Well I spoke this week too a Royal Canadian Air Force pilot who also flew in the Royal Air Force while partaking in several beers at the Royal Canadian Legion about thirty-five minutes from us.

The gentleman was here visiting one of his sons (a pilot) now stationed at Canadian Forces Base Trenton.

We spoke for several hours about Tri-motor aircraft and Flying Boats.

The Tri-motor aircraft he seemed to have knowledge on and spoke highly of were:
(1) Italian..Savoia-Marchetti SM79
(2) German...Junkers JU 52
                 ...Fokker FV 11b
                 ...Dornier DO 24 Flying Boat
(3) American...Ford Tri-motor
                   ...Ford Bushmaster
He has time in the right seat (about two hours on each)on the Junkers JU 52 and a Ford Tri-motor and although not certified to fly either he was quite impressed about the three engine configuration.

I never asked and he never mentioned any three engine aircraft produced by Great Britain, Russia or Japan.

Can anyone contribute to the above list of Tri-motor aircraft as now my curiosity has the better of me?  

We also spoke about Flying Boats and Amphibians and myself being certified on the Canso I could hold my own on that.

The Flying Boats and Amphibians he spoke about were:
Great Britain...Supermarine Walrus Mark V Amphibian
                   ...Short Sunderland
                   ...Saunders Roe Princess Flying Boat
                       (3 built only 1 flew) according to him
United States...Consolidated Amphibian Catalina 111
                     ...Gruman Albatross
Japan...Kawanishi H8K Flying Boat
Germany...Dornier DO 24

He never mentioned and I never asked about any Flying Boats or Amphibians produced by Russia or Italy.

Our conversation on Flying Boats/Amphibians led to many questions from curious bystanders at our table as to why the successful Short Sunderland was not turned into an Amphibian Aircraft like the Gruman Albatross rather than using beaching gear.

The only answer the two of us could conceive was the wrong folks controlled the budget and just like today they have no idea on what the folks in uniform require.

Many a good piece of kit has gone down the tubes or the wrong kit purchased because of fools in three piece suits!  

I never mentioned it as I am not quite sure, so someone here can help me out.
Was it Japan or Russia that produced a large military Flying Boat/Amphibian during the late 1960s or early 1970s for military use?

If anyone else can add to the list of Amphibian Flying Boats or Flying Boats from any Country please feel free to contribute as it will be much appreciated.  

The old girl and I did invite this gentleman, his son and family to our home for a luncheon at their convenience however his son declined as his dad was flying back to the East Coast of Canada on Friday which was yesterday.

Myself, I don't think this young suck and blow driver (jet jockey   ) wanted his father and I together as all we talked about was aircraft.      

Although they were only passing through and on their way back to Canadian Forces Base Trenton their company was enjoyed by our little gathering at the Royal Canadian Legion, oh what a wonderful world this is.  

Cheers...Happy Landings...Doug

There were some pre war Italian flying boats. All looking fairly like the Supermarine Walrus with the hull beneith biplane wings with the engines slung between. They all look rather fragile though. I think actually they may have been copys of other Supermarine designs.

As for british Trimotors, I personally cannot think of an example. And Russia and Japan I have no idea of, though I think you'd be surprised what a brief search brought up.

On the subject of "amphibians" vs "flying boats", you may want to consider that the Chinese HAMC (Harbin Aircraft Manufacturing Corporation) SH-5  (Westernized PS-5) is a four engined (turboprops) martitime patrol and ASW flying boat with retractable beaching gear, not strictly "landing"  gear.

THen there's the Shin Meiwa SS-2A amphibian....

OF course, these are but two (modern) of the many flying boats / amphibians designed and built over the years.

THink of anything by Curtiss (pre-WW1)  the Boeing and Martin Clippers, Consolidated Commodore,  the Felixstowe 'boats, just about anything by Supermarine (other than the Spit, and even that got floats put on - and post WW2 offerings), Shorts, Fairey....

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Aside from the Swordfish, which did have floats attached, I wasn't aware of a great flying boat history with Fairey. I mean, Shorts and Supermarine were major flying boat companies, hence the marine in the name of Supermarine. Fairey on the other hand, as far as I'm aware were builders of aeroplanes with wheels.

There were of course though two branches of Fairey. Fairey Aviation and Fairey Marine. But each branch seemed to stick to their titles, Aviation made planes, Marine made boats.

(Inless of course you want to count Uffa Fox's airbourne lifeboat. )


Edit: Forgot about the Fairey Seafox. But, that and the Swordfish with floats were floatplanes, not flying boats as the topic is on. Details details...

I can think of one British tri-motor offhand. I'm sure there are more.

The Airspeed AS.4 Ferry.

Note that this example is powered by two upright Gipsy II & a single inverted Gipsy III in the centre.

I believe four were built, two being supplied to Sir Alan Cobham's 'Flying Circus' to his own specification for a general purpose & pleasure flying aircraft. http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/airspeed%20as4%20ferry.htm A point of interest; the famous author Neville Shute (Norway) was Joint Managing Director of Airspeed Ltd when it was first formed in 1931.

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One example is still airworthy although it's been updated with modern turbprop engines. It has also been converted from a pure flying boat into an amphibian. http://www.do-24.com/
I was lucky enough to see the Do 24ATT two years ago at the 2004 Battle of Britain weekend at Biggin Hill where I got some reasonable photos of this unique aircraft, some in formation with the Plane Sailing Canso. I posted them in the Photos forum at the time & will look them out if anyone's interested. Here's one to be going on with.


It was demonstrated by Iren Dornier, grandson of Dr. Claude Dornier himself.

PS. Just thought of another one. Not British but loosely based on the DH.104 Dove.The DHA-3 Drover.  http://www.hars.org.au/fleet/drover/index.html

More British tri-motors (in date order):

Handley Page W8F Hamilton (1924) & W9 Hampstead. 10 - 12 passenger airliner operated by Imperial Airways and Sabena. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handley_Page_W8

De Havilland DH.66 Hercules. First flew in 1926. Pioneered several Imperial Airways long-distance routes. http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/coming%20of%20age/imperial/d...

Armstrong-Whitworth Argosy. This is the original 1926 model - not to be confused with the much later "Whistling Wheelbarrow". http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/coming%20of%20age/imperial/a...

Westland Wessex (1928 ). This is the original airliner - not the more well-known helicopter. http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/coming%20of%20age/imperial/w...

Avro 618 Ten (1929). This is the British licence-buit version of the Fokker Fokker F.VIIB/3m. http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/coming%20of%20age/imperial/a...

3-engined flying boat:

Short S8 Calcutta (1926). http://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/coming%20of%20age/imperial/S...

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We seem to have posted at about the same time. You might be thinking of the Handley Page W8 series. See my previous link above.

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Fairey was originally better known for seaplanes built at its base at Hamble. http://daveg4otu.tripod.com/airfields/ham.html

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I found a couple of Fairey flying boats but lost the link now. Wish I could be more specific. The history of the early days of Fairey Aviation seems a little obscure.

I don't think the flying boats need to be tri-motors. That must deserve a bonus.

Another British tri-motor. I forgot the Spartan Cruiser. http://www.jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/SPARTAN%20CRUISER.htm