ShinMaywa PS-1
ShinMaywa · Japan · first flew 1967 · reconnaissance aircraft
The PS-1 is a four-engine flying boat built by ShinMaywa for the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's anti-submarine patrol role, exploiting boundary-layer control for very short takeoff runs from open water.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × turboprop, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Tall T-tail set well above the fuselage |
| T — Tail | T-tail |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Large flying-boat hull with wingtip stabilising floats, no wheeled undercarriage for water ops
- Four turboprops mounted on a high, STOL-optimised wing
- Tall T-tail set well above the fuselage
The single-step hull, high STOL wing carrying all four engines and towering T-tail are unmistakable against any wheeled maritime patrol aircraft.
Specifications
- The ShinMaywa PS-1 has a length of 33.46 m (110 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 33.15 m (109 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 511 km/h (318 mph).
- Typical crew: about 10.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in 1967, it grew out of Japan's postwar flying-boat expertise and used blown flaps and a boundary-layer control system across four turboprops to operate from rough sea states unmanageable by conventional flying boats.
Variants
Twenty-three pure ASW PS-1s were built before ShinMaywa developed the amphibious US-1/US-1A search-and-rescue variant, which added retractable wheels for use from land runways.
Where you'll see it
PS-1s served with the JMSDF's anti-submarine patrol squadrons for decades, a role since handed to the amphibious US-2, and are not seen outside Japanese waters.
Related aircraft
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