The SeaPlane as an assault platform? As a Special Ops insertion platform? For long range at sea rescue? It'll never happen but the R3Y Tradewind makes you wonder about possible applications in our era.
Side Note: This is one of those concepts put forward by Mike Sparks and the pics are from his website, Combat Reform. He hates the Marine Corps the way that I hate Amos but he has some interesting ideas and even if you disagree he has some informative info. Quite honestly its also one of the major sites on the web for large parts of little known military history. You should get over your bias and check it out. But be warned. His pages will kill dial up connections...high speed internet only.
Side Note 1: I keep coming back to this concept because it so fascinates. A P-3 aircrew that has to land or God forbid bail out in the open ocean is going to be in serious trouble. Outside of the CH-47, CH-53 or the V-22, we just don't have the aircraft that can reach far enough. Besides the V-22 I don't know of any that can get there FAST enough. The Japanese and Chinese both operate Seaplanes in the Rescue role. Considering the Pacific battlespace perhaps we should consider it too.
Though intended for a far different role, I was always fond of the P6M Seamaster.
ReplyDeleteMakes me think of this:
ReplyDeletehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caspian_Sea_Monster
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete^---Screw up links.
ReplyDeleteIf you like the stuff in this article I'd recommend these books:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1580071333/ref=oh_details_o01_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
http://www.amazon.com/American-Secret-Projects-Anti-Submarine-Aircraft/dp/1857803310/ref=pd_sim_b_5
http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Aerospace-Projects-U-S-Navy/dp/0764332295/ref=pd_sim_b_6
Saw this when I did a search on the US-2 amphib
ReplyDeletehttp://japandailypress.com/india-set-to-purchase-japan-made-amphibious-planes-2729544/
Japan and India are exploring the roles this plane might play. While ugly as sin, they do have better performance than helicopters over long distances.
Never get the brass idiots to go for something like this, I can hear it now "Pffft, utility? What's that? That thing looks too boxy! Where is the stealth? How fast does it go? Search and Rescue? Ha! our sexy flashy fast stealth planes are unshootdownable! What are you, a defeatist?"
ReplyDeleteI love seaplanes but not their maintenance. Their biggest drawback is that they combine all the things that can go wrong in a boat with all the things that can go wrong in a plane. The worst part is they are corrosion control nightmares. But you can't top the romance of them, except possibly with an Airship. (Now I can't get "Jamaica Mistake-a" out of my head).
ReplyDeleteThis was actually a good aircraft, the power plants killed it. If you do not dig you would not know it was killed by its propulsion system. Eight Allison T38's mounted PW Twin Pac style called the T40, driving counter rotating system. Engine failures!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed that Allison did not try to get the Navy to use the T56 instead. May have saved this program.