Aircraft appreciation thread #1 - Seaplanes!

[klr]

Nothing wrong with those at all - they meet the technical requirements laid down in the OP ...

The Consolidated Catalina:

http://www.bluejacket.com/usn/images/ac ... na_vp3.jpg[/imgc]

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-p ... 114565.jpg[/imgc]

There are still a few in use (i.e., gainfully employed), even after all these years. It's older even than the DC-3, although not by much.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PBY_Catalina

[Feck]

These can be found in the sea near us ,but I don't think they float ?

[klr]

They can probably float in an emergency ... :hum:

[Feck]

Not the one that went down offshore last week

[klr]

Not the one that went down offshore last week

That's what I was thinking ... it probably has to be able to land in a very controlled manner.

Anyway, back on topic. The little-known Fokker T.VIII:

http://www.aviastar.org/pictures/hollan ... _t-8-s.gif[/imgc]

[Mickey]

The Grumman G-21 Goose



which featured in an early 1980's tv series called ..

[klr]

The Grumman J2F Duck:

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/ ... ck0830.jpg[/imgc]

Is it a float plane, or is it a flying boat? I've always opted for the latter, given that the float is effectively part of the fuselage. :hum:

Yes, that's a passenger compartment under the cockpit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J2F_Duck

[CJ]

The Grumman J2F Duck:

http://www.richard-seaman.com/Aircraft/ ... ck0830.jpg[/imgc]

Is it a float plane, or is it a flying boat? I've always opted for the latter, given that the float is effectively part of the fuselage. :hum:

Yes, that's a passenger compartment under the cockpit.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J2F_Duck

If this were fossilised would it be considered a transitional form?

[klr]

...
If this were fossilised would it be considered a transitional form?

Hey, don't knock it, there are still a few flying!

Still on Grumman, this is unquestionably a flying boat - the Albatross:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... -13-12.jpg[/imgc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HU-16_Albatross

[klr]

The Canadair CL-215 'water bomber':

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviation-p ... 209218.jpg[/imgc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canadair_CL-215

... and the Canadair (now Bombardier) 415 turboprop derivative:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... ario_2.jpg[/imgc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bombardier_415

... sufficiently different that pilots need to be re-certified, even if they've flown the 215.

[klr]

Two for the price of one - the Short Mayo composite, a float plane piggybacking on top of a flying boat:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... e_scan.jpg[/imgc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Mayo_Composite

The Short 'boat was the precursor to the Sunderland.

[klr]

The 12-engined Dornier X passenger flying boat - only 3 ever built:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... o_X%22.jpg[/imgc]
The sponsons on the side of the fuselage are a feature of all Dornier flying boat designs - Dornier didn't go in for the normal under-wing stabiliser floats.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_X

[leo-rcc]

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _1980s.jpg[/imgc]

http://www.aviapedia.com/files/transpor ... ster-3.jpg[/imgc]

[Mickey]

The "Spruce Goose" ..

[klr]

...

The Erkanoplan - that's stretching it a bit. Good one.

The "Spruce Goose" ..

It had to come eventually!

Next, the parasol monoplane Dornier 24, one of my favourite flying boats:

http://www.diggerhistory.info/images/ai ... ier-24.jpg[/imgc]

Originally built for the Dutch East Indies, it served with both sides in WW II, and with neutral Spain, on the understanding it would rescue downed airmen from the Bay of Biscay regardless of nationality.

Some turboprop-powered examples are still flying (the original design was not amphibious):

http://airshow24.com/ila2004/Do_24/Dorn ... ller_2.jpg[/imgc]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dornier_Do_24