Not quite a PBY Catalina, but........

Maybe give them a day or two... it's maiden flight was TODAY.

 

What is the purpose of that thing?

 

It looks like a copy of the Japanese US-2 flying boat.

 

Well it's the maiden flight, so we shouldnt expect any pics in the water just yet.

 

People cant be bothered to read the article, it says right there '' designed to carry out marine rescues and battle forest fires.''

 

Philippine Islands troop carrier .

 

See post 2 above...

 

Since it is an amphib its initial test flights will be from land. After initial air handling tests then they'll proceed to water taxi tests (low and high speed/step).

 

Well...almost exactly my thoughts when I saw the pictures, but I was thinking about the US-1A (to which the US-2 is related)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shin_Meiwa_US-1A

Although the chinese did built in very small numbers (5 or 7) an aircraft which could be seen as a direct precursor of the new one:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harbin_SH-5

Rgds

 

I think there's some Beriev DNA in both the SH-5 and the AG600.

 

Awesome go anywhere adventure plane

 

Oh yes indeed Jim, as the SH-5 is "more or less" an offspring of the Be-6, which was exported to China, where its original Shvestsov radials were replaced by Wopen Turboprops.
The Be-6 was twin engined and a pure flying boat (= not an amphibian), but it had a twin tail that you can find in the SH-5.
Interestingly, the very popular, long serving and ubiquitous Be-12 amphibian ("Chaïka") doesn't seem to have ever been exported to China.
Rgds

 

I adore and admire the facts boys!
I have an original 82 GTSi red black interior that I have owned and babied and garaged for so meany years. emailme at alaskaagent@ Gmail.com

I wish you all so many good blessings for 2018.

 

Interestingly, someone hung a photo of the AG600 up in the C-130 design office at LM, probably because the four turboprops with six-bladed propellers reminded him of the C-130J.

 

Love it when the Chinese spend money on stuff like this...

 

I remember reading that Chinese Mig 15's were better quality than anything built by the Warsaw Pact countries. Having said that, I would worry about quality control on Chinese aircraft. ....it's all about profit now.