soc.history.war.world-war-ii

"Michael Emrys" wrote in message
news:C40EBE8C.1A553%emrys@olypen.com...
> in article 47e8501f$0$15754$afc38c87@news.optusnet.com.au, YMC at
> removenospam_yauchiam@gmail.com wrote on 3/24/08 9:20 PM:
>
>> The Sydney carried a scouting aircraft which they could have used to
>> check
>> out the merchant vessel. Pity it wasn't used.
>
> I am confused here. How is a scouting airplane supposed to check the
> papers
> or inspect the cargo of a ship it has spotted? That is, unless it lands,
> comes alongside, and some of its crew board the ship.

The scouting plane can be used to approach the suspect vessel- fly over it
and with the aid of binoculars check it out for possible weapons.

If it has a aldis lamp, it can use it to message the suspect vessel using
morse code.

All this would save the mother ship - cruiser - the trouble and danger of
approaching the suspect vessel at a closer range.