Seaplanes are airplanes equipped with floats in place of conventional wheeled landing gear. Thus, they are able to take off from and land on water. The earliest seaplane dates back to 1909-1910. Seaplanes were used in World War I for sea patrol and anti-submarine work. Between the world wars, seaplanes were the fastest airplanes. Commercial flying boats dominated long-distance air travel over water until 1944, when improved runways and wheeled transport gradually replaced them. The modern seaplane normally is a utility vehicle used in areas that are poorly served by airfields.