[Melas]

Wouldn`t have common sense dictated to use a float plane instead?

Where would you fuel it up? Air strips were rare enough in 1937, let alone ports for sea planes. You have to keep in mind that as far as aviation goes, pre-WWII and post WWII are different worlds in not only aircraft but in the infrastructure that supports them.

[Roccus]

Where would you fuel it up? Air strips were rare enough in 1937, let alone ports for sea planes.

Hawaii, Guam, Midway and Wake were used as refueling bases by Pan-Am when it started paid passenger flights across the Pacific in Oct. 1936.

[bunkerhill7]

Coulda refueled at sea from rendezvous tankers?