Ski-Jet

Last week the Navy published the first pictures of the delta-wing seaplane that it has been billing as a revolutionary advance in water-air warfare (TIME, Nov. 24). Built by Convair, the XF2Y-1 Sea Dart taxis, takes off and lands on a hydro-ski (submerged in the picture) that keeps its fuselage well above the surface when it is moving rapidly. As soon as the plane is in the air, the hydro-ski retracts into its belly, giving it the low-drag flight of a land-based jet. Chief advantages of the ski-jet: it is not burdened with the bulky conventional landing gear; it can operate without need for elaborate airdromes.

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