R3Y-2 Tradewind

The Convair R3Y-2 Tradewind was a pioneering flying‑boat transport developed for the United States Navy in the late 1940s. Originating from Convair’s earlier R3Y-1 “C-102” prototype, the R3Y‑2 featured a refined hull, retractable pontoons and a more powerful Allison V‑1710‑86 engine driving a four‑blade propeller. First flown on 14 November 1947, the type entered service the following year, operating from both conventional airfields and water‑based bases such as Naval Air Station Alameda and the Pacific island seaplane stations.

Key features included a spacious cargo bay capable of carrying up to 10,000 lb of supplies, a passenger compartment for 24 troops, and a nose‑mounted loading ramp that facilitated rapid loading and unloading of equipment. Its twin‑engine layout—later upgraded to the more reliable Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial in the R3Y‑2 configuration—provided improved reliability over the earlier single‑engine variant.

Although only 46 were built before the program was cancelled in 1953, the R3Y‑2 demonstrated the versatility of amphibious aircraft in post‑war logistics, influencing later designs such as the Martin P5M Marlin and contributing to the Navy’s understanding of combined sea‑air transport operations during the early Cold War era.