1/ HISTORY

In June 1946, the Ecole de Pilotage d'Hydravions/ EPH (Seaplane School) was re-created at NAS Hourtin as 53S squadron. It was equipped with Latécoère 298s (1946-1950), Dornier 24s (1946-1953), Walruses (1946-1950) and SCAN-20s (1949-1953). In 1950 it moved to NAS Karouba where it was re-equipped with Nord-1402 Noroîts (1951-1954) then, in 1955, at NAS Dakar Bel-Air, where it was flying Sunderlands until its dismantling in 1958. Training missions were undertaken by the only still-flying seaplane squadron of the French Navy, the 27F on P5M-2 Marlin.

2/ MISSIONS

Seaplane Training Squadron of the French Navy.