In December 1939 the French Navy placed an order for twelve of a modified version, the Latécoère 612, which was to be powered by four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engines.
[citation needed] The prototype Latécoère 611 was delivered to the French Navy on 12 April 1940[1] and named Achenar, being flown to North Africa in June 1940 and subsequently disarmed under the terms of the Armistice.
After being damaged in a collision with another flying boat, it eventually entered full service with the Vichy French Navy on 15 October 1941, operating with Escadrille 4E at Port Lyautey and Dakar.
[1] In November 1942, following the Allied Invasion of North Africa, Escadrille 4E switched sides and joined the Free French, carrying out anti-submarine patrols over the South Atlantic, later (October 1943) being enlarged to form Flotille 7F, which continued to fly the Latécoère 611 alongside Short Sunderlands.
[2] Data from Warplanes of the Second World War, Volume Five, Flying Boats [1]General characteristics Performance Armament