unconventional float planes or flying boats

[TallEng]

Very elegant looking
And I particularly like the strut/fairing arrangement.
Could only (possibly) be bettered by removing said floats
And tacking them underneath the Republic XF-12 Rainbow,
Now that would be   

Regards
Keith

[McColm]

I tried and failed with that layout on a Lockheed Constellation. So I went with a large single float under the fuselage and sponsors either side off a CV-22 Osprey making it  amphibious. The rear barbett is off an Academy B-50 bomber.

[zenrat]

Really? Personally, I've always found the largest floatplane actualy built, the CANT Z.511, to be rather elegant.

It is indeed an elegent design...

...and then they put the floats on it.

[kitnut617]

I've always found the largest floatplane actualy built, the CANT Z.511, to be rather elegant.

And the inspiration for my Avro Nottingham Jon --- 

[McColm]

Those floats wouldn't look out of place on a Fokker Friendship.

[kerick]

It must have been a heck of a job building a decent airport back in those days. If there are enough passengers to fill a plane that big and not have a strip of land for an airport is strange. Maybe it was meant to follow a route like a bus, picking people up and dropping them off at a large number of out of the way places.

[ericr]

I have top agree completely on the CANT Z.511. Gorgeous airplane.

yes indeed

it even inspired me a Constellation (1/144, more reasonably than 1/72;-) )

[PR19_Kit]

It must have been a heck of a job building a decent airport back in those days. If there are enough passengers to fill a plane that big and not have a strip of land for an airport is strange. Maybe it was meant to follow a route like a bus, picking people up and dropping them off at a large number of out of the way places.

It was expensive to build airports, and still is, but WWII generated VAST numbers of airfields all over the world, funded by the need to wage the war, and that enabled subsequent governments to use them as a basis for larger civilian airports in peacetime. Almost every major airport these days is on the site of an earlier military airfield.

And before people start to post huge lists of new build airports, please note I said 'ALMOST'......

[jcf]

And in addition to what Kit said, the war also proved the long distance capabilities
of large, four-engined land-based aircraft. Those two major factors combined to
kill the large water-borne aircraft for passenger use.

[kerick]

And in addition to what Kit said, the war also proved the long distance capabilities
of large, four-engined land-based aircraft. Those two major factors combined to
kill the large water-borne aircraft for passenger use.

It just goes to show another way WW2 changed our world in ways we barely notice today.

[McColm]

Unless you live in parts of the world where floatplanes and flying boats are essential for commuting or putting out forestry fires.

[kerick]

There are a few areas of the world where such craft are still needed. Makes me wonder what a real world four engine floatplane or flying boat would look like today? Start with the Martin Mars but even that bird was from WW2. Maybe something with C-130 wings and engines.

[McColm]

There was an Australian company that came up with the idea of mounting floats on a C-130. This didn't get passed the quarter scale test model.
The Chinese came up with Harbin SH-5 production run 1985-1986.
Japan has the newish ShinMayna US-2, and an export order to India.
The jet powered Beriev A-40,still has no orders for production.

[The Rat]

There are a few areas of the world where such craft are still needed. Makes me wonder what a real world four engine floatplane or flying boat would look like today? Start with the Martin Mars but even that bird was from WW2. Maybe something with C-130 wings and engines.

As far as I know the Canadair CL-215/415 has never been produced as anything other than a water bomber, but perhaps it's about time to start thinking of transport derivatives. I've had the idea for a whif rolling around in my tiny brain, might be time to do one.

[McColm]

I've already started that topic in the 'New Ideas'.