Ah, welcome back, Mr Librarian!
Funny you should say that - last night when I looked at the picture I did think it had a family resemblance to the MDR-6 and the Kor-2, but I didn’t have the time to do a proper search through all the Russian flying boats (a pretty fair bunch, I might add) - turns out I was on the right track… oh well.
In any case, we anxiously await the next contestant, which, coming from you, should be a real head scratcher.
Thank you for your kind words, my dear Mr. Wingsofwrath. Unfortunately, I have had some hard times with certain official found-raising forms. I am sure that you will notice that many official (especially governmental) forms asking your profession leaves you more space to write your name than what you actually do. You know, they only want you to put down one thing… :rolleyes:
However, let us stick to our dearly beloved ancient machines! Here is my newest offer:
Only a solitary example of this truly advanced machine was produced and tested. 
Hmm. Never seen this one before.
By looks alone, I’d say French, something in the line of the Bloch 170 and the Romano 120. I’ll do some more digging.
Later edit: It looks to me like I might have found the mystery airplane: is it the Czechoslovakian Aero A.300 from 1938?
Even later edit: Ah yes, that’s it. Found some more pictures here, including the one posted by Mr Librarian: http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?t=138192&page=3 (scroll to about halfway down)
To avoid further editing to my earlier post, I’m making a new one.
Normally I would wait for confirmation from our dear Mr Librarian before posting my own offer, but unfortunately I must dash and I have no idea when I will be back on the internet, so below you can find the next enigma. I hope you will find it at least mildly challenging…
Fascinating.
Good evening Colonel
a little unrequested clue for my last offer:
Welcome back my dear Librarian
long time no hear. It is indeed the Chetverikov ARK3 and this renders useless my last clue meant for our dear Colonel.
Cheers and as always:“per aspera ad astra!”
carson
Yes it is indeed the Aero A300 as I have exactly the same picture
carson
There’s a russian guy who built a plane which wings were connected to the fuselage by means of inverted struts exactly like wingsofwrath’s offer (name is Gribovskii and the plane was called Gribovskii G-20) however the only fly in the ointment is that I do not think he ever made a seaplane…
I’ll keep searching
carson:confused:
Here is the plane you were thinking of, my dear Mr Carson, the Gribovski G-20:
However, I can confirm the fact that it has nothing whatsoever to do with the current mystery, because the plane pictured is not Russian.
Good luck on your search!
Thanks for good luck!
French? Bernard?
carson
Oh my goodness! What a productivity, I am completely astonished… You know, my dear gentlemen, participation in this thread is completely comparable with the rowing against the stream - if you are not posting something, you are automatically moving backward! Well, I shall try to keep the pace. That’s a promise! 
And yes, Aero 300 indeed was my mystery flyer, my dear Mr. Wingsofwrath, my sincerest congratulations! On the other hand that object of yours definitely represents an interesting machine: a two-seater strutted lower-wing type of a floatplane… You know, for a moment I had a peculiar impression that I am looking at some kind of a modification of the Avia BH-11, or perhaps the good old Parnall Pixie. But on the other hand that peculiar engine cowling is somehow… non-European, if I may say so.
Obviously, we do need some additional informations. Therefore tell us, please, when actually this peculiarity was constructed? 
and if I’m not asking too much where was it built?
carson
My dear Mr librarian, the single prototype of this machine took flight on the 11th of July 1939, quite astonishingly, since the design might have suggested an earlier period.
As for where the aforementioned flight took place, I am sorry, Mr Carson, but I’m afraid I won’t be divulging that particular detail anytime soon.
However, I must point out that all the clues needed to solve this mystery in a very easy fashion are present in the photograph.
To be frank, before submitting this picture I was tempted to somehow blur or erase them, because they were, at least to me, glaringly obvious.
In retrospect, that might have been simply because I was already acquainted with the unique features of this aircraft.
Well, that peculiarly mounted American Jacobs L 4-M actually caused that little technical trance of mine, my dear Mr. Wingsofwrath. Otherwise, I think that this construction was pretty outdated for the late thirties, especially if we reconsider the fact that this Norwegian Marinens Flyvebaatfabrikk MF 12 monoplane trainer was intended as a replacement for the good old MF 8.
However, as the sun colors flowers, so does art color life - says the old proverb. And this old birdie surely is an example for that stance.
You will excuse me for a moment, I have to find something in my rarity cabinet.
In the meantime, as always – all the best!
Of course it is dear Librarian and how stupid of me.
I went thru the whole list of seaplanes on Google but paid too much attention to the date “1939”.
When I visited the Norway chapter and I saw against each item the date 1930’s I stupidly skipped it without realizing that Google meant when writing “1930’s” that the whole decade was obviously included.
Anyway as the saying goes:
“Excusatio non petita accusatio manifesta”
Cheers
carson
In iudicando criminosa est celeritas, sed veritas filia temporis est, carrisime amice! Therefore - slowly but surely, that’s our maxim.
In addition, here is another mystery machine for you, honorable ladies and gentlemen:
She is… a little bit more conventional, but she surely has a very interesting history as well. I shall feel happy to learn that this birdie has succeeded in inspiring you with the same old equanimity and interest.
In the meantime, as always – all the best!
My, my. It looks to me like the Waco ARE - WRE from 1939-41
The first letter, “A” through “W”, represents the engine, “R” means “Series 1939” and “E” stands for “Cabin Executive”.
The Waco airplanes were manufactured in a bedazzling array of shapes and powerplants, so identifying the exact plane would be night impossible.
ARE:
SRE
In USAF service, as the UC-72:
Our only problem, my dear Mr. Wingsofwrath, is that fabrication of this tiny, but incredibly usable and versatile aircraft actually started in 1938 and ceased in1940, by which time only 21 examples had been built.
Good afternoon gentlemen,
Librarian’s aircraft is a bit non-descript for me though I’ll keep on looking since “celeritas criminosa est”…maybe a small tiny clue?
carson