What's going on here? (says R3Y takeoff)
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What's going on here? (says R3Y takeoff)
The chase plane suggests this is some sort of test -- for what?
Flying boats didn't ordinarily take off like that, did they?
Flying boats didn't ordinarily take off like that, did they?
Gnome de PPRuNe
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Convair R3Y Tradewind - reminds me of the over rotation/minimum speed unstick tests performed by airliners, presumably similar tests were flown (or not) 70 years ago?
Other aircraft looks like an A-1E Skyraider...
Other aircraft looks like an A-1E Skyraider...
DRUK,either that or `a bit late on the flare,Hoskins`.....
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The description on Flickr does say takeoff, so I'll go with the overrotation suggestion. With those four props blowing across the wing, it appears to be a candidate for a steep Vx climb profile.
My hunch is it's tests of a water landing, miscaptioned.
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Looks like rough water testing. The F2Y Sea Dart (part of the same strategic seaplane force programme that spawned the Tradewind) went through a programme of taxiing in progressively bigger seas to determine the operating limits, and I'd imagine the R3Y was subject to something similar. Whether this is a landing, an attempted takeoff or simply a very heavy pitching during high speed taxiing I'm not sure.
Quite an interesting programme. There was a bomber (the Martin Seamaster), a fighter (the Convair Sea Dart) and a transport (the Tradewind) intended to operate as a unit out of remote bays as a mobile strategic deterrent just like SSBN submarines. It would be supported by repurposed escort carriers, converted cruisers or submarines. It was overtaken by Polaris but there was a period when the Strategic Seaplane Force was regarded as the more viable solution.
Quite an interesting programme. There was a bomber (the Martin Seamaster), a fighter (the Convair Sea Dart) and a transport (the Tradewind) intended to operate as a unit out of remote bays as a mobile strategic deterrent just like SSBN submarines. It would be supported by repurposed escort carriers, converted cruisers or submarines. It was overtaken by Polaris but there was a period when the Strategic Seaplane Force was regarded as the more viable solution.
Sounds like the latest US Marine plan to disperse assets over the E Pacific
