Grumman Wildcat on floats !!!

[Wurger]

And I have found this shot via the net.

 

[Wayne Little]

The helldiver actually looks ok on floats!

 

[A_Nonamus]

The C-47 floatplane worked well, but loading it through the cargo doors was very difficult due to the height and the fact that the floats were in the way, so although quite a few float kits were built, only the one was ever so fitted.

You're right about the cargo loading problem (among others), but I've been doing a bit of research on this bird and you'll find a lot of erroneous info out there as well. Besides the XC-47C prototype (which was lost in a crash), there were at least 4 and perhaps as many as 10 other wartime conversions to C-47C configuration, which served in the Pacific/Alaska/Southeast Asia theatre in the air-sea rescue capacity. At least one of the converted planes was restored to standard configuration and still exists (c/n 12528, 42-108868, N45860). The original production order to Edo Corporation was for 150 sets of floats, but it was later amended and only 30 sets were completed. In 1976, Dick Folsom of Folsom's Air Service in Greenville, Maine acquired a surplus set of the floats and began fitting them to his DC-3A/C-53D, c/n 11761, N130Q (ex USAAF 41-68834, Eastern Airlines NC86562, and N20W). Eventually awarded its experimental type certificate in 1990, the aircraft remained in service for 14 years on the floats, being described as "a pig" to fly. In 2004, the floats were removed prior to the plane being put up for sale. Those floats probably still exist, and might be available for the right price. The rest of the floats were most likely scrapped long ago.

I'd like to see someone put those floats on a Basler BT-67 turbine DC-3 conversion. I'll bet the performance would be much improved over the piston-engined originals.

One thing I haven't been able to locate, is an accurate set of specifications for the XC-47C: Height (on wheels, and on water when empty), empty weight, cruise and maximum level flight speeds, etc. Can anyone help me with that?

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I'd love to go to Canada and check out the floatplanes; Beavers, Otters, Twotters...

Go to Alaska.

The largest float plane base in the world is at Lake Hood in Anchorage, Alaska. I spent half a day walking around the whole thing just taking pictures. Approx. 200 flights per day take off from it. Everything from Piper Cubs with floats, to Otters, Beavers, you name it.

Lake Hood Seaplane Base has 791 aircraft permanently based at it.

Lake Hood Seaplane Base - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[A_Nonamus]

And I have found this shot via the net. (image of JU-52 with floats, in flight)

Does anyone have any specifications on that plane, or specifically the floats? Several sources claim the XC-47C / Edo Type 78 floats as being the largest ever made, but those look to be very close, possibly larger.

 

[Gastounet]

Another one on floats

 

[J dog]

gotta love stickin on a pair of floats on the underside of an aircraft! somehow improves the looks to make it even more beautiful!

 

[Airframes]

Better stick two pairs on the Wil ... that thing, then !

 

[R Pope]

A. Nonamus...The info I have on the float Goonie was referring to the war years. The book was published in 1946, so whatever happened after that is not mentioned. The military never did any more conversions at the time, apparently.

 

[Wurger]

An addition to the Gumbyk's post...

 

[prem895]

I caught the twatr reference

I'd love to go to Canada and check out the floatplanes; Beavers, Otters, Twotters...

 

[Grampa]

Here's a SAAB S 17. A converted bomber to seaplane.

 

[vikingBerserker]

That looks pretty nice!

 

[prem895]

I love the float plane Ar196

 

[prem895]

and the stringbag

 

[norab]

 

[Wurger]

 

[vikingBerserker]

A Farman NC.470

 

[vikingBerserker]

One that I really like, the Blenheim on floats

 

[Njaco]

I love the float plane Ar196

.