BIG PROPS USA 1990s - AMPHIBIAN FLYING BOATS
A selection of my photographs of the classic amphibians seen in USA on my vists during the 1990s
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Grumman G-21A Goose N401SJ being washed down at Fort Pierce FL after a salt water landing in November 1991.
The retractable outer wing float retraction modification can be clearly seen.
This aircraft had been delivered new in February 1943 as Goose 1A FP518 to Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm in Trinidad
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Grumman Goose N1019N at New Tamiami FL during November 1991 retains the original fixed outer wing floats.
It had been delivered new to the US Navy as a JRF-5 Bu37777 in December 1943.
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Goose N87U at Carlsbad-Palomar CA November 1992 was painted in US Navy scheme for airshows and movie work.
It had been built in 1944 to wartime US Navy order with serial number BuAer 87732.
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Postwar civil production Grumman G-44A Widgeon N86638 seen at New Smyrna Beach FL in November 1992.
It has McDermott Super Widgeon modifications including Continental O-470 engines.
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Kermit Weeks' Grumman J2F-6 Duck N1214N "Candy Clipper"(former US Navy Bu335490) in the Weeks Air Museum hangar
at Tamiami FL in November 1991. The prewar amphib's size can be gauged by the museum guide standing on the lower wing.
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Military disposals Grumman HU-16 Albatross amphibians had been in demand for civilian conversions during the 1970s-80s.
This early model USAF HU-16A 0-10043 (51-43) was stored one of the many sales contractor's yard along the boundary of
Davis Monthan AFB Arizona in November 1991. It had been registered N7049D but was stored for parts recovery.
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Very weather-beaten US Coast Guard Grumman HU-16E Albatross 7215 at New Smyrna Beach Airport FL in November 1991
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N8523H at Opa Locka FL in November 1991 was a typical luxury air-yacht Albatross conversion.
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N211MC at Rialto CA in March 1993 was owned by Californian warbird operator Al Hansen of Mojave.
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HU-16B N48318 was at Fort Lauderdale-Executive FL in October 1991
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HU-16C N416C at Santa Rosa CA in November 1990, restored as US Navy "UF-1 Bu131911 Alameda".
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A line of civilianised Grumman G-111 Albatrosses retired at Marana AZ in November 1991 up for sale. This marked the failure of a very
expensive plan by the latest in a succession of corporate owners of Miami-based Chalk's International Airline, to re-equip from
Grumman Mallards to the much bigger G-111s - with much talk of re-engining with TPE-331 turboprops, which never eventuated.
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