PHOTO GALLERY - GRUMMAN AMPHIBIANS

ALBATROSS & MALLARD

 

	Grumman HU-16E Albatross former US Coast Guard 7238 (c/n G-325) at Mojave, California in September 1977 in storage for owner Wally McDonnell, a dealer in military disposals aircraft. It was allocated N4955E before sale to Paraguay as ZP-TWT and an unknown fate. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman HU-16A USAF 51-0065 (c/n G-144) at MASDC, Davis Monthan AFB, Tucson Arizona in October 1977 when long lines of Albatrosses were parked waiting for disposal. Despite its apparent good condition, after disposal this aircraft was not civil registered. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman HU-16E Bu142360 (c/n G-367) at Opa Locka, Florida in August 1989, soon after it was ferried in, following eight years of storage in a contractor's yard at Davis Mothan AFB, Arizona. Its civil registration N7026H has been stencilled on the fuselage sides. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Here's the Albatross in the previous picture, Bu142360, after the full civil conversion treatment as N43GL "Miss Nancy". After an expedition to Brazil in 2000, owner Lyle Campbell entered it in the London-Sydney Air Race in March 2001, continuing on to USA from Sydney via NZ, Easter Island and Peru. Photo: Walter Civitico
	A memorable view of N34GL taxying past the Sydney Opera House during an unauthorised landing on Sydney harbour at the end of the London-Sydney Air Race in March 2001. Photo via Wal Civitico, who was on board the Albatross and left to placate the irate Harbour Master, CASA and other officialdom.
	Grumman HU-16B N16HU (c/n G-277) at Singapore-Seletar in September 1975 in weathered USAF paintwork. It had been ferried from USA for Continental Oil Co of Indonesia (CONOCO) to support oil drilling platforms, but did not go into service. This is the first Albatross of three to use the appropriate registration N16HU. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Pelita Air Service HU-16D PK-PAM (c/n G-464) at Singapore-Seletar in August 1981 on contract to Conoco for oil rig support work. The Pelita seahorse emblem is painted on the tail. This is a former Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force aircraft, rebuilt by Grumman as a G-111, certified for commercial use. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman UF-1 Albatross PK-VAA (ex PB-522) at Singapore-Seletar in August 1981 on contract to Conoco for oil rig support work. It was operated by Pelita Air Service, Jakarta on lease from Dirgantara Air Service, who had acquired it on loan from the Indonesian Navy TNI-AU. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman HU-16B N24BM (c/n G-219) at Dallas-Love Field, Texas in November 1981. It had been loaned to an air museum in Michigan but when it closed down, impounded by USAF Museum and auctioned in 1974. Despite several owners, it still wore the weathered USAF grey scheme with "Katanga" stencilled on fuselage from its time on US consulate support in Africa. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman HU-16D N112FB (c/n G-463) arrives at Miami seaplane terminal, Watson Island in November 1981 while in passenger service with Chalks International Airline. A former Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force aircraft, it had been rebuilt by Grumman as a G-111, certified for commercial use. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Arial 10 ReG-111 N112FB (c/n G-463) departs Miami seaplane terminal for a scheduled flight to Bimini in the Bahamas, November 1981. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Carson City, Nevada was a centre for civilian Grumman Albatross owners for many years, with several maintenance contractors specialising on the type. During 2010 there were seven Albatrosses on this high desert airfield, including HU-16B N3395F (c/n G-146) stored in faded USAF markings "0-10067". Photo: Russell Legg
	Former Chilean Air Force HU-16B N8064N (c/n G-55) at Opa Locka, Florida in October 1981, complete with ASW nose radome. Imported to USA for the civil market, it is currently flying as N16HU, fitted out as an executive air yacht. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman HU-16D N8523H (c/n G-377) at Opa Locka, Florida in August 1989. It had just completed civil certification and repaint into an executive colour scheme and was soon sold to Mexico. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman HU-16B N48318 (c/n G-244) at Fort Lauderdale Executive, Florida in August 1989 while impounded by US Marshals for clandestine operations. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Grumman HU-16C N4WT for "World Tour" (c/n G-381) at Perth-Jandakot, Western Australia in October 1995, during a leisurely around the world tour with its owners John and Joyce Proctor. It was painted in an accurate US Navy scheme with its former BuAer number 137908. Photo: John Chapman
	Grumman G-73 Mallard N2442H (c/n J-13) arrives at the seaplane terminal at Miami, Florida in October 1981. This Mallard, once Trans Australia Airlines' VH-TGA, was operating a Chalks International Airline scheduled passenger service from the Bahamas. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard N36DF (c/n J-18) departs Catalina Island, off the Californian coast in September 1979, operating a Trans Catalina Airlines service to Long Beach. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard N26DF (c/n J-10) at St Croix, US Virgin Islands in October 1981. A group of 10 Antilles Air Boats Gooses and Mallards was parked, following the airline's grounding by the FAA the previous month. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Bahamas registered Mallard C6-BDW (c/n J-5) at Opa Locka, Florida in October 1979. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard CF-BKE (c/n J-2) at Toronto in October 1981, while in use as an executive transport for Ontario Paper Company. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard N73556 (c/n J-55) at Chalks International Airline's seaplane terminal at Miami, Florida in October 1981. After many years with Chalks, this aircraft went to Virgin Island Seaplane Shuttle where it was wrecked when blown on to its back by a hurricane at St Croix. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard C-GIRL (c/n J-54) at Vancouver, September 1981 with Air BC, flying scheduled services to towns along the rugged British Columbia coast. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard C-FHUB (c/n J-22) at Vancouver, September 1981 while operating scheduled passenger services with Air BC. Two years later it was ferried across the Pacific to Air Whitsunday in Queensland as VH-LAW, and later converted to PT6A turbines by Paspaley Pearls, Darwin. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Frakes Turbo Mallard N2969 (c/n J-27) at Miami-Watson Island seaplane terminal in October 1981, in service with Chalks International Airline. 14 years later it suffered a structural failure of the right wing during takeoff from here, with the tragic loss of all 20 crew and passengers. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Frakes Turbo Mallard N2974 (c/n J-36) arrives at Miami seaplane terminal on a Chalks International Airline service from the Bahamas, August 1989. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Frakes Turbo Mallard C-GHUM (c/n J-26) at Vancouver in September 1981 with Air BC. Registered to reflect its nickname "The Hummer", it operated alongside two piston-engined Mallards on scheduled services to towns and islands along the BC coastline. Two years later it was sold to Air Whitsunday in Australia as VH-JAW. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard N2954 (c/n J-14) at Fort Lauderdale, Florida in October 1977. Named "Walkers Cay Clipper", it transferred well-heeled passengers to the exclusive Walkers Cay resort for many years. Photo: Geoff Goodall
	Mallard N27DF (c/n J-54) at Opa Locka, Florida in October 1979. It had been traded by a Canadian airline to Dean Franklin of Miami, a specialist in Grumman amphibian sales and maintenance. Still flying in USA, this Mallard has had 15 different registrations, including a cancelled sale to Australia. Photo: Geoff Goodall