Aircraft · Italy · 1938-1945

CANT Z.506 Airone

floatplane (torpedo bomber / reconnaissance / air-sea rescue)

One of the largest floatplanes to see service in the war, the wooden-hulled Z.506 began as a civil airliner before the militarised Z.506B entered Regia Aeronautica service in 1939 as a torpedo bomber and maritime patrol aircraft. As fighter opposition made daylight torpedo runs increasingly costly, the type shifted to convoy escort, anti-submarine patrol and, especially, air-sea rescue, in which role many crews continued flying almost to the war's end.

Wikipedia

crew	5
armament	1x 12.7mm and 3x 7.7mm machine guns, up to 1,200kg bombs or 1x 816kg torpedo
top speed	350 km/h
produced	~563 (all variants)

Mediterranean and North Africa

Cant Z.506 in decolloUnknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · source

Italian CANT Z.506B floatplane forced down on Mondello beach in Sicilyuncredited · Public domain · source

CANT Z.506 AironeUnknown authorUnknown author · Public domain · source

RAAF Squadron Leader P.A.S. Payne and Flight Sergeant E.M. Potts climb aboard the Italian CANT Z.506 Airone float plane which rescued them after they had been forced to ditch their Beaufighter aircraft following engine tAustralian armed forces · Public domain · source