Beginning with races that were staged at elegant French resorts in the early part of the century, flying boats and seaplanes have played an integral part in aviation history. World War I spurred the development of these machines, and by the 1930s, flying boats and seaplanes had become pioneers in transcontinental flight. This photo-filled history recalls the role of flying boats and seaplanes in civil and military aviation history, and the enthusiasm of the engineers and pilots who are associated with their development. In addition to the golden years of hydraviation prior to World War II, author Nicolaou examines the decline of the seaplane, and its subsequent renaissance in nations that are today considered seaplane paradises. The saga is illustrated by more than 200 rare photographs uncovered in archives around the globe.
This work is a comprehensive, heavily illustrated history of the many flying boats and amphibious aircraft designed and built in the United States. It is divided into three chronological sections: the early era (1912-1928), the golden era (1928-1945), and the post-war era (1945-present), with historical overviews of each period. Within each section, individual aircraft types are listed in alphabetical order by manufacturer or builder, with historical background, technical specifications, drawings, and one or more photographs. Appendices cover lesser known flying boat and amphibian types as well as various design concepts that never achieved the flying stage.
"For a brief period of forty years, the flying boat and its smaller counterpart, the float plane, were a familiar part of the flying scene."--Inside jacket.
Timed to coincide with the one hundredth anniversary of the Schneider Trophy, this book is a history of over one hundred different aircraft that contested the trophy between 1913 and 1931. The book includes amazing drawings and photographs of the aircraft that have never been seen before.
"An award-winning aviation historian chronicles the Navy's efforts to develop a powerful sea-based strike force through the use of long-range attack seaplanes supported by surface ships and submarines. William Trimble traces the concept back to the early 1930s when American strategic planners sought ways to mount an assault across the Pacific with minimum air support. But it was not until 1950, when the Navy was threatened with losing its big carriers and long-range aircraft, that the idea of a Seaplane Striking Force was resurrected. Lured by breakthroughs in seaplane performance and the promise of the turbojet-powered Convair Sea Dart fighter and the Martin Sea Master attack flying boat, the Navy believed it could challenge the Air Force in the strategic role, the author explains, but found that the technology did not live up to expectations. This book investigates the difficulties of weapon system procurement within the context of strategic realities, interservice rivalry, and constrained defense budgets. It also looks at an alternative weapon system that the Navy saw as a means of extending its conventional reach and as a complement to the carrier and land-based bomber used for nuclear deterrence. That weapon, however, proved unsuccessful in the end. The author helps the reader understand that while conceptual and operational flaws kept the Seaplane Striking Force from achieving the goals set for it, the idea of a mobile weapon system capable of long-range attacks from the sea remains valid. Other books touch briefly on the subject, but this is the first to examine the concept in depth."
Most often, when Joint Operations are conducted by a larger service, individual Armed Service Historians tell the story of events ignoring, sometimes even trivialising, participation of the other Armed Services. Sometimes, Navy historians inferred Navy credit for a naval event conducted by a Coast Guard individual or the Coast Guard by documenting the event but ignoring Coast Guard presence. Documentation of history resulting from both similar and diverse contributions and authorities from a different sea-service is lost by this historian approach. For example, Navy historian Roy A. Grossnick, in his June 2001 book United States Naval Aviation, 1910-1995 only mentions Coast Guard participation in early Naval Aviation and the World War once when “The secretary of Navy was advised LT E.F. Stone, USCG was ordered to NAS Pensacola for aviation training.” As this book documents, Coast Guard individuals and the Coast Guard service gave many contributions to the World War and to development and growth of Naval Aviation during that period.
Float Planes And Flying Boats: The Coast Guard And Early Naval Aviation is a single comprehensive volume telling the history of early Naval Aviation; the Navy, the Marine Corps and the Coast Guard. A unified history of all naval aviators, it describes interrelationship and mutual support. In years leading to 1920, the Marine Corps and Coast Guard did not own aircraft. The three sea service’s aviators flew Navy aircraft on Navy missions from Navy ships and Navy Air Stations, commanded by Navy and Coast Guard aviators. The bond between them was born. It was a unique time.
The book is documented with 427 endnotes, and features 281 vintage aviation photographic images and a nautical chart of historical note embedded within its text. This balance of photographs and endnote documentation provides both visual and written history that will come alive for the reader.
Without the support of airlift, the modern American military machine would be brought to a standstill. Since World War II--beginning with the Cold War and continuing up to the present day--the U.S. armed forces have come increasingly to rely upon airlift for mobility. The power to rapidly move and thereafter support a military operation--anywhere in the world, at any time--has become a foundational element of American defense policy. This work provides the reader with a comprehensive historical survey--including technical specifications, drawings, and photographs--of each type of fixed-wing aircraft used by U.S. military forces over a nearly 90-year period to carry out the airlift mission.
This comprehensive text on basic and advanced techniques for float planes, amphibians, and flying boats covers natural elements, seamanship, water aerodromes and seaplane bases, ground and water operations. Also included are instructions on high speed (step) taxiing, takeoffs and landings, docking, ramping and buoying, operations with amphibians, and flying multiengine seaplanes. Included are museum-quality historical and contemporary photographs; watercolour and black-and-white illustrations; and explanatory maps, and tables.
For a time, the flying boat was seen as the way of the future. These aircraft, so strange and foreign to the modern mind, once criss-crossed the world and fulfilled essential military roles. In his latest book for Fonthill, Charles Bain looks at the golden age of the flying boat, when these sometimes strange and often beautiful vessels spanned the globe. These vessels-a combination of ship and airplane-found themselves working as patrol aircraft, passenger aircraft, transports, and even as combat aircraft. This volume contains their stories, from memorable aircraft such as the Short Sunderland and Boeing 314 Clipper, to the craft that roamed the Pacific Theatre of the Second World War, to forgotten giants from Saunders-Roe and even strange jet fighters that once landed like ducks. It even includes the flying boat that has not let time get in the way of doing its job-the Martin Mars. Each of these aircraft has a story worthy of the telling, and often a memorable role to play in the history of aviation. `High Hulls' delves deeply into a long-vanished part of aviation's golden age.
