japanese Nakajima A6M2-N Rufe floatplanes operated out of the lake until US air and sea superiority made the base untenable. American PBY Catalinas used the lake as a base after 1943. A detachment from the 2nd Marines was sent from New Hebrides and arrived at Lake Tegano on 12 November 1942 to establish a lookout post

The US forces scuttled eight of their planes in the lake at the end of hostilities rather than take them home. Members of the local community attempted to retrieve one of the radial engines of the aircraft to use as a generator using only man-power. But it came to naught. The engine is still there in shallow water though.

[Grotius]

Platoonist, thanks for that terrific post. That's just the sort of info I was looking for. A lake makes sense -- protected water, and fresh water. Some floatplanes have trouble with big waves, I read somewhere.

I remember fighting over Rennel Island in either WITP or Uncommon Valor (maybe both?). But I've never looked at a map of it. What a striking layout.

Also, that photo is haunting!

[rustysi]

You could also try looking for documentary's on the subject. I'm sure I've seen some, especially of the 'Black Cats'. Ya know, those that were guided by radar and patrolled the night skies.

[Grotius]

Good idea. I'll poke around.

[WriterNotViking]

If you're interested in a Dutch perspective, The Dutch Naval Air Force Against Japan by Tom Womack gives a pretty thorough account. It covers details about bases, doctrine, and equipment, and it describes the actions of the MLD from December 1941 through March 1942, when the Dutch surrendered. There are some nice old photographs, too.

Goodreads link

Dutch Dornier Do 24K at Soesterberg, the Netherlands.

[Buckrock]

The VPNavy.org website contains a lot of details, including some anecdotal accounts of daily squadron life. It isn't the easiest website to navigate your way round though. The VP-23 page from the site will give you an example of what can be found there - https://www.vpnavy.com/vp23_1940.html

Also, Messimer's "In the Hands of Fate" is an excellent and very detailed account of PatWing 10's operations from the Philippines to Australia during the opening months of the war. It also meshes well with Womack's book on the Dutch flying boat operations mentioned earlier.

[jdsrae]

Here’s another one, a search for seaplane bases might throw up some details for lesser known places.
This reference has been a great distraction for me over the years, but I can’t read it now as I’ve got a turn to run!
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/l ... bases.html

[Ian R]

Google "The black cats RAAF"

- you should get plenty of info on RAAF PBY ops over Indonesia, including the usual patrolling, mine-laying, and also special forces type ops.

ORIGINAL: Grotius

Hi all,

I'm trying to learn more about seaplane use in WW2 in the Pacific, in particular floatplanes and flying boats based in lagoons or bays, although I'm certainly interested in ship-borne floatplanes too. I'm especially interested in what daily life was like for the pilots of those marvelous aircraft.

I've found a bit by googling and checking Amazon, but I'm surprised I'm not finding more. Can anyone point me to a good book or website on the topic? Or even a movie? Or maybe just share your own knowledge? Heck, I'd even be curious where you guys tend to base your seaplanes in WITP/AE. I'm interested in both sides' practice, but I'm especially interested in what life was like in and around Allied seaplanes.

Many thanks in advance!

[Grotius]

Wow, thanks for all those terrific links, guys. I found a couple of page-turner accounts in a couple of those links. Just the kind of thing I was looking for. Among other things, I'm curious what it was like to do a long patrol and a "Dumbo" air-to-sea rescue in a PBY. Some real heroics there -- landing in 12 foot swells to rescue sailors stranded at sea, and so forth.

[spence]

Check out different squadrons on the VPNavy website. I know that I have seen some photos of PBMs and other float planes riding at anchor at some lagoon but can't remember which squadrons (the linked squadron doesn't have any of the photos I remember seeing). Go to the squadron history section in the 1940-49 sections for each squadron (there are a 200 or so squadrons).

[Grotius]

Will do. Lagoons, yay! Thanks!

[fcooke]

there's also a pretty well known story of I think a Kingfisher picking up so many downed avaitors that it could not take off and taxied on the water back out to the fleet. There were guys sitting on the wings. Plane got trashed in the process but the guys were rescued.