Retractable Float/Boat Seaplanes

[Just call me Ray]

If the Convoy aircraft is based on the Corsair as it appears to be, it's worth noting that it's based on the Corsair prototype with the "short" nose.

Edit:
The drawing and link was added from heshams post from 12t of January 2008:
"who was P. Taylor? and they also spoke about Convoy aircraft.
http://www.flightglobal.com/FlightPDFArchive/1942/1942%20-%200100.pdf"

 

[frank]

I don't think the Convoy fighter is 'based on the Corsair' at all. The tail's different, the wings are different & the fuselage doesn't look much like a Corsair either, other than the same general shape. Reminds me more of a P-40 or P-36 fuselage.

If the Convoy aircraft is based on the Corsair as it appears to be, it's worth noting that it's based on the Corsair prototype with the "short" nose.

 

[Antonio]

I agree with Frank,

it is a very different design from the Corsair lineage.

 

[Pepe Rezende]

I agree with Frank,

it is a very different design from the Corsair lineage.

Yep! The text says it was inspired at the Miles Master trainer...

Cheers

Pepe

 

[joncarrfarrelly]

Hesham,
the designs are those of the letter writers rather than "P. Taylor".
The first one is the design of R. Campbell, the second is by someone who signed himself as "Flt. Lt."

You'll have to look back into 1941 to find the P. Taylor design referenced in the letter by R. Campbell.

The 'designs' are best classified as most likley the random musings of interested amateurs.
Folks like many of us. ;D ;D

Jon

 

[hesham]

Thank you my dear Jon.

 

[Justo Miranda]

It seems odd but just two months after the Flight article was published, the Germans patented a similar project named Daimler Benz DB Jäger
http://www.luft46.com/db/dbjager.html

The idea of the retractable float gear comes from 1917
http://www.worldatwar.net/chandelle/v3/v3n2/ww1-arcana.html
and was recovered by the Bill Barnes adventure novels by the mid 30s
http://home.att.net/~dannysoar4/BillBarnes.htm
http://home.att.net/~dannysoar4/barnesplans.htm

and by the British firm Blacburn for their B-20 and B-44 projects during the WWII.

Please find attached some drawings by myself recently published in UNKNOWN! #5

 

[joncarrfarrelly]

Cheers Borovik,
don't forget the Gallaudet of 1916:

Jon

 

[Arjen]

In most of these retractable-float designs, the float, on lowering, shifts forward quite some distance. I expect the center of gravity to move forward as well, making the aircraft nose-heavy. Could lowering a large object from the fuselage also force the nose down?

What would happen to the aircraft's flying characteristics when the float is lowered or raised?

 

[archipeppe]

The convoy aircraft seems to be a sort of a strange merging among an early F-4U Corsair and a CAC Boomerang.
It is sure that such projects doesn't come from "down under"???

 

[Jemiba]

Apart from the Blackburn types B.20 and B.44 several other types featuring retractable float
arrangements were posted. I've tried to summarise, those, which are still shown just with single
pictures and csarce data (if at all) here.
Others can be found here:
- Blackburn B.20 : http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,8035.0.html
- Blackburn B.44 : http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,8035.0.html
- Portsmoth Aviation Universal Long Range Fighter:http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,645.0.html, #3

The idea was seized from WW I until the jetage, although actually tested just once, some designs were more
or less notional, so I put this thread in the Aerospace section to discuss more the layout and less the designs.
Designs for which more information will appear, I'll of course start a dedicated thread.

 

[Jemiba]

Found again, or better, remembered again, a newer project with retractable floats,
the Dornier P.356, already shown here:
http://www.secretprojects.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,645.15.html, #14 and 20

 

[rousseau]

I believe that Gruman J2F also was a retractable float but never saw an exposure of flyable heritage.

 

[famvburg]

Lowering or raising the float would likely just require trim adjustments, just like landing gear or flap operation requires.

 

[famvburg]

I'm pretty sure the Duck's float was a solid part of the airframe's structure.

 

[Jemiba]

I would second famvburg, as I just had a look into squadron/signal Mini N° 7 about the JF duck.
Development is described quite short, but sufficient, I think, and there's no mention of a retractavle
float.

 

[Jemiba]

It's five years ago, but now I've a question about the Gallaudet D-1: Had it really a retractable main float ? Just came across
an article about Edson Galaudet, mentioning the D-1 too ad it's nconventional propulsion system, but I've found no mention
of a retractable float, not there and in online articles neither.

 

[memaerobilia]

One of the most dramatic retractable float plane designs, was the De Seversky Patent for his 8 engined, Transoceanic, 200 passenger Clipper.