# Aviation Types- Flying Boats? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 17, 2011, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198 "2011-05-17T13:45:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/61 "2013-02-20T18:51:15Z")
> [@Daylate](#): > > The DO-X is a fascinating what-might-have-been airplane. They were so huge and heavy and underpowered that they operated best in ground effect, and had a service ceiling of only 1,650 ft, with a blistering cruising speed of 105 mph. But what a show it must have been to see one of them taking off or landing. I’d have loved to hear those twelve engines at full throttle! > > An really excellent article on the DO-X is here: > > [http://air-boyne.com/the-dornier-do-x-what-might-have-been/](http://air-boyne.com/the-dornier-do-x-what-might-have-been/) Great link! The article also references the Savoia-Marchetti flying boats that air commander Italo Balbo flew to Chicago, in 1933. My Dad saw these planes as they flew over Boston (he was on the roof of my grandfather’s house in Dorchester, MA)🆒 ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/62 "2013-02-20T20:57:13Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > The one in the background? That looks like an original, with the radial engines. > > I’m a bit surprised how far forward the props are on the turboprop model. I imagine the engineering is sound, but it almost looks awkward compared to the old ones. As well as being longer, turboprops are a lot lighter than a radial engine so they need to be positioned forward on conversions to preserve the aircraft’s centre of gravity. Compare the [original ag cat](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:AgCat.jpg) with a [turbine conversion.](http://www.flickr.com/photos/captrh/3621727905/in/photostream/) Edit: I’m not sure if the actual engine mount is further forward or if the lighter weight combined with their elongated shape allows the rear of the engine to be in the same position as the radial. ---
**Author:** ![Jaguars](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaguars/32/5879_2.png) [@Jaguars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jaguars)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2013, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/63 "2013-02-20T23:29:38Z")
People tend to think of a flying boat as being able to land on 70% of the worlds surface but it doesn’t work like that. Now, you’ll have to forgive me for attempting to quote a magazine I read 15 years ago. 😉 The article I was thinking of was an interview with a [P5M Marlin](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_P5M_Marlin) pilot. He said 'The thing that killed the seaplane was the inability to land on ocean swells. ’ (Paraphrased) To land on the open ocean one had to match the speed of the waves, which would be below stalling speed. Landing badly could break the back (or keel?) of the plane. Therefore the planes could only land on sheltered waters, limiting them to certain areas, many of which now have airfields. So along with the other reasons already posted, thats why we don’t travel in large seaplanes any more. Of course, being testosterone-fueled armed forces types, they had a method for landing in emergency rescue situations. I think they reversed prop pitch and stalled onto the water or something absolutely ridiculous like that? Another site I found said that they sometimes made offshore landings to evacuate critically ill mariners. ---
**Author:** ![j\_sum1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/8baadc/32.png) [@j\_sum1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/j_sum1)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 4:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/64 "2013-02-22T04:05:33Z")
> [@Robot\_Arm](#): > > It’s still the only 12-engined plane I’m aware of. (Got all the numbers up to 12 covered, except 9 and 11.) Ok. You got me intrigued. A quick google gave me images of most of them but I didn’t find a 7 engined plane. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 6:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/65 "2013-02-22T06:09:14Z")
> [@j\_sum1](#): > > Ok. You got me intrigued. > A quick google gave me images of most of them but I didn’t find a 7 engined plane. In the late-60s, a B-52 was used to test the new engine being developed for the 747 (and possibly the one for the C-5, as well). A regular B-52 has eight engines in four pods of two. They took off one of the inboard pods and mounted the test engine there. I found at least one experiment with a B-17 that added an engine in the nose, along with the four on the wings. There may be other 5-engined planes. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 10:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/66 "2013-02-22T10:00:22Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > DC-3 airliners from the 1930’s are still in service around the world. [And some of them are on floats](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dc3history.org/images/float2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dc3history.org/floats.htm&h=276&w=415&sz=27&tbnid=1QWLIRkkm67drM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=135&zoom=1&usg=__WW86EZfwpSrHeWcCqow9G6QKpt8=&docid=mHS5EhHgZKNVJM&sa=X&ei=YUAnUdX3Hajq2AX65IHgBQ&ved=0CDgQ9QEwAQ&dur=753). ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/67 "2013-02-22T10:23:25Z")
> [@Daylate](#): > > The DO-X is a fascinating what-might-have-been airplane. They were so huge and heavy and underpowered that they operated best in ground effect, and had a service ceiling of only 1,650 ft, with a blistering cruising speed of 105 mph. But what a show it must have been to see one of them taking off or landing. I’d have loved to hear those twelve engines at full throttle! > > An really excellent article on the DO-X is here: > > [http://air-boyne.com/the-dornier-do-x-what-might-have-been/](http://air-boyne.com/the-dornier-do-x-what-might-have-been/) Good article. I hadn’t realized what a techno-mess that thing was. 1,650 ft is pretty sad. ---
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 3:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/68 "2013-02-22T15:51:47Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Good article. I hadn’t realized what a techno-mess that thing was. 1,650 ft is pretty sad. Yes..in fact, the Trans-Atlantic crossing (West Africa-Rio de Janeiro) was so dangerous (headwinds would have slowed them to a crawl), that the pilot delayed the passage by several days. The fuel consumption at 1600 ft. must have been enormous. ---
**Author:** ![AndrewL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3d9bf3/32.png) [@AndrewL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AndrewL)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 5:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/69 "2013-02-22T17:01:26Z")
> [@Magiver](#): > > Good article. I hadn’t realized what a techno-mess that thing was. 1,650 ft is pretty sad. A flying boat in a literal sense. Not so much an airplane that could land on water, but a boat that could (barely) fly. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/70 "2013-02-22T20:59:29Z")
> [@AndrewL](#): > > A flying boat in a literal sense. Not so much an airplane that could land on water, but a boat that could (barely) fly. The Russians must have been impressed enough by the idea. I give you the [Caspian](http://redbannernorthernfleet.blogspot.com/2010/02/excellent-photo-essay-on-caspian-sea.html) [Sea Monster](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rUTWWsh6iGA) ground effect vehicle. [Earlier version](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xr8N0Z4Cl0U). ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 6:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/71 "2013-02-23T18:39:41Z")
> [@Jaguars](#): > > To land on the open ocean one had to match the speed of the waves, which would be below stalling speed. Landing badly could break the back (or keel?) of the plane. You didn’t need ocean waves to do that, either. Captain Merz of the Do X [snapped her tail off](http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=14834) in the River Danube by putting her down a little nose-high. And he had more hours in that plane than anyone. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/72 "2013-02-23T18:48:59Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > You didn’t need ocean waves to do that, either. Captain Merz of the Do X [snapped her tail off](http://ww2db.com/image.php?image_id=14834) in the River Danube by putting her down a little nose-high. And he had more hours in that plane than anyone. Do h ---
**Author:** ![Beware\_of\_Doug](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/73 "2013-02-23T20:12:03Z")
I think you mean “Do’h!” :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2013, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/74 "2013-02-23T20:27:25Z")
> [@Beware\_of\_Doug](#): > > I think you mean “Do’h!” :smack: Trapeze act? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/75 "2013-03-03T00:09:32Z")
[This video](http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Ms84WfJwalI&feature=pla) showed up in the inbox today. It’s about the Pan-Am Pacific Clipper getting home at the start of WWII ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [March 3, 2013, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198/76 "2013-03-03T03:09:13Z")
> [@Rick](#): > > [This video](http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=Ms84WfJwalI&feature=pla) showed up in the inbox today. It’s about the Pan-Am Pacific Clipper getting home at the start of WWII Holy crap. What a story. If anything deserves a documentary that does. Excellent link. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/aviation-types-flying-boats/582198.md?page=3)