Following on from the recent Submarine Aircraft Carrier post, here are a couple of images for submarine and sea launched planes. Air Progress magazine from 1965 shows a Convair concept vehicle capable of submarine activity and apparently sea launching, in a similar fashion to SKY 1. The article below from British magazine Air Pictorial from about the same time shows the plane in submerged mode too.
In 1953 Convair produced a working prototype of the Sea Dart, supersonic interceptor. Provided with ski's the plane could successfully land and take off from water, although was never intended to be full submersible.
The idea of a sea launched or submarine aircraft may seem like purely science fiction and toy designers caught on to the idea very quickly. Japanese company Gakken released a set of three submarine interceptors - presumably based on a cartoon series judging by the card art.
Each of the three models has an internal impeller, which draws in water from the large vents and propels it from the rear nacelle around a transparent dome with a light inside.
None of the four models I have actually work, either due to loose wires or corroded contacts, so I have never been able to test them, as they are especially difficult to get inside!
The orange AX 01 is the Pippin Toys version and the others are Gakken.
The Gakken releases were also distributed in the U.K by Raphael Lipkin's Pippin Toys and another distributor called Europa. Both boxes describe the vehicle as a 'Hydro Jet' boat.
Not to be outdone Redbox toys also made a pair of interesting vehicles, named simply 'Aqua Jet'
The same principal applies, with an internal impeller projecting a jet stream from the rear, while the body of the vehicle is supported on floats. The Aqua Jets seem to have more in common with ground effect vehicles like the Caspian Sea Monster or
Ekranoplane, that 'flew' a few meters above the water at tremendous speeds.
Additional: Found this illustration of a 'flying submarine from Speed and Power 1970 annual!
These are wild !
ReplyDeleteI had no idea there'd ever been a real world Skydiver type, undersea launched, vehicle seriously proposed.
Did they ever build one, and did it work ?
The Sky Ray was built and flew up until 1958. If you watch the video link, you can see it in flight and landing. I have seen an illustration in Look and Learn (or maybe Pauls World of Wonder?) that shows a fully submersible plane, with a periscope attachment.
DeleteBill
I'm not familiar with this design. A Google Lens hasn't been exactly helpful, it turned up two Japanese auctions on Yahoo and Amazon and a 2009 post from some blog called Moonbase...
ReplyDeleteI found a full page image of the back of the toy card, but I assume you already have this as you have a detail shot of the three models in the range.
It appears to be a stand alone design rather than coming from a popular culture show.
...almost as mystified as when I started!
Its a shame I can't read kanji, as that might shed a little light on the toys! There is also another vehicle from a spanish toy maker, not dissimilar to the Redbox toy, but more foreshortened. Japan made loads of odd submarine toys, I have blooged a few before.. Bill
DeleteOut in the real world, there have been a number of submarines that could carry one or more small floatplane reconnaissance aircraft. During WW2 the Japanese actually built the I-400 class submarine aircraft carrier for a planned attack on the Panama Canal. It could carry several of the Aichi M6A1 attack aircraft. Kits of this exist.
ReplyDeleteDid any of the planes/jets actually launch from under the water, or were they launched once the subs had surfaced ?
ReplyDeleteAll the subs had to surface to launch their aircraft, and then take them back aboard.
ReplyDelete