The Navy was interested in a supersonic fighter and requested proposals. The the current generation of supersonic fighters required a takeoff distance beyond the capability of the pre-supercarrier Navy. This was Convair's answer. 5 prototypes were built, but the operational problems proved to difficult to overcome. One of the prototypes disintegrated in flight over San Diego Bay during a demonstration flight for Navy & DOD honchos.
My father was sitting on the pier at the Coast Guard air station on Harbor Drive when the Sea Dart disintegrated. He got two photos of it with his 4x5 speed graphic before the last pieces went into the water. They used to flow ground walnut shells into the idling engines to clean out the mineral “whiskers” caused by the salt water. Wild.
Thank for a totally explaining the situation faced by the Navy at this time. We are talking early supersonic jet development here, the F4 was a few years away as was the Vigilante. Engines were weak, and technology and avionics were starting to be upgraded and integrated with electronics. Yes..it was silly..now. but then, the navy needed more than one way to deliver a nuclear bomb to Russia. USAF was getting alot more funding for research at this time. It had to tested to see if the Sea Dart would be the answer.
There was a static model of the Sea Dart at Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle in the 1960's. It was there for many years and I often wonder what happened to it after Sand Point was closed.
Thank you for not showing this film with that stupid counter at the bottom like I’ve seen on other films from this time period. I hate when they post films like those, and it makes them not even worth watching.
It'd help if I could find a better date on the film than 1955-56. The last one is the only one I can get any number on. Looks like the wasp or maybe the lexington..Both should have been there at some point in 55-56. All 3 are Essex (Midways were either at sea or at Puget sound) but getting the names for sure might be difficult considering all of these carriers were in and out of Alameda on their way to and from either Norfolk or Puget. Some of the bow modifications were even performed here. CV-31 should be one and CV-47 is certainly one...but CV-10, CV-33, CV-34 were all there at some point from 55-56 and CV-19 showed up at the end of 56. My best guess is CV-18, CV-31, and CV-47. Edit: Found another video with the same footage saying it's from 1952. If that's the case all of this is wrong... Buuuut the BuNo on the tail isn't the one that crashed lending credence to it being later than very late 1954.
Bill Dewahl thank you my dad served with VT-10 on VC-6 and later VC-10 which is now a museum in South Carolina BTW there’s a SeaDart on display at Willow Grove NAS in Pa
A project too ambitious for the time. it was all or nothing for one of the most audacious companies that have ever appeared in the United States, but they should have thought "down to earth" and designed a subsonic fighter at first to be better accepted with priority in its most basic but functional and practical duty. . thus, future projects could be introduced if this concept were better absorbed by the contractors. yet another hasty decision that ended up just dusty filed on the historic shelf of eccentric projects.
It had absolutely no purpose!! Of what earthly use would it be? Nothing a carrier based aircraft couldn't do better..or a land based plane. Silly idea.
At this time, jets couldn't take off from carriers. Plus, every watery area became a potential landing / take off place, without having to built an expensive airport.
The idea was based around the concept of mobile bases, partially as a way to minimize losses from nuclear strikes, and as a way to make it easier to patrol the Pacific Ocean, the idea in theory is a sound concept, a fighter that can operate without a carrier and possibly from lakes without need for a dedicated airfield.
The Navy was interested in a supersonic fighter and requested proposals. The the current generation of supersonic fighters required a takeoff distance beyond the capability of the pre-supercarrier Navy. This was Convair's answer. 5 prototypes were built, but the operational problems proved to difficult to overcome. One of the prototypes disintegrated in flight over San Diego Bay during a demonstration flight for Navy & DOD honchos.
My father was sitting on the pier at the Coast Guard air station on Harbor Drive when the Sea Dart disintegrated. He got two photos of it with his 4x5 speed graphic before the last pieces went into the water.
They used to flow ground walnut shells into the idling engines to clean out the mineral “whiskers” caused by the salt water. Wild.
Thank for a totally explaining the situation faced by the Navy at this time. We are talking early supersonic jet development here, the F4 was a few years away as was the Vigilante. Engines were weak, and technology and avionics were starting to be upgraded and integrated with electronics.
Yes..it was silly..now. but then, the navy needed more than one way to deliver a nuclear bomb to Russia. USAF was getting alot more funding for research at this time.
It had to tested to see if the Sea Dart would be the answer.
There was a static model of the Sea Dart at Sand Point Naval Air Station in Seattle in the 1960's. It was there for many years and I often wonder what happened to it after Sand Point was closed.
So much honesty! Today’s Pentagon should take note.
Thank you for not showing this film with that stupid counter at the bottom like I’ve seen on other films from this time period. I hate when they post films like those, and it makes them not even worth watching.
Can anybody identify the 3 aircraft carriers at 5:15 they look like Essex class
It'd help if I could find a better date on the film than 1955-56. The last one is the only one I can get any number on. Looks like the wasp or maybe the lexington..Both should have been there at some point in 55-56. All 3 are Essex (Midways were either at sea or at Puget sound) but getting the names for sure might be difficult considering all of these carriers were in and out of Alameda on their way to and from either Norfolk or Puget. Some of the bow modifications were even performed here. CV-31 should be one and CV-47 is certainly one...but CV-10, CV-33, CV-34 were all there at some point from 55-56 and CV-19 showed up at the end of 56.
My best guess is CV-18, CV-31, and CV-47.
Edit: Found another video with the same footage saying it's from 1952. If that's the case all of this is wrong... Buuuut the BuNo on the tail isn't the one that crashed lending credence to it being later than very late 1954.
Bill Dewahl thank you my dad served with VT-10 on VC-6 and later VC-10 which is now a museum in South Carolina BTW there’s a SeaDart on display at Willow Grove NAS in Pa
impressive. I guess they weren't all that stupid in the 50's.
A project too ambitious for the time. it was all or nothing for one of the most audacious companies that have ever appeared in the United States, but they should have thought "down to earth" and designed a subsonic fighter at first to be better accepted with priority in its most basic but functional and practical duty. . thus, future projects could be introduced if this concept were better absorbed by the contractors. yet another hasty decision that ended up just dusty filed on the historic shelf of eccentric projects.
🤔
Impressive but silly.
This thing should have been named "THE SEA DOG"...---...?
Huge waste of money. I suppose the testing and technology provided a boost to jet boats.
Steven Shiner Not the first and not the last tremendous waste of money and resources. Defend America first.
It had absolutely no purpose!! Of what earthly use would it be? Nothing a carrier based aircraft couldn't do better..or a land based plane. Silly idea.
At this time, jets couldn't take off from carriers. Plus, every watery area became a potential landing / take off place, without having to built an expensive airport.
Also, a squadron of such planes, if they had achieved the design objectives, would be much cheaper and more versatile to operate.
The idea was based around the concept of mobile bases, partially as a way to minimize losses from nuclear strikes, and as a way to make it easier to patrol the Pacific Ocean, the idea in theory is a sound concept, a fighter that can operate without a carrier and possibly from lakes without need for a dedicated airfield.