History

The Convair XP5Y was a long range patrol flying boat designed in the United States in the late 1940s. Due to engine problems and changing priorities only the prototype flew but the design was reworked as the R3Y transport aircraft.

Convair designed the XP5Y in response to a 1945 US Navy requirement for a new long range patrol flying boat.

It’s design was inspired by the German Bv222 with a long narrow fuselage and high aspect ratio wings.

Two prototypes were completed in December 1948 but the turbojet engines were not ready until 1950 and the first prototype made its maiden flight 18 April 1950.

By then, however, the US Navy had decided that it no longer required this flying boat so only the first prototype flew.

It crashed in July 1953 and the second prototype was scrapped in 1957.

The basic design was reworked as the R3Y-1 transport and eleven were built.

This model represents the sole XP5Y prototype

Anigrand 1/144 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in June 2021.

Data

MODEL: Convair XP5Y-1

ROLE: Patrol flying boat

TIME PERIOD: 1950-1953

ENGINES: four Allison T-40-A-10 turboprop engines of 3,800kW each

WING SPAN: 44.42m

LENGTH: 38.92m

MAXIMUM TAKE OFF WEIGHT: 63,670kg

MAXIMUM SPEED: 599km/h

ARMAMENT: (proposed) 10 20mm cannon and 8 depth charges

SCALE: 1/144

KIT:

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