Flying Boat Aircraft Some of the most impressive aviation engineering endeavors of all time.
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Aeromarine 40 The Aeromarine Model 40 (or simply "Aeromarine 40") was a two-seat floatplane trainer aircraft serving the United States Navy. The aircraft was produced by the Aeromarine Plane and Motor Company of Keyport, New Jersey, and ha...
1918
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Beriev Be-12 Tchaika (Mail) The Beriev Be-12 "Mail" was a successful floatplane aircraft for the Soviet Union during the Cold War, fulfilling the role of maritime patrol and reconnaissance. The twin-engine system was designed to replace the other Beriev...
1961
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Beriev Be-2 / MBR-2 The Beriev Be-2 was one of the few floatplanes of note fighting for the Soviet Union throughout World War Two as very little in the way fo attention to the type was given. The floatplane was utilitarian by nature with pedestr...
1935
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Beriev Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (Mermaid) The Be-42 / A-40 Albatross (designated by NATO as "Mermaid") was asuprise discovery for Western intelligence sources when it was first spotted in 1988. It was, and still continues to be, the largest amphibious aircraft ever ...
1990
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Blohm & Voss Bv 138 The Blohm and Voss Bv 138 was a German floatplane that saw quantitative production in the Second World War. Initially conceived of as early as 1936, the system would enter service by 1940 and play the most pivotal role of mar...
1940
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Blohm & Voss Bv 238 The mammoth Blohm & Voss Bv 238 was the next evolution in the Blohm & Voss flying boat series for Germany during World War Two. The system was built as the largest aircraft ever produced by any of the Axis powers and was to p...
1944
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Boeing 314 Clipper (C-98) The Boeing Model 314 "Clipper" was a floatplane primarily developed by the Boeing Aircraft Company to fulfill a Pan American requirement for a long-range passenger floatplane. The system saw only 12 examples produced in two v...
1939
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CANT Z.501 Gabbiano (Gull) The CANT Z.501 Gabbiano (meaning "Gull") was a floatplane aircraft developed in Italy and shared a resemblance to the successful American Consolidated PBY Catalina series. By the time of the Second World War, the design shoul...
1936
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Consolidated PB2Y Coronado By the middle of the 1930's America was no longer blind to the real possibility that the war would sooner or later be waged along it's shores. As such, the United States Navy took action in the requirement for a new generatio...
1940
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Consolidated PBY Catalina Maritime aircraft play an understated role, especially in that of war time. Fly boats came to pass, first in peace-time development as early as 1901, and ultimately in the First World War. Their development, with experience g...
1936
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Dornier Do 18 Though a serviceable flying boat with a successful pedigree, the Dornier Do 18 was highly outclassed and outdated at the start of World War 2 and was subsequently used in limited numbers, relegated mostly to air and sea rescu...
1938
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Dornier Do 24 The Dornier Do 24 was a capable flying both serving in limited numbers both Allied and Axis powers in World War 2. The system was classified as a flying boat, capable of operations on both land and sea, and was the product of...
1937
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Grumman HU-16 Albatross The Grumman HU-16 Albatross platform made appearances all across the globe with United States military forces, rescuing downed US airmen in need. The system was an amphibious platform, allowing for operation from land and / o...
1949
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Hughes H-4 Hercules The famed Hercules aircraft produced and flown only one time by Howard Hughes himself. It was commonly known as the 'Spruce Goose' and termed a failure in the eyes of most but not Mr. Hughes. The idea behind the craft was to ...
1945
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Kawanishi H6K (Mavis) Though looking very much the part of a German-produced Dornier series flying boat, the Kawanishi brand H6K series (codenamed "Mavis" by the Allies) had more in common with Western flying boat designs if anything. Interestingl...
1938
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Kawanishi H8K (Emily) The Empire of Japan seemed to be producing its best aircraft designs of the war towards the end of the conflict. The Kawanishi H8K (codenamed "Emily" by the Allies) was such an example. Bred to take the reigns of the similar ...
1942
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Lun Ekranoplan The Lun-class Ekranoplan floatplane was one of the most distinct designs to emerge from the Cold War. The aircraft was designed around the idea known as "wing-in-ground" effect, which basically allowed for an increased weight...
1987
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Martin PBM-3 / PBM-5 Mariner The Martin PBM-3 / PBM-5 Mariner was a World War 2-era flying boat used in the maritime reconnaissance role. Martin designed and marketed the type in direct competition with Consolidated, which had already made a "splash" wit...
Short S.45 Solent The Short Solent was a passenger transport "flying boat" designed in the years following World War 2, when a burgeoning passenger market was apparent. Many wartime flying boats were immediately converted to commercial air tra...
1946
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Short Sunderland The Short Sunderland was the premiere flying boat of World War Two for the British. Often regarded as the best flying boat of the war, the Sunderland played up to some great strengths including potent self-defense armament an...
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