[fso301]

What I’m more concerned with is the amount of G’s a pilot was subject to, taking off on a platform not much longer than the plane itself.

The sub probably was going full speed astern into the wind. The launch ramp extends about 30 feet or so beyond the airplanes propeller. Given a takeoff speed of about 50mph, the G-force of launching shouldn't be excessive.

[Hot Tabasco]

The sub probably was going full speed astern into the wind.

Not likely. First off, with an antiquated propeller driven pontoon plane such as this, you're going to need a heck of a lot more than 30 ft. to reach 50 MPH.......

To launch the plane, the sub released the holdings on the pontoons, went under water then let the plane do what pontoon aircraft usually do while on water.......take off.

The 30 ft. deck was designed to accomodate the sub's ability to surface under the pontoon plane once it had landed on water.........