Martin P6M SeaMaster

what is it?

The Martin P6M SeaMaster was an experimental strategic bomber flying boat built by the Glenn L. Martin Company for the United States Navy that almost entered service; production aircraft were built and Navy crews were undergoing operational training, with service entry expected in about six months, when the program was cancelled on 21 August 1959. Envisioned as a strategic nuclear weapon delivery system for the Navy, the SeaMaster was eclipsed by the Polaris submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Due to the political situation at the Pentagon and weapon system choices made amid budgetary constraints, the Navy promoted the P6M primarily as a high speed minelayer.

🔎How to recognise it: 4 jet engines · 31.3 m wingspan

base stats

• speed 1,104 km/htop speed
• range 3,200 kmwithout refuelling
• size 86.2 tmax take-off weight
• built 12made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

• 🎂First flew 71 years ago, in 1955.
• 🏎️Top speed is 8.5× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
• 🚗Wingspan of 31.3 m: about 7 cars parked nose to tail.
• 🐘Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 14 African elephants (~6 t each).
• 🌍Range of 3,200 km: 18× Amsterdam to Brussels.
• 🏔️Can fly 1.7× higher than Mount Everest (8,849 m).

jet: Gas turbine pushing air out the back (turbofan or turbojet): fast and high-flying.

spec sheet

first flight

1955-07-14

introduced

1959

number built

12

role

patrol flying boat

origin

🇺🇸 United States

makers

Glenn L. Martin Company

engines

4× Pratt & Whitney J75-P-2

crew

4

length

40.9 m

wingspan

31.3 m

height

10.3 m

max take-off weight

86.2 t

top speed

1,104 km/h

cruise speed

861 km/h

range

3,200 km

ceiling

15,240 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.