Bombardier 415 (Canadair 415 SuperScooper)
Bombardier · Canada · first flew 1993 · transport aircraft
The Bombardier 415, known as the SuperScooper, is a twin-turboprop amphibious aircraft purpose-built to scoop water on the wing and drop it on wildfires.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Boat-shaped flying-boat fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- High straight wing on amphibious hull
- Twin turboprops above the wing
- Boat-shaped flying-boat fuselage
Identify it by the deep boat-like hull, high straight wing carrying two turboprops mounted above it, and the upright conventional tail. In action it is unmistakable skimming low over water to refill its tanks.
Specifications
- The Bombardier 415 (Canadair 415 SuperScooper) has a length of 19.82 m (65 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 28.63 m (94 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 376 km/h (234 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 pilots.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
It is a turboprop-powered, updated development of the earlier piston-engined Canadair CL-215, first flying in 1993 as the CL-415. Bombardier redesignated it the 415 and produced it through the 2000s before the programme passed to Viking Air, which relaunched it as the DHC-515. The design retains the rugged flying-boat hull and high wing optimised for repeated water pick-ups.
Variants
Principal versions include the firefighting 415 and the 415MP maritime-patrol variant configured for search-and-rescue and surveillance. The lineage traces back to the CL-215 and CL-215T turboprop conversion, and forward to the modernised Viking DHC-515 Firefighter.
Where you'll see it
Operators are concentrated in fire-prone regions of southern Europe, Canada and North Africa rather than the UK, which has not historically fielded dedicated water-bombers. British interest tends to arise during major overseas wildfire seasons when European fleets are shared or requested.
Related aircraft
- Challenger 604
- Bombardier CRJ100/200
- Canadair Regional Jet
- CRJ200
- Canadair CL-415
- Dassault Falcon 2000
- PZL M28B Bryza
- Airbus CC-150 Polaris
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