Said to be the world's largest amphibion, a new Consolidated airplane ordered by the navy is a twin-engined flying boat with retractable landing gear of the tricycle type. Because its efficiency on water has been extended to land, the ship has a much larger field of operations. It is especially capable of handling itself in remote regions where aircraft tenders and good airports are not available, In water, the landing gear serves as a sea anchor, assisting in control of the ship on rough open water, and turns are achieved with less skidding. No beaching crew is needed, since the plane: can climb a ramp or sand beach under its own power, and launch itself in the same manner. In order to eliminate resistance in the air, the nose wheel, when retracted into the bow, is enclosed completely by hatches that operate automatically.