Flying boats & amphibians since 1945

It may come as a surprise to learn that some 1,700 multi-engined military and commercial flying boats and amphibians have been built since 1945.

The development of compact, reliable and economical turbo-prop engines in recent years has given the flying boat and amphibian a new lease of life, not only by extending the lives of some types by replacing existing piston engines, but also by encouraging new designs that are able to compete favourably with landplanes in terms of economy while retaining their unique ability to land on water if and when necessary.

There are currently more than 350 multi-engined types operating worldwide in the search and rescue (SAR) and inshore maritime reconnaissance (MR) roles with the military, the commercial transport of people and supplies in remote areas, and fighting fires. This book describes 12 major multi-engined flying boats and amphibians that have been produced, albeit in small numbers in some cases, in 7 different countries since 1945.

All have either served with operational military units or have been sold to commercial operators, with which many of them continue to serve to this day.