Jet Hydroplane History

“I think it would be foolish of us to embark today (1949) on any project aimed at less than 200 mph which would mean designing for aerodynamic safety up to 250 mph. Our first line of approach must be to think up some ‘body shape’ which would combine the necessary aerodynamic properties with adequate accommodation for the man and machinery and then (and only then) to try to work in the necessary buoyancy, planing surfaces, etc. The sort of thing I have in mind as I write is a very small seaplane hull with a couple of small floats or skis mounted on outriggers, where the tail normally is, i.e. a tricycle with one wheel in front.”