Convair XP6Y

Last updated
P6Y
Convair P6Y.jpg
RoleASW flying boat
Manufacturer Convair
Primary user U.S. Navy
Number built0

The Convair P6Y was an unbuilt aircraft designed by Convair in the 1950s. The design was initiated to meet a requirement of the United States Navy (USN) for an anti-submarine warfare seaplane. [1]

Contents

History

The design was for a flying boat that would make use of boundary layer control to achieve slow speed flight. [1] It was intended that this would enable the aircraft to land on the open ocean in rough seas and deploy a dipping sonar. [1] Other visual features of the design were an extremely large swept vertical fin that, combined with the dorsal fin and rudder, would have been about half the total length of the aircraft, and a thimble nose radome. [2]

Two prototypes were ordered under the USN designation XP6Y-1 with the BuNos. (Navy serial numbers) 147206 and 147207. [3] The design had competition from the Martin P7M SubMaster, [4] but the USN's preference was for the P6Y. Both types suffered from budget constraints and neither was built (although a mock-up of the P7M was constructed); [1] the USN cancelled the contract for the two prototype XP6Y-1s [5] and later opted for the land-based P-3 Orion instead. [1]

Specifications (projected)

General characteristics

Performance

Armament
Missiles, bombs, and depth charges on external hardpoints

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Related lists

Related Research Articles

Consolidated PBY Catalina American 1930s flying boat

The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other nations. The last military PBYs served until the 1980s. As of 2021, 86 years after its first flight, the aircraft continues to fly as a waterbomber in aerial firefighting operations in some parts of the world. None remain in military service.

Martin P6M SeaMaster

The Martin P6M SeaMaster, built by the Glenn L. Martin Company, was a 1950s strategic bomber flying boat for the United States Navy that almost entered service; production aircraft were built and Navy crews were undergoing operational training, with service entry expected in about six months, when the program was cancelled on 21 August 1959. Envisioned as a strategic nuclear weapon delivery system for the Navy, the SeaMaster was eclipsed by the Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Due to the political situation at the Pentagon, the Navy promoted the P6M primarily as a high speed minelayer.

Convair F2Y Sea Dart Hydroski jet fighter, U.S. Navy, 1953

The Convair F2Y Sea Dart was an American seaplane fighter aircraft that rode on twin hydro-skis during takeoff and landing. It flew only as a prototype, and never entered mass production. It is the only seaplane to have exceeded the speed of sound.

Convair R3Y Tradewind

The Convair R3Y Tradewind was an American 1950s turboprop-powered flying boat designed and built by Convair.

Ryan XF2R Dark Shark

The Ryan XF2R Dark Shark was an American experimental aircraft built for the United States Navy that combined turboprop and turbojet propulsion. It was based on Ryan Aeronautical's earlier FR Fireball, but replaced the Fireball's piston engine with a turboprop engine.

Bell D-188A

The Bell D-188A was a proposed eight-engine Mach 2–capable vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) tiltjet fighter that never proceeded past the mock-up stage.

Northrop XP-79 Prototype flying wing fighter aircraft

The Northrop XP-79, USAAF project number MX-365, was an ambitious design for a flying wing fighter aircraft, designed by Northrop. It had several notable design features; among these, the pilot would operate the aircraft from a lying position, permitting the pilot to withstand much greater g-forces in the upward and downward direction with respect to the plane – and welded magnesium monocoque structure instead of riveted aluminum.

Convair XFY Pogo

The Convair XFY Pogo was an experiment in vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) tail-sitter. The Pogo had delta wings and three-bladed contra-rotating propellers powered by a turboprop engine. It was intended to be a high-performance fighter aircraft capable of operating from small warships. Landing the XFY-1 was difficult, as the pilot had to look over his shoulder while carefully working the throttle to land.

The Lockheed XFV was an American experimental tailsitter prototype aircraft built by Lockheed in the early 1950s to demonstrate the operation of a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) fighter for protecting convoys.

Lockheed Altair

The Lockheed Altair was a single-engined sport aircraft of the 1930s. It was a development of the Lockheed Sirius with a retractable undercarriage, and was the first Lockheed aircraft and one of the first aircraft designs with a fully retractable undercarriage.

Yokosuka H5Y

The Yokosuka H5Y or Yokosuka Navy Type 99 Flying Boat Model 11, given the allied code name Cherry, was an IJNAS flying boat in service from 1938.

Thomas-Morse XP-13 Viper Prototype biplane fighter

The XP-13 Viper was a prototype biplane fighter aircraft designed by the American company Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation. The airplane was delivered to the United States Army in 1929, but they did not adopt it.

Consolidated XP4Y Corregidor

The Consolidated XP4Y Corregidor was an American twin-engined long-range maritime patrol flying boat built by Consolidated Aircraft for the United States Navy. Only one was built and a production order for 200 was cancelled.

Boeing P-29 Fighter aircraft prototype series by Boeing

The Boeing P-29 and XF7B-1 were an attempt to produce a more advanced version of the highly successful P-26. Although slight gains were made in performance, the U.S. Army Air Corps and U.S. Navy did not order the aircraft.

Consolidated P2Y

The Consolidated P2Y was an American flying boat maritime patrol aircraft. The plane was a parasol monoplane with a fabric-covered wing and aluminum hull.

Naval Aircraft Factory PN

The Naval Aircraft Factory PN was a series of open cockpit American flying boats of the 1920s and 1930s. A development of the Felixstowe F5L flying boat of the First World War, variants of the PN were built for the United States Navy by Douglas, Keystone and Martin.

Hall XP2H 1932 prototype US flying boat by Hall

The Hall XP2H-1 was an American prototype four-engined biplane flying boat of the 1930s. Intended as an experimental very-long-range maritime patrol aircraft, a single example was built. The XP2H-1 was the largest four engine biplane aircraft ever procured by the US Navy.

Douglas XP3D

The Douglas XP3D was a prototype American patrol flying boat of the 1930s. A twin-engined high-winged monoplane, the P3D was produced by the Douglas Aircraft Company to equip the US Navy's Patrol squadrons, but despite meeting the Navy's requirements, the rival Consolidated PBY was preferred owing to a lower price.

The Martin P7M was an unbuilt aircraft designed by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the 1950s. The design was initiated to meet a requirement of the United States Navy (USN) for an anti-submarine warfare flying boat.

The Grumman G-132 was an unbuilt aircraft designed by Grumman in the 1950s. The design was initiated to meet a requirement of the United States Navy (USN) for an anti-submarine warfare seaplane.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 P6Y web page at globalsecurity.org retrieved 2007-11-15.
  2. Convair P6Y design drawing retrieved 2007-11-15.
  3. aero-web.org Archived 2008-10-07 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2007-11-15.
  4. P7M web page at globalsecurity.org retrieved 2007-11-15.
  5. US Navy aircraft Bureau Number list, third series Archived 2000-02-29 at the Wayback Machine retrieved 2007-11-15.