Aéronavale jet floatplanes

[ericr]

this time I thought of a backing story! (usually I wouldn't know what story to invent, because the things I do are a bit abstract, but this time I have something, although short, but plausible, kind of ...)

Budget cuts are severe, all over the world, and in every activity domain, including defence : aircraft carriers are a luxury, and alternatives have to be explored, while still maintaining missions, in this case : air presence at sea.
The french Aéronavale therefore studies floatplanization of its aero-fleet, and here are small scale (1/400) representations of floatplanized Super Etendards (single, central float) and Rafales (twin-floats, one with the prototype sturdy mounts, the other with a more refined strut assembly). As a complement, a Panther helicopter also wears pontoons.








the original kits come from the Heller 1/400 Charles de Gaule,
and floats from 1/350 Ar196 and Fairey III, as well as japanese floatplanes.

[Gondor]

The Helicopter reminds me of the one in Captain Scarlet!

Gondor

[Tophe]

With these modern seaplanes, we are ready for the level of oceans going up and up (no need of land anymore)

[Captain Canada]

Very nice ! I especially like the Entendards...that could work in 'real' life !

[Tophe]

You made me dream of hydrojet-Flitzers (Aéronavale 1945 if Pearl-Harbour had not existed):

[Tophe]

Thinking about it, without propellers there is maybe no need of pylons (above the floats) for clearance, yes?

[Captain Canada]

I love that first set Tophe ! The one on the right looks like an F-80.

[ericr]

thank you for these beautiful ideas : signle-float twin-boom jets!   
could be done with a Vampire/Venom/Aquillon ...

[sandiego89]

Thinking about it, without propellers there is maybe no need of pylons (above the floats) for clearance, yes?

I think they still need the pylons.  Need to keep the air intakes up off the water and as far from the floats as possible to reduce spray into the intakes.   The tip of these floats look like they woukld divert spray directly into the intake.  Jets don't like swallowing gallons of seawater. 

[Captain Canada]

The Argies could have used an Etendard on floats 

[Tophe]

I think they still need the pylons.  Need to keep the air intakes up off the water and as far from the floats as possible to reduce spray into the intakes.   The tip of these floats look like they woukld divert spray directly into the intake.  Jets don't like swallowing gallons of seawater. 

You (and ericr) are right, thanks for the explanation!
Well, in a what-if universe of mine, oceans would not be full of spraying water but of mercury, maybe there is no spray with it...

[Tophe]

thank you for these beautiful ideas : signle-float twin-boom jets!   
could be done with a Vampire/Venom/Aquillon ...

I have no Aquillon drawing ready to use, but I have preliminary-Vampire and preliminary-Comet...

Thanks again for the inspiration!