Editing Operation Sea Lion (section)

==== Type AF ====
The ''Luftwaffe'' had formed its own special command (''Sonderkommando'') under Major Fritz Siebel to investigate the production of landing craft for Sea Lion. Major Siebel proposed giving the unpowered Type A barges their own motive power by installing a pair of surplus {{convert|600|hp|kW|abbr=off|adj=on}} BMW aircraft engines, driving propellers. The ''Kriegsmarine'' was highly sceptical of this venture, but the ''Heer'' (Army) high command enthusiastically embraced the concept and Siebel proceeded with the conversions.<ref name=Schenk94-98>Schenk, pp. 94–98</ref>

The aircraft engines were mounted on a platform supported by iron scaffolding at the aft end of the vessel. Cooling water was stored in tanks mounted above-deck. As completed, the Type AF had a speed of {{convert|6|kn|km/h|spell=in|0}}, and a range of {{convert|60|nmi|km|abbr=off|round=5}} unless auxiliary fuel tanks were fitted. Disadvantages of this set-up included an inability to back the vessel astern, limited manoeuvrability and the deafening noise of the engines which would have made voice commands problematic.<ref name="Schenk94-98" />

By 1 October 128 Type A barges had been converted to airscrew propulsion and, by the end of the month, this figure had risen to over 200.<ref name=Schenk95>Schenk, p. 95</ref>

The ''Kriegsmarine'' later used some of the motorised Sea Lion barges for landings on the Russian-held Baltic islands in 1941 and, though most of them were eventually returned to the inland rivers they originally plied, a reserve was kept for military transport duties and for filling out amphibious flotillas.<ref name=Schenk94>Schenk, p. 94</ref>