The Spanish government ordered the first six Dornier Wal flying boats, built at Marina di Pisa in Italy, off the drawing board. In 1926 three of these made a return flight to Equatorial Guinea, including W-5 which was at that time named Cataluña. W-5 was written off after a landing accident at Melilla in 1929. A man seems to be riding in the engine bay forward of the radiator here. IWM could not identify this aircraft and the only link with Britain seem to be the Rolls-Roye Eagle engines. Photo from: Imperial War Museums

This Wal was to be added to Roald Amundsen's aborted North Pole flight with N-24 and N-25 as a gift from Benito Mussolini. This did not go ahead and Mussolini suggested that Antonio Locatelli's crew should fly to the North Pole on their own. Instead, Locatelli left Marina di Pisa on 25 July 1924 for a North Atlantic crossing, more or less joining the US Army Douglas World Cruisers on the final legs of their circumnavigation of the globe. The Wal had to make an emergency landing off Greenland on 21 August. The crew was rescued after four days by the American picket ship USS Richmond. Photo from: Nederlands Instituut voor Militaire Historie

Built in Pisa in 1926 for the Italian air force. Civil registered for the rescue effort following the crash of Umberto Nobile's airship Italia. Photo by: Vilhjelm Riksheim / Perspektivet Museum

On its way north to take part in the rescue effort following the crash of the airship Italia. The Italian air force sent two Wals, registered I-PLIF and I-XAAF, and a Savoia-Marchetti S.55, I-SAAT. Photo from: Haugalandmuseet