Best flying boat/amphibian of WWII?

[ToughOmbre]

Thanks Adler.

TO

 

[Lucky13]

Somehow I don't see any other of the flying boat/amphibians doing the same amount work of as the Catalina....ASW, torpedo/dive bombing attacks, rescue, transport, ambulance (I think)...certainly not the torpedo/dive bombing attacks at night....

Btw Adler, what do you think about the Blohm Voss BV 138?

 

[Freebird]

It is a Beriev Be-12. Nato Code: Mail

First flight Oct. 1960.

Number built: 150

Max Speed: 343 mph/552 kmh

Rankge: 1592mi/2562km

Thanks Adler, I just figured out that I mixed up the pics!


Anyways back on topic!


Who did make the first flying boats? Was it in the 20's or in the 30's?

 

[Lucky13]

Mr Curtis was one of the early ones I think...

 

[Waynos]

Yes, Curtiss was first as far as I know. Another interesting little factoid you might not be aware of is that the Pemberton Billing company of Great Britain proposed a series of 'Flying Life-Boats' in the years before World War One.

As these were the opposite of submarines (passing over the waves instead of under them) they coined the name 'Supermarines' for this invention, some years after adopting it as the company trade mark they went on, of course, to invent the Spitfire.

 

[Freebird]

Yes, Curtiss was first as far as I know. Another interesting little factoid you might not be aware of is that the Pemberton Billing company of Great Britain proposed a series of 'Flying Life-Boats' in the years before World War One.

Wow! Great trivia waynos! But I don't think Supermarine even had any Flying boats in the WWII era did they?

 

[Graeme]

Link with good info and photos:
Pantobase Seaplane transports

Great site comiso!

Who did make the first flying boats?

Regarded as the first British hull-type flying boat, the Sopwith Bat Boat of 1913...

Wow! Great trivia waynos! But I don't think Supermarine even had any Flying boats in the WWII era did they?

The Stranraer, Walrus and Sea Otter spring to mind freebird.

 

[Freebird]

Regarded as the first British hull-type flying boat, the Sopwith Bat Boat of 1913...
.

What do you mean by "British" hull type?

 

[Soren]

I can't believe no'one has mentioned this baby yet:

The Blohm Voss 222

 

[Graeme]

What do you mean by "British" hull type?

Jumbled my words?...



...modified later, it became one of the first amphibious flying boats to be produced in Europe.

The first British floatplane? The Gnosspelius Hydro-monoplane No.2 of 1911...

 

[Freebird]

I can't believe no'one has mentioned this baby yet:

The Blohm Voss 222

What comparison can you make Soren?

Was it's performance superior?

 

[parsifal]

when we say "best amphibian", I believe we have to consider the whole range of floatplanes that were fielded, and not just the "best seaplane", which you guys are concentrating on.

The Japanese completely dominated this area of aviation, in every category.

IMO, the categories to consider are:

Best ship based Fighter
F1M pete (1939-42), A6M Rufe (1942-43), N1K Rex (1944-5)

Best Ship Based Recon:
E-13 Jake, E-16 Paul

Best Submarine Float plane

E14Y glen, M6A Aichi Seiran

Best Large Seaplane
H8K Emily

 

[Freebird]

when we say "best amphibian", I believe we have to consider the whole range of floatplanes that were fielded, and not just the "best seaplane", which you guys are concentrating on.

The Japanese completely dominated this area of aviation, in every category.

Best Large Seaplane
H8K Emily

What would your criteria be? Range? Durability? Payload?

Did the Japanese have different mission priorities than US/UK amphibeans?

 

[Old Wizard]

You ought to see the two remaining Martin Mars flying boats practising water drops on Vancouver Island BC.

 

[Vincenzo]

Best flying boat, and this is a aircraft that using its fuselage as a floating hull, is surely the H8K. in this field there isn't challenge

 

[Juha]

Freebird
"But I don't think Supermarine even had any Flying boats in the WWII era did they?"

Supermarine Flying boats/amphibians in service use during WWII
Stranrarer
Walrus
Sea Otter

 

[Bernhart]

I kinda like the Walrus, remember reading somewhere they could do loops with the thing.

 

[Lucky13]

I can't believe no'one has mentioned this baby yet:

The Blohm Voss 222

Wasn't that one called "Wiking" with less than 10 built?

 

[B-17engineer]

Yes it was. It had like two or three decks it was huge!

 

[timshatz]

Better question would be what was the worst seaplane. Too many good ones (Dornier, Cat, Sunderland, ect) to pick a really good one. But a really bad one, that might be easier.

But none come to mind offhand.