Aichi E31A Jacky

[Tophe]

Thanks!
Maybe you could use this idea to create a rocket Comet triplex-boomer, if you want...

[Tophe]

And from 4 different angles: the only rocket floatplane of the 1940s...

Ericr, our expert about seaplanes may confirm or correct:
The Aichi E31A is the only rocket floatplane ever! the only rocket seaplane ever!
(among jet seaplanes, all were powered by turbojets:
- floatplane: Bartini VVA-14
- flying boats: Martin P6M Seamaster, Saunders Roe SRA1, Beriev Be-10 Mallow/R-1/A-40/A-42/Be-200, KM Ekranoplan Caspian Sea Monster
- foils: Convair F2Y Sea Dart)

[ericr]

ah ! I only discover the thread today, sorry :

an excellent invention indeed ! 

I always like to see tail fins on the floats : the few example I saw have such good looks.

and I indeed confirm that I do not know of any other rocket seaplane :
it was a missing link in the grand evolutionary scheme of things, and Tophe brought it to life.

You often do thatactually : you explore evolutionary solutions that did not leave trace in the poor, restricted, limited real world,
and in doing so you inform us oif all that could have been : thanks for that !

[Tophe]

it was a missing link in the grand evolutionary scheme of things, and Tophe brought it to life.
You often do thatactually : you explore evolutionary solutions that did not leave trace in the poor, restricted, limited real world,
and in doing so you inform us oif all that could have been : thanks for that !

Thanks a lot for these wonderful words defining the what-if spirit!
I have written an article for Le Trait d'Union magazine (French Air Britain) about French what-if aviation, and I would have mentioned your great words if it was not too late (I wrote it in early January), but thanks again to confirm the feeling I tried to explain (towards true Historians)...

The Aichi E31A is (...) the only rocket seaplane ever!

  Wrong! The Lokichi E38L Lightnink were also rocket seaplanes, in 1946 just after Japan won WW2: