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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 5, 2011 10:50:18 GMT 12
I have read recently several accounts by NZ soldiers at Gallipoli who mention the Allied aeroplanes that patrolled in pairs above them, spotting for their guns and also dropping bombs.
What sort of Allied aeropllanes were there in action above our trenches? And where did they operate from? Did they have strips on outlying islands or were they perhaps operating off carriers? Were they RFC or RNAS? Or other?
Were any kiwis in the air above Gallipoli?
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Post by Bruce on Oct 5, 2011 11:53:21 GMT 12
the Seaplane Carrier HMS Ben-My-Chree saw service during the Gallipoli campaign, launching short 184 Seaplanes for spotting duties. the remains of one of the Gallipoli - veteran 184s is held by the FAA Museum Yeovilton. see en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Ben-my-Chree |
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 5, 2011 12:03:36 GMT 12
Cool, thanks Bruce. I hadn't thought about seaplanes (floatplanes or flying boats). Neat to hear the remains of one of the Gallipoli veterans is still in existence and preserved.
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Post by nuuumannn on Oct 5, 2011 13:42:42 GMT 12
The Short at the FAA Museum is the centre fuse only; it was the one that Frederick Rutland, "Rutland of Jutland" spotted the German fleet from during the Battle of Jutland on 31st May 1916. it's on long term loan from the IWM. It was bombed during WW2 (not the plane specifically, although stranger things have happened, when bombs landed in Wimbledon Common, the Germans have since been accused of trying to kill the Wombles  and the rest of the plane has been destroyed. Shame really, the Short was huge in size and would have been a real sight. |
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Post by flyjoe180 on Oct 6, 2011 20:52:47 GMT 12
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Post by Dave Homewood on Oct 6, 2011 21:27:32 GMT 12
Thanks for that link Joe.
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Post by nuuumannn on Oct 7, 2011 15:09:45 GMT 12
Hi Guys,
In the magazine "Over the Front" in 1994 there was a series of articles called "Over the wine dark sea" that focussed on aerial operations by all sides over the Dardanelles in 1915. If I can remember correctly there is specific reference to a German/Ottoman reconnaissance unit Fliegerabteilung 1 in operation over Gallipoli during the assault. Allied forces were also bombed. I'll hunt out the articles for more info.
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and the rest of the plane has been destroyed. Shame really, the Short was huge in size and would have been a real sight.