WWII Ops in which the PBY played a key role
When Bismark gave the Royal Navy the slip South of the Denmark Strait an intensive sea/air hunt was mounted by RAF & RN.
Bismark was found & shadowed by a RAF PBY which set up the Swordfish (another under rated WWII acft) attack which disabled Bismark's steering,leading to her eventual destruction.
The PBY was operating out of Lough Erne, Nth Ireland & under the command of F/O Dennis Briggs. His co pilot was Ensign T Smith of the USN who really should not have been flying with RAF on combat ops at that stage of WWII,but had been seconded to the RAF to assist with the introduction of the lend- lease PBY's.
In attempting to get a better look at Bismark to confirm the sighting ( in poor viz & low cloud); they inadvertantley broke cloud over the ship & were instantly brassed up, taking a number of hits but no crew casualties. They shadowed Bismark until relieved by a Swordfish - this alerting Captain Lindeman that a carrier was now within range.
PBY's operating out of Iceland had previously played a major role in shadowing Bismark when she sailed through Denmark Straits.
Last edited by Capt. Crosswind; 3rd Jul 2002 at 09:27.