The Latécoère 611/612 n° 01 Achernar
Excerpt from the
Fana de l'Aviation, Special Edition 69 "The great French seaplanes".
This beautiful exploration seaplane, built in a single copy, operated in particular in 1941 with the L45 liaison and exploration squadron, based at Benghazi.
The
Achernar was stored in Bizerte in June 1942, its original Gnome and Rhône engines at the end of their potential. There, it survived only because a mechanic officer was looking for an aircraft to train his young recruits. The good general condition of the aircraft allowing it, the instruction was training turned into a refit, then into a flight condition... Alas, one detail was missing: it still had no engines.
The Navy turned to the engine manufacturer, relocated in Casablanca, to see if it was possible to a small series of 14N-30 engines, of which the Laté 611 was the only one to be equipped, or to adapt another model of the same engine. But Gnome et Rhône devoted itself - to the assembly of American Pratt & Whitney engines and - more discreetly - to the development of its own 14S and 18S models. The engine manufacturer reminded us that the Navy had ordered twelve Laté 612s in December 1939, a variant of the 611 that was to be equipped with four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 star engines of 1,200 hp. These aircraft were never delivered, of course, but the plans could be unearthed. However, Gnome et Rhône had switched its production on the R-2800 Double Wasp and the priority remained of course, the supply of combat aircraft. A hunt was therefore launched from Beirut to Dakar to get hold of R-1830 powerplants, recovered from decommissioned Glenn aircraft with all the necessary accessories (engine frames, hoods, exhausts, pumps, starters).
Eight complete engines were thus reconditioned to their full potential and four were mounted on the
Achernar by the students directed by some old "cambouis", under the leadership, thanks to Tave himself, who spared neither prayers, nor reminders, nor threats of excommunication towards "those" who had the right parts in store and did not provide them.
Turrets and weapons were dismantled, new radios made in the USA, taken from first generation Catalinas, were installed. The interior was fitted out for 20 passengers with seats from an Air France D-338. The
Achernar was stripped and repainted from the keel to the tip of its two daggerboards in a very attractive blue-gray, just a little lighter on the lower surfaces - the origin of which remains a well-kept secret today.
The forge and the mechanics of the base made from scratch a fake "beachage" train to replace the transport carriage.
And at the beginning of April 1943, the
Achernar, changed from Laté 611 to Laté 612, found in order the sea and the air element in the hands of a crew of reservists, was judged too old to be sent to the front line. After ten days of unsurprising tests and some fine-tuning, it was reassembled on the platform and placed on its false train. The class of apprentices was rated "above average" and broken down as needed.
Remaining on the ramp of the Karouba seaplane base, the
Achernar almost returned to a corner of the base to the dismay of its crew, who were convinced that it could be useful (and so could they). The three officers on board therefore took turns sitting in Admiral Husson's office, commanding the base, to obtain a mission, whatever it was!
One fine day, while in Tunis, Vice-Admiral Célestin Bourragué visited Admiral Husson, who had just sent back the OE Leroy, co-pilot of the
Achernar, with a "
Nothing for you today, so go do an endurance flight and come back to report." Now, Leroy had served on the cruiser
Dupleix, commanded by a certain CV Bourragué, who, after being promoted to CA and then VA, had just been appointed head of the new flagship of the French Navy, the Force de Raid Aéronavale - Task Group 100 for these Yankee materialists.
The said vice-admiral had to join his post and his ships, unfortunately anchored at this time partly at Scapa Flow and partly on the other side of the Atlantic. And he kept a very bad memory of his rocky return from the Far East the previous year - only the goodwill of the Royal Navy had allowed him to reach NAF in good conditions (he still neglected, the ungrateful one, the role of Chief Petty Officer Geoffroy, who had followed him everywhere since the declaration of war, having received orders from Madame l'Amirale to take care of her husband's health - now, not only was Geoffroy a man of his word, but he was much more afraid of Madame l'Amirale than of all the German U-boots and all the Japanese aircraft carriers).
At the Admiralty, Bourragué met Leroy in the hall - Leroy's racket, "
My respects, Admiral!" Bourragué answered the salute and was going on his way when he remembered where he had seen that face before. "
Leroy! What have you become?"
Brief exchange, but not so brief that Leroy could not bring up the
Achernar. The admiral looked at him: "
And now, your bird, is it reliable? "Oh Admiral, a Swiss cuckoo! If Swiss cuckoos flew, of course!" "Wait for me here!" said the admiral, who sped off to Husson's office.
An hour later, the Laté 612 n°01
Achernar, with its crew (8 men) was assigned to TF-100 until further notice as the "Admiral's major boat", under the command of LV (reserve) Paul Vallat. The next day, all left Bizerte for Mers-el-Kébir, the shore team joining via train with engines, spare parts and a false gear.
On May 12, 1943, at dawn, the
Achernar left Mers-el-Kébir for Scapa Flow, taking along Célestin and a reduced staff (three officers and two petty officers - alas, France Combattante was short of manpower). Bourragué was going to confer on the
Richelieu with CA Ronarc'h, now his deputy.
On the 14th, the big bird left Orkney for Norfolk, where she arrived on the 16th morning after two stops: Reykjavik (Iceland) and Halifax (Canada).
Aeronavale Latecoere-612 Achernar, North Atlantic flights, May 1943
Breton music and the French Navy
From an article published by
Ouest France on May 16th, 2013.
One of the most popular components of the Breton culture of the 20th century (and, hopefully, of the next) has its origin on March 17th, 1943, in Norfolk (USA), on the famous aircraft carrier
Jean-Bart.
On this Wednesday, still cold despite a bright sun, there is a relaxed atmosphere among half of the crew. The pasha has indeed granted the Bretons on board (at the insistence of engineer Kerdonval) a short break on the occasion of Saint Patrick's Day, very celebrated in the Celtic culture circles on this side of the Atlantic. For the occasion, representatives of the various local communities were invited: Irish, Welsh, Scottish...and of course the Breton Association of New York, who came in number to have the privilege of admiring the future jewel of the French Navy.
At the master station, around 6:30 pm, it was time for the aperitif, and the naval officers welcomed their guests when the chief petty officer Pierre Roumégou notices, placed on one of the tables of the post, a musical instrument that he knows well : a bombard.
He entered the navy in 1927 at the age of 17 to train as an arpeteer in the famous "crime school" of Saint Mandrier (officially the school for apprentice mechanics), Pierre Roumégou was not less an emeritus bombarder in his youth. He seizes the instrument and remains a moment hesitant because he did not play any more since 1924, "
but the bombard, it is like the bicycle, one does not forget!" He brings the object to his lips. The bombarde is new, reluctant therefore. It is necessary to court it, to tame it... In a few minutes, Roumégou seduces it. The melody flies then, light, air in spite of a certain clumsiness.
In an instant, the Breton officers and their guests get up, take each other by the little finger and dance "like in the country". The party lasts until some bad sleepers, notably from Provence, complain about the "
howling of the pigs that are being slaughtered, poor beasts!" In order to reconcile the navy of the Ponant and the navy of the Levant, the captain of arms, although from Brest, deftly put an end to this improvised fest noz.
.........
However, the success was such that the following days, Radio Coursive having largely commented on the event, several members of the crew, all ranks and specialties, contacted PM Roumégou. There are all the sounders on board: of bombard (talabarder) and of biniou (biniaouer), which represents a dozen musicians.
Little by little, Roumégou also obtains the assistance of the drums of the battery of the edge to act as drummers and organizes a small traditional musical formation.
.........
In the weeks which follow, the fifteen musicians learn to play together and to walk at a pace. Kerdonval, who saw this in a positive light, even allowed them a corner of the flight deck or the hangar to rehearse and train when the activity allows it.
Despite the many difficulties, no one is discouraged. The group learns a little more every day. They now know how to play the step and draw some shy arabesques in the accents of the Landaul march. It is ready, or almost, to offer its first aubade.
.........
The opportunity presents itself on May 16th. That day, Vice-Admiral Bourragué went for the first time on board the
Jean-Bart. Always under the insistence of Kerdonval, the Pacha proposed to the admiral an aubade by a musical group on board, now called Bagad (group). The performance was held on the flight deck.
First Master Roumégou, Penn Bagad (group leader) for the occasion, then ordered his first War-raok-kit (forward march) and the Bagad performs the first of a long, very long series of presentations. It was a great success, the admiral and the Pasha were delighted, and the very young Bagad will now be part of all official representations on board the aircraft carrier.
.........
After a long campaign on the
Jean-Bart, the new chief petty officer Rumégou was assigned to the naval air base of Lann Bihoué near Lorient. There he met up with some of the former men of the flotillas and the aircraft carrier who knew the Bagad and...today, in the year 2013, Bagad de Lann Bihoué celebrates its 70th anniversary!
Degemer mat (welcome) !
