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Aviation / Aerospace

Martin P6M SeaMaster

Jet-Powered Flying Boat [ 1955 ]

Only twelve examples of the Martin P6M SeaMaster jet-powered flying boat were eventually realized.

Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 04/30/2021 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site.

GO TO SPECIFICATIONS [+]

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The Cold War (1947-1991) period was one of technological advancement whose momentum was driven by developments during World War 2 (1939-1945). In the early 1950s, the United States Navy worked in concert with the Glenn L. Martin Company aviation firm to produce a new jet-powered, nuclear-capable flying boat of considerable performance and capabilities. The aircraft would retain its aircraft qualities about her while also incorporate a boat-like hull/fuselage which would allow it to land and take-off from water. In this way, the USN could now field its own fighting force of nuclear-carrying strategic bombers without reliance on the fleet being managed by the United States Air Force. Flying boats promised tactical flexibility in the field and could prove more mobile than land-based bombers - able to undertake surprise attacks against the heart of the Soviet Empire in short order.

The formal requirement for the aircraft came in April of 1951. It called for a jet-powered aircraft capable of top-flight speeds over water with a 1,500 mile operating range. Its internal payload carrying capacity would be in the 30,000lbs range.

The USN entertained submissions from both Martin and competing Convair and elected with the former's design. A contract then followed calling for a pair of prototypes to be constructed for testing. The prototypes were designated "XP6M" with the initial mark being "XP6M-1". The USN ultimately envisioned a complete fleet of twenty-four jet-powered flying boats by program's end - a total never to be realized. The aircraft carried the name of "SeaMaster".

The Martin design showcased a deep fuselage approach for the necessary hull shape and internal bomb load. The flight deck sat high at the frontal section with a single vertical fin at the tail. The horizontal tailplanes were high-mounted and produced the classic "T" style tail unit. Wings were shoulder-mounted assemblies to supply the necessary clearance on water as well as provide inherent lifting qualities. The wings were given considerable sweepback and displayed a noticeable droop when at rest. Engineers focused on a pair of Curtiss-Wright ramjets at first thought their complexity soon resulted in the selection of 4 x Allison J71-A-4 turbojets instead. These engines were then mounted above aircraft wingroots as paired nacelles. Despite it being a water-borne system, the aircraft was still given a retractable wheeled undercarriage to allowed it to land on prepared runways - in effect doubling its in-theater value.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Prototype XP6M-1 made its first flight on July 14th, 1955 and resulting data collected forced changes to the engine placement. This prototype was then lost on December 7th, 1955, when the aircraft disintegrated mid-flight with the loss of all four crew aboard due to a failure in the tail unit. The second prototype then followed in a first flight recorded on May 18th, 1956. It too, however, suffered a catastrophic failure in the tail unit. In this case, all four crew exited the aircraft safely.

Undeterred, the USN SeaMaster program continued and resulted in the YP6M-1 pre-production model of 1957. The example began its testing phase the following year which ultimately revealed several major shortcomings of the design as a whole. The aircraft was of a heavy configuration and this was coupled to poor controls and underpowered engines unsuitable for on-water/over-water operation. Five additional airframes were ordered and changes instituted for the better: the Allison engines were given up in favor of 4 x Pratt & Whitney J75 turbojets which promised more power and vision out-of-the-cockpit was improved as was the avionics suite. An in-flight refueling probe was added to help increase the operational reach of the aircraft.

This revised design emerged as the "P6M-2" and eight total airframes followed. By this time, however, the bloated and oft-delayed program has met its end - cancelled before operational service was reached. The USN elected to fund its ballistic missile submarine program instead and all remaining SeaMaster airframes were scrapped and lost to naval aviation history.

As completed, P6M-2 featured an overall length of 134 feet, a wingspan of 103 feet and a height of 32 feet, 5 inches. Its operating crew was four including two pilots. Primary armament was a 4,000lb bomb load while point-defense was handled by a 2 x 20mm cannon arrangement in a tail turret. The aircraft weighed 91,300lbs when empty and showcased a Maximum Take-Off Weight (MTOW) of 176,400lbs. Power from the finalized 4 x Pratt & Whitney J75-P-2 turbojets outputted at 17,500lbs thrust each and allowed for a maximum speed of 630 miles per hour, a range out to 2,000 miles and a service ceiling up to 40,000 feet.©MilitaryFactory.com

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Specifications

Service Year

1955

Origin

United States

Status

RETIRED
Not in Service.

Crew

4

Production

12
UNITS

Glenn L. Martin Company - USA

(View other Aviaton-Related Manufacturers)

United States

(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)

✓ Special-Mission: Search & Rescue (SAR)
Ability to locate and extract personnel from areas of potential harm or peril (i.e. downed airmen in the sea).

✓ Maritime / Navy
Land-based or shipborne capability for operating over-water in various maritime-related roles while supported by allied naval surface elements.

✓ Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.

✓ X-Plane (Developmental, Prototype, Technology Demonstrator)
Aircraft developed for the role of prototyping, technology demonstration, or research / data collection.

MULTI-ENGINE

Incorporates two or more engines, enhancing survivability and / or performance.

WING SWEEPBACK

Mainplanes, or leading edges, features swept-back lines for enhanced high-speed performance and handling.

RUGGED AIRFRAME

Inherent ability of airframe to take considerable damage.

INTERNAL BAY

Fuselage volume includes space for internally-held weapons or special-mission equipment.

EXTENDED RANGE PERFORMANCE

Capability to travel considerable distances through onboard fuel stores.

MARITIME OPERATION

Ability to operate over ocean in addition to surviving the special rigors of the maritime environment.

BAILOUT PROCESS

Manual process of allowing its pilot and / or crew to exit in the event of an airborne emergency.

CREWSPACE PRESSURIZATION

Supports pressurization required at higher operating altitudes for crew survival.

CREW-MANAGED

Beyond a pilot, the aircraft takes advantage of additional crew specialized in specific functions aboard the aircraft.

GUN POSITIONS

Defensive gun positions for engagement / suppression.

TAIL GUN

Defensive rear-facing gun position to neutralize enemy targets emerging from the rear.

ENCLOSED CREWSPACE(S)

Features partially- or wholly-enclosed crew workspaces.

TORPEDO ARMAMENT

Ability to launch / release torpedoes against ocean-going threats / targets.

MINE DISPENSING

Ability to launch or dispense naval mines as a deterrence measure.

Length

134.0 ft
(40.84 m)

Width/Span

102.9 ft
(31.37 m)

Height

32.4 ft
(9.88 m)

Empty Wgt

91,271 lb
(41,400 kg)

MTOW

119,050 lb
(54,000 kg)

Wgt Diff

+27,778 lb
(+12,600 kg)

(Showcased structural values pertain to the base Martin P6M SeaMaster production variant)

Installed: 4 x Pratt & Whitney J75-P-2 turbojet engines developing 17,500 lb of thrust each.

Max Speed

628 mph
(1,010 kph | 545 kts)

Ceiling

39,370 ft
(12,000 m | 7 mi)

Range

1,988 mi
(3,200 km | 5,926 nm)

♦ MACH Regime (Sonic)

Sub

Trans

Super

Hyper

HiHyper

ReEntry

♦

(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the base Martin P6M SeaMaster production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)

STANDARD:
2 x 20mm automatic cannons in tail turret emplacement.

OPTIONAL:
Up to 4,000 lb of internally-held ordnance (drop bombs, naval mines, torpedoes) carried.

Supported Types

Graphical image of an aircraft automatic cannon

Graphical image of an aircraft conventional drop bomb munition

Graphical image of an aircraft aerial torpedo

(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)

Hardpoint Mountings: 0

P6M "SeaMaster" - Base Series Designation

XP6M-1 - Prototype model designation; two completed.

YP6M-1 - Pre-production model designation; six completed.

P6M-1 - Main production model designation; eight completed.

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