GRUMMAN GOOSE

The 'Grumman G-21 Goose' amphibious flying boat was designed as a ten-seat "commuter" plane for businessmen in the Long Island area. The Goose was Grumman’s first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft and its first aircraft to enter commercial airline service. During World War II, the Goose became an effective transport for the US military and Coast Guard, as well as serving with many other air forces. During hostilities, the Goose took on an increasing number of combat and training roles. In postwar use, the adaptable little transport continued in use.

Contents

Design and development

Operational history

Modifications

Operators

Military operators

Governmental operators

Civil operators

Specifications (JRF Goose)

Popular culture

References

External links

Related content

Design and development

In 1937, the Grumman Model 'G-21' was designed as a light amphibian transport. The typical Grumman rugged construction was matched to an all-metal, high-winged monoplane powered by two 450-horsepower Pratt and Whitney Wasp Jr. nine-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines mounted on the leading edge of high-set wings. The deep fuselage served also as a hull and was equipped with hand-cranked retractable landing gear. The versatile fuselage provided generous interior space and allowed fitting for either a a transport or luxury airliner role. Having an amphibious configuration also allowed the G-21 to go just about anywhere.

Operational history

Envisioned as corporate or private "flying yachts" for Manhattan millionaires, initial production models normally carried two-three passengers and had a bar and small toilet installed. As well as being marketed to small air carriers, the G-21 was also promoted as a military transport. In 1938, the US Army Air Force purchased the type as the 'OA-9' (later, in the war years, examples bought from civilian owners were designated the 'OA-13A') the US Navy variants were called the 'JRF'. The amphibian was soon adopted by the Coast Guard and, during World War II, it also served with the RCAF in transport, reconnaissance, rescue and training roles and for air-sea rescue duties by the RAF. It was while serving with the RAF that it received the name "Goose".
Returning to civilian service after the war, the Goose found use from the wilderness of Alaska to the sunny climes of Catalina.
A total of 345 were built, with about 60 still airworthy today, some of them in modified forms, such as the Turbo-Goose (see below).

Modifications

There were a number of modifications of the Goose, but the most numerous were those by McKinnon Enterprises, who made three different conversions.
The first involved replacing the Goose's engines with two Lycoming GSO-480 piston engines.
The second, named ''Turboprop Goose'' involved replacing the engines with two Pratt & Whitney PT6A turboprops.
The third and final variant was the ''Turbo-Goose'', which was based on the "Turboprop Goose" described above, but with larger windows, and retractable floats on the wings.
Antilles Seaplanes is to begin manufacture of new technology versions of the Grumman Goose in 2007.

Operators

Military operators

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;Canada

★ Royal Canadian Air Force
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★ Peruvian Air Force
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★ Royal Air Force
;United States

★ United States Army Air Corps

★ United States Army Air Force

★ United States Navy

★ United States Coast Guard

Governmental operators

;United States

★ United States Fish and Wildlife Service operated two aircraft.

Civil operators

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★ Asiatic Petroleum
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★ Air B.C.

★ Almon Landair Ltd

★ European Coastal Airways

★ H.J. O'Connell Supplies

★ Oakley Air Ltd Canada

★ Pacific Coastal Airlines

★ Sioux Narrows Airways

★ West Coast Air Sevices
;Dutch East Indies

★ ''Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij''
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★ Yaukuve Resort
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★ ''Loftleiðir''
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;United States

★ Aero Accessories Inc.

★ Air Metal Fabricators

★ Alaska Coastal Airlines

★ Alaska Coastal-Ellis Airlines

★ Alaska Fish and Game

★ Amphib. Inc.

★ Antilles Airboats

★ Avalon Air Transport

★ Baron Aviation

★ Caribbean Clipper

★ Catalina Air

★ Catalina Channel Airlines

★ Devcon Construction

★ Flight Data Inc.

★ Ford Motors

★ Goose Aviation

★ Gulf Oil

★ Kodiak Airways

★ Kodiak Western

★ North Coast Aero

★ Ozark Management

★ PenAir

★ SouthEast Skyways

★ Superior Oil

★ Teufel Nursuries

★ Tuthill Corporation

★ Virgin Islands Seaplane Shuttle

★ Waterlines Ltd

★ Webber Airlines

Specifications (JRF Goose)

Popular culture

★ In Jimmy Buffett's first novel, ''Where is Joe Merchant?'', protagonist Frank Bama owned and operated a rebuilt Grumman Goose dubbed the ''Hemisphere Dancer''. (The actual Hemisphere Dancer is a Grumman Albatross that belongs to Buffett and is now the centerpiece for his Margaritaville Cafe restaurant in Orlando, FL).

★ The Goose is prominent on the 1980s series, "Tales of the Gold Monkey," a TV series starring Stephen Collins, inspired by the movie ''Only Angels Have Wings''.

References

★ Thruelsen, Richard. ''The Grumman Story''. New York: Praeger Publishers, Inc., 1976. ISBN 0-275-54260-2.

★ Winchester, Jim, ed. "Grumman Goose/Mallard." ''Biplanes, Triplanes and Seaplanes (The Aviation Factfile)''. Rochester, Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2004. ISBN 1-84013-641-3.

External links

★ G-21 History Page at Antilles Seaplanes

★ grummangoose.com

★ Grumman Goose at the Smithsonian

★ Information and listing of many Geese.

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