Late flying boats

Revell did a box-scale Martine Seamaster, a later WWII PBM-3 (IIRC) Mariner and a Convair R3Y-2 Tradewind. Hasegawa did a late-version Martin P-5 Marlin and although you didn't mention it, a Japanese Shin Meiwa, both in 1:72. I ~think~ that Contrail (Sutcliff) may have done a Mars, but really can't say for certain.

On a related topic, I ran across a very old "Popular Mechanics" which showed a Convair Tradewind which must have been redesigned by someone from Dornier. A stub airframe with engines and a similar one at the tail connected two complete fuselages. This monster was supposed to carry some 900 troops, IIRC, but its been a while since I had the article out.

If you stick to 1/72 scale almost everything has been done.

Martin Mars vacuforms from Contrail and later from Combat; Seamaster vacuforms by Airmodel later from Combat; Marlin from Hasegawa; Mariner vacuforms from Execuform and Rareplane, injection molded from Mach 2.

ESM 72 Vol.5,#4 offered listings with many illustartions of all flying boats. seaplanes and floatplanes ever produced in 1/72 scale. Vol.5 (as all back issues of MAI) is $25 ($30 outside the US). Listings updates continue in later issues. We are currently preparing Vol.8,#4 for publication. Please contact us for more nformaton.

You may also want to look into the IPMS Seaplanes SIG.

Tom

Old Timer wrote:

Martin Seamaster - 1/136 scale Martin Mariner - 1/110 Convair Tradewind - 1/166

They were mostly very nice kits. My Tradewind had excessive riveting that was removed by sanding. The props could contra-rotate if you desired. Nose was openable but I shut mine permanently and had some filing to do for good fit. It would be usable in an N scale diorama.

Like a lot of Revell kits from that era the Seamaster was a little confused as to what version it was. I got mine in the 'Masterpiece' boxing.

Bill Banaszak, MFE