Grumman Goose
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| Grumman Goose | ||
|---|---|---|
| Image:Grumman Goose.jpg | ||
| Description | ||
| Role | Reconnaissance, air-sea rescue | |
| Crew | 2 | |
| First Flight | May 29, 1937 | |
| Entered Service | July 3, 1937 | |
| Manufacturer | Grumman | |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 38 ft 4 in | 11.7 m |
| Wingspan | 49 ft 0 in | 14.9 m |
| Height | 12 ft 0 in | 3.7 m |
| Wing Area | 375 ft² | 34.8 m² |
| Weights | ||
| Empty | 5,571 lb | 2,527 kg |
| Loaded | 8,200 lb | 3,720 kg |
| Maximum takeoff | 7,200lb | 3,273kg |
| Powerplant | ||
| Engine | 2 × Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior SB-2 | |
| Power (each) | 450 hp | 340 kW |
| Performance | ||
| Maximum speed | 184 mph @ 5,000 ft | 296 km/h @ 1,520 m |
| Combat range | 1,050 miles | 1,690 km |
| Ferry range | km | miles |
| Service ceiling | 21,000 ft | 6,400 m |
| Rate of climb | 1,240 ft/min | 380 m/min |
| Wing loading | 21.9 lb/ft² | 106.9 kg/m² |
| Power/Mass | 0.11 hp/lb | 0.18 kW/kg |
| Armament | ||
| Guns | 2 machine guns | |
| Bombs | 2 × 250 lb (120 kg) depth charges | |
The Grumman G-21 Goose amphibious flying boat was designed as a 6-7 seat 'commuter' plane for businessmen in the Long Island area. It was soon adopted by the US Navy and Coast Guard, and during World War II it served with United States forces and the RCAF in a transport, reconnaissance, rescue and training roles, and was used by the RAF for air-sea rescue duties. It was whilst 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.
345 were built, with about 60 still airworthy today, some of them in modified forms, such as the Turbo-Goose (see below).
PenAirGoose.jpg This 1942 version flys regularly from Dutch Harbor to Akutan Seaplane Base, ferrying mail, freight, and local Akutan villagers, workers at the fish processing plant, incoming visitors, and fish product buyers from the world abroad. The "Goose" is a welcome site as it skims in to Akutan, and maintains a connection to the rest of the world.
Contents |
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 four 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.
Fictional appearances
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 Grumman Goose was also seen in the Arnold Schwarzenegger movie Commando and can be seen on the 1980s series, "Tales of the Gold Monkey", a TV adaptation of the movie "Only Angels Have Wings" with Stephen Collins.
Military Operators
- Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Cuba, France, Japan, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Sweden, United Kingdom, United States.
External links
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