Flyingboat/Hydroski Fighters Questions and What-if Ideas

[dy031101]

Once again, I'll start another multi-purpose (potentially) thread......

Having bought the fighter instalments of British Secret Projects, Soviet Secret Projects, and American Secret Projects, I noticed that all three "protagonists" have at some point looked at the idea of jet-powered seaplane fighters.

I think I could have been harbouring some misconceptions that need to be clarified......

For those employing hydro-skis (F2Y Sea Dart, for example), can they be recovered at sea by a seaplane tender, or are they really supposed to be landed on water (but NOT to stop there in any way) and then beach at a shore seaplane base?

What about the Saro P.121 in Britain or the EDO designs in America (which have contraptions on their wingtips that look like floats)?

Thanks in advance.

[Ed S]

As I understand it, the Convair Sea Dart used the hydro skis at high speed for take off and landing, but that it floated hull/fuselage down in the water for taxi.  So it could easily have been used with a Floatplane Tender or parked at a dock by the shore.

Ed

[PR19_Kit]

Somewhere I've read about Sea Darts and Seamaster boats both being part of an 'Advanced Seaplane Strike Force' and there were definitely plans for the Seamasters to be docked in modified LSD type ships. There's some drawings of the proposal in the definitive Seamaster book, and if I could remember what it's title was I'd mention it! 

As Ed says, the Sea Dart sat flat on the water when it wasn't moving, with the traling edge of the wing almost awash and the leading edge about a foot clear of the water.

[GTX]

Somewhere I've read about Sea Darts and Seamaster boats both being part of an 'Advanced Seaplane Strike Force' and there were definitely plans for the Seamasters to be docked in modified LSD type ships. There's some drawings of the proposal in the definitive Seamaster book, and if I could remember what it's title was I'd mention it! 

As Ed says, the Sea Dart sat flat on the water when it wasn't moving, with the traling edge of the wing almost awash and the leading edge about a foot clear of the water.

It wasn't "Attack from the Sea: A History of the U.S. Navy's Seaplane Striking Force" by William F. Trimble per chance?



There were a number of concepts for support ships such as these:




Regards,

Greg

[PR19_Kit]

Greg,

No it wasn't, but I wish I'd seen that book before!

It looks great, and the second drawing you posted is similar to the ones in the Seamaster book I have. I think the concept ships in my book were a bit larger, with well decks large enough to take two P6Ms at once, or maybe 4-5 Sea Darts.

What a pity some of these never happened, it's a mind boggling concept.

[kitnut617]

Regards,

Greg

That's really strange Greg, I was watching a program last night on Discovery Channel which was about giant ancient ships (Roman and Greek times) and there was some ships shown that looked remarkably like this, all made of wood and oar driven (5000 oarsmen was mentioned)

http://www.mlahanas.de/Greeks/GiantShips.htm

Robert

EDIT:  Actually I think it was on the National Geographic channel:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2009/02/090223-roman-shipwreck-turkey-missions.html