The more I think on this the better I like it, and even for a fighter lurcher like me it would be an enjoyable change of pace.
For a land rescue, wouldn't a Westland Lysander be appropriate? (sorry if I got the wrong plane, I'm thinking of that big long-winged single engine crate). Maybe there could even be the occasional "contact the Resistance" mission.
On the topic of float plane recovery, here's how the USN apparently did it (from a description printed in *The Ghost That Died At Sunda Strait*, a pretty good operational narrative of the USS Houston from just before the war through its sinking and the eventual capture of much of the surviving crew).
As with carrier aircraft, float planes landed into the wind if possible. The cruiser/BB would make a wide turn as the aircraft approached from the quarter on a parallel course. Let's say starboard quarter, so the ship would turn to starboard. This created an area of relatively calm water in the lee of the ship. The plane would land and taxi to the crane, basically.
Flathat
