Grumman Goose
Encyclopedia
The Grumman G-21 Goose amphibious aircraft
was designed as an eight-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 (including the 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. The adaptable transport continued in postwar use.
In 1936, a group of wealthy residents of Long Island, including E. Roland Harriman
, approached Grumman and commissioned an aircraft that they could use to fly to New York City. In response the Grumman Model G-21 was designed as a light amphibian transport. Grumman’s typically rugged engineering produced a high-winged monoplane of almost all-metal construction - the trailing half of the main wing and all of the flight control surfaces except for the flaps were fabric-covered. It was powered by two 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985
Wasp Jr. nine-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engines mounted on the leading edges of the wings. The deep fuselage served also as a hull and was equipped with hand-cranked retractable landing gear. First flight of the prototype took place on May 29, 1937.
The fuselage also proved versatile as it provided generous interior space that allowed fitting for either a transport or luxury airliner role. Having an amphibious configuration also allowed the G-21 to go just about anywhere, and plans were made to market it as an amphibian airliner.
The second McKinnon conversion was the model G-21D, which differed from the G-21C only by the insertion of a 36-in. extension in the nose section of the aircraft in front of the cockpit, and 12-in. extensions that were added to the horizontal stabilizers and elevators. The extended nose of the G-21D was distinguishable by the addition of two new windows on each side and it housed four additional passenger seats. Only one G-21D was built and it was actually re-converted from the very first G-21C. When later converted to turbine engines, it was nicknamed "Turboprop Goose."
After the turbine conversion of the G-21D, McKinnon developed an STC (SA1589WE) to install the same 550 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
A-20 engines on Grumman G-21A aircraft that were still certified under TC no. 654. Two G-21A aircraft were modified as “Hybrid” turbine conversions, one by Marshall of Cambridge in the UK (using McKinnon STC kits shipped over from Oregon) and one belonging to the Bureau of Land Management, an agency of the US Department of the Interior in Alaska was modified by McKinnon in 1967. Because they also had many other McKinnon features installed on them using some of his STCs, these aircraft were later confused with similar but subsequent McKinnon turbine conversions and model G-21E aircraft, but they actually remained “Grumman G-21A” aircraft under TC no. 654; they were never officially re-certified under McKinnon’s TC 4A24.
In addition to the two G-21A “Hybrid” turbine conversions, in 1968 McKinnon converted two other G-21A aircraft to a turbine configuration and he claimed that they were simultaneously re-certified as models G-21C under TC 4A24, Section I, and as turbines per STC SA1320WE. However, it appears that they lacked some of the internal structural reinforcements that were part of the model G-21C design and that were unrelated to the turbine engine transplant from the four Lycoming GSO-480 series piston engines, as a result of which, they were certified to operate up to a maximum gross weight of only 10,500 lbs. McKinnon dubbed these aircraft model G-21C “Hybrids” but one year after they were built, their configuration was approved by the FAA as a whole new model under TC 4A24.
The third McKinnon model, the G-21E, was based on his previous G-21C “Hybrid” conversions. It was initially certified with the same two 550 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
A-20 turboprops used on the G-21D turbine conversion, but later, after approval of the model G-21G, 680 shp (507 kW) PT6A-27 engines were approved as an option on the G-21E. Only one example was ever actually built and re-certified as a model G-21E and it was, in fact, equipped with the more powerful PT6A-27 engines.
The final McKinnon variant was the G-21G, which was approved by the FAA on August 29, 1969 under Section IV of TC no. 4A24. The G-21G combined all of the structural reinforcements and 12,500-lb gross weight of the earlier G-21C and D models, as well as their other features such as the “radar” nose, the “wrap-around” windshield, retractable wing-tip floats, and “picture” cabin windows, with the more powerful PT6A-27 turbine engines and other minor details to produce the ultimate McKinnon Goose conversion.
announced it was restarting production of the turbine-powered McKinnon G-21G Turbo Goose variant, now identified as the Antilles G-21G Super Goose. PWC PT6A-34 turboprops flat-rated to 680 shp (507 kW) will replace the original PWC PT6A-27 engines, and the airframe systems and especially the avionics (aviation electronics – i.e. radios and navigation systems) will be updated with state-of-the-art equipment, including in the not too distant future, new “glass panel” instrumentation and cockpit displays. The first example is now being assembled.
Envisioned as corporate or private "flying yachts" for Manhattan millionaires, initial production models normally carried two to 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 impressed from civilian ownership were designated the OA-13A). The most numerous of the military versions were the United States Navy
variants, designated the JRF.
The amphibian was soon adopted by the Coast Guard
and, during World War II
, it also served with the RCAF
in the transport, reconnaissance, rescue and training roles. The G.21 was used for air-sea rescue duties by the Royal Air Force
(RAF). The RAF, in a common naming convention with all of its aircraft, designated the type as "Goose."
On returning to civilian service, after the war, the Goose found continued commercial use in locations from the wilderness of Alaska
to the sunny climes of Catalina
.
A total of 345 were built, with about 30 still airworthy today (although more like 60 are still on various civil registries, many of them are known to have crashed or been otherwise destroyed), most being in private ownership, some of them operating in modified forms.
G-21A
G-21B
G-21C
G-21D
G-21E
G-21F
G-21G
XJ3F-1
JRF-1
JRF-1A
JRF-2
JRF-3
JRF-4
JRF-5
JRF-5G
JRF-6B
OA-9
OA-13A
OA-13B
Goose Mk I
Goose Mk IA
Goose Mk II
Grumman LXG
Canada
United States
United States
Canada
British Guiana
Dutch East Indies
United States
.
In the 1967 film Tobruk
starring Rock Hudson and George Peppard, Maj. Donald Craig (Hudson) is rescued from Vichy forces in Algeria by a team of Jewish commandos posing as Nazis and led by Capt. Kurt Bergman (Peppard). They make their get-away in a silver Grumman Goose painted with Nazi crosses and they go on to sabotage German defenses and fuel stores near Tobruk in conjunction with an Allied amphibious assault there.
A Grumman Goose with Pan Air’s retractable wing-tip float modification appears in the motion picture Commando
(1985).
A Goose named Cutter's Goose is prominent in the 1980s TV series Tales of the Gold Monkey
starring Stephen Collins, inspired by the movie Only Angels Have Wings
.
In the Quantum Leap TV series (1992), during the Ghost Ship episode Sam Beckett leaps into a pilot tasked with flying a converted VIP carrying Grumman Goose through the dangers of the Bermuda Triangle
to save a critically ill passenger and mentally unstable co-pilot.
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, Florida.)
A Grumman Goose with a luxurious interior appears in the first episode of the third season of the animated FX network series Archer
.
Amphibious aircraft
An amphibious aircraft or amphibian is an aircraft that can take off and land on either land or water. Fixed-wing amphibious aircraft are seaplanes that are equipped with retractable wheels, at the expense of extra weight and complexity, plus diminished range and fuel economy compared to planes...
was designed as an eight-seat "commuter" plane for businessmen in the Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
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
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the Goose became an effective transport for the US military (including the 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. The adaptable transport continued in postwar use.
Design and development
E. Roland Harriman
E. Roland Harriman was a financier and philanthropist...
, approached Grumman and commissioned an aircraft that they could use to fly to New York City. In response the Grumman Model G-21 was designed as a light amphibian transport. Grumman’s typically rugged engineering produced a high-winged monoplane of almost all-metal construction - the trailing half of the main wing and all of the flight control surfaces except for the flaps were fabric-covered. It was powered by two 450 hp Pratt & Whitney R-985
Pratt & Whitney R-985
The Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior is a series of nine-cylinder air-cooled radial aircraft engines built by the Pratt & Whitney Aircraft Company from the 1930s to the 1950s. These engines have a displacement of ; initial versions produced , while the most widely used versions produce...
Wasp Jr. nine-cylinder, air-cooled, radial engines mounted on the leading edges of the wings. The deep fuselage served also as a hull and was equipped with hand-cranked retractable landing gear. First flight of the prototype took place on May 29, 1937.
The fuselage also proved versatile as it provided generous interior space that allowed fitting for either a transport or luxury airliner role. Having an amphibious configuration also allowed the G-21 to go just about anywhere, and plans were made to market it as an amphibian airliner.
Modifications
There were a number of modifications of the Goose, but the most numerous were those by McKinnon Enterprises of Sandy, Oregon, who had twenty-one supplemental type certificates (STCs) for modifying G-21 series aircraft and who also manufactured four different conversions that were re-certified under a separate FAA type certificate (TC no. 4A24) as brand new "McKinnon" airplanes. The first was the McKinnon model G-21C which involved replacing the original R-985 radial engines with four Lycoming GSO-480-B2D6 piston engines. It was approved under TC 4A24 on November 7, 1958 and two examples were built in 1958-1959.The second McKinnon conversion was the model G-21D, which differed from the G-21C only by the insertion of a 36-in. extension in the nose section of the aircraft in front of the cockpit, and 12-in. extensions that were added to the horizontal stabilizers and elevators. The extended nose of the G-21D was distinguishable by the addition of two new windows on each side and it housed four additional passenger seats. Only one G-21D was built and it was actually re-converted from the very first G-21C. When later converted to turbine engines, it was nicknamed "Turboprop Goose."
After the turbine conversion of the G-21D, McKinnon developed an STC (SA1589WE) to install the same 550 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
A-20 engines on Grumman G-21A aircraft that were still certified under TC no. 654. Two G-21A aircraft were modified as “Hybrid” turbine conversions, one by Marshall of Cambridge in the UK (using McKinnon STC kits shipped over from Oregon) and one belonging to the Bureau of Land Management, an agency of the US Department of the Interior in Alaska was modified by McKinnon in 1967. Because they also had many other McKinnon features installed on them using some of his STCs, these aircraft were later confused with similar but subsequent McKinnon turbine conversions and model G-21E aircraft, but they actually remained “Grumman G-21A” aircraft under TC no. 654; they were never officially re-certified under McKinnon’s TC 4A24.
In addition to the two G-21A “Hybrid” turbine conversions, in 1968 McKinnon converted two other G-21A aircraft to a turbine configuration and he claimed that they were simultaneously re-certified as models G-21C under TC 4A24, Section I, and as turbines per STC SA1320WE. However, it appears that they lacked some of the internal structural reinforcements that were part of the model G-21C design and that were unrelated to the turbine engine transplant from the four Lycoming GSO-480 series piston engines, as a result of which, they were certified to operate up to a maximum gross weight of only 10,500 lbs. McKinnon dubbed these aircraft model G-21C “Hybrids” but one year after they were built, their configuration was approved by the FAA as a whole new model under TC 4A24.
The third McKinnon model, the G-21E, was based on his previous G-21C “Hybrid” conversions. It was initially certified with the same two 550 shp Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6
The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
A-20 turboprops used on the G-21D turbine conversion, but later, after approval of the model G-21G, 680 shp (507 kW) PT6A-27 engines were approved as an option on the G-21E. Only one example was ever actually built and re-certified as a model G-21E and it was, in fact, equipped with the more powerful PT6A-27 engines.
The final McKinnon variant was the G-21G, which was approved by the FAA on August 29, 1969 under Section IV of TC no. 4A24. The G-21G combined all of the structural reinforcements and 12,500-lb gross weight of the earlier G-21C and D models, as well as their other features such as the “radar” nose, the “wrap-around” windshield, retractable wing-tip floats, and “picture” cabin windows, with the more powerful PT6A-27 turbine engines and other minor details to produce the ultimate McKinnon Goose conversion.
New production
In November 2007, Antilles Seaplanes of Gibsonville, North CarolinaGibsonville, North Carolina
Gibsonville is a town in Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. It is part of the Greensboro-High Point, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
announced it was restarting production of the turbine-powered McKinnon G-21G Turbo Goose variant, now identified as the Antilles G-21G Super Goose. PWC PT6A-34 turboprops flat-rated to 680 shp (507 kW) will replace the original PWC PT6A-27 engines, and the airframe systems and especially the avionics (aviation electronics – i.e. radios and navigation systems) will be updated with state-of-the-art equipment, including in the not too distant future, new “glass panel” instrumentation and cockpit displays. The first example is now being assembled.
Operational history
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
variants, designated the JRF.
The amphibian was soon adopted by the Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
and, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, it also served with the RCAF
Royal Canadian Air Force
The history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
in the transport, reconnaissance, rescue and training roles. The G.21 was used for air-sea rescue duties by the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
(RAF). The RAF, in a common naming convention with all of its aircraft, designated the type as "Goose."
On returning to civilian service, after the war, the Goose found continued commercial use in locations from the wilderness of Alaska
Alaska
Alaska is the largest state in the United States by area. It is situated in the northwest extremity of the North American continent, with Canada to the east, the Arctic Ocean to the north, and the Pacific Ocean to the west and south, with Russia further west across the Bering Strait...
to the sunny climes of Catalina
Santa Catalina Island, California
Santa Catalina Island, often called Catalina Island, or just Catalina, is a rocky island off the coast of the U.S. state of California. The island is long and across at its greatest width. The island is located about south-southwest of Los Angeles, California. The highest point on the island is...
.
A total of 345 were built, with about 30 still airworthy today (although more like 60 are still on various civil registries, many of them are known to have crashed or been otherwise destroyed), most being in private ownership, some of them operating in modified forms.
Variants
G-21- Original production version, powered by two 450 hp (336 kW) Wasp Junior SB engines, 7,500 lb (3,400 kg) gross weight. Six passengers. Twelve built, all converted to G-21A standards.
G-21A
- Increased gross weight (8,000 lb (3,636 kg)). Thirty built.
G-21B
- Export coastal patrol flying boat. Armed with .30 in machine gun in bow and dorsal hatches and two 100 lb (45 kg) bombs underwing. Twelve built for Portuguese Naval AviationPortuguese Naval AviationThe Portuguese Naval Aviation , was the air branch of the Portuguese Navy until 1952, and is today the command of the Navy responsible for the operation of the aircraft on board their ships...
.
G-21C
- Conversion by McKinnon Enterprises, re-engined with four 340 hp (254 kW) Lycoming GSO-480-B2D6 air-cooled, geared, and supercharged flat-six engines and fitted with retractable wing-tip floats, a fiberglass “radar” nose, a one-piece “wrap-around” windshield, and “picture” (enlarged) cabin windows. Gross weight increased to 12,499 lb (5,669 kh) as result of internal structural reinforcements. Two converted as piston-powered models G-21C (serial nos. 1201 and 1202) in 1958-1959. Two other airframes subsequently converted in 1968, but with two 550 shp (579 eshp, 432 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
A-20 turbopropTurbopropA turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
s per STC SA1320WE as G-21C “Hybrids” (serial nos. 1203 and 1204.) The two G-21C “Hybrids” were actually identical to the later 10,500 lb model G-21E, but they were never certified as such.
G-21D
- One G-21C further converted by McKinnon with extended bow section marked by two extra windows on each side and accommodating another four passengers (serial no. changed from 1201 to 1251 in conjunction with re-certification as model G-21D in June 1960.) In 1966, it was re-engined with two 550 shp (579 eshp, 432 kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is one of the most popular turboprop aircraft engines in history, and is produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. The PT6 family is particularly well known for its extremely high reliability, with MTBO's on the order of 9000 hours in some models. In US military use, they...
A-20 turbopropTurbopropA turboprop engine is a type of turbine engine which drives an aircraft propeller using a reduction gear.The gas turbine is designed specifically for this application, with almost all of its output being used to drive the propeller...
s and fitted with revised Alvarez-Calderon electric flaps in accordance with STC SA1320WE, retaining the G-21D designation but subsequently identified as a McKinnon “Turboprop Goose.”
G-21E
- Fully-certified new model based on simplified turbine conversion of McKinnon model G-21C, with 550 shp PT6A-20 engines (680 shp PT6A-27 engines optional) and more fuel, but without all of the structural reinforcements of the 12,499 lb model G-21C. 10,500 lb (4,763 kg) gross weight. One converted (serial no. 1211.)
G-21F
- Conversion by Fish & Wildlife Service in Alaska (using McKinnon engineering data) with 715 shp (533 kW) Garrett TPE331-2UA-203D turboprops. One converted but the FWS model “G-21F” was never approved by the FAA and the one example that was built was inexplicably re-certified as a supposedly modified McKinnon G-21G in spite of the fact that it was not built by McKinnon nor ever conformed to the model G-21G type design.
G-21G
- Final McKinnon conversion also fully certified as a new model with 680 shp (507 kW) PT6A-27 engines, 586 US gal. of fuel, and 12,500 lb gross weight. Two converted (serial nos. 1205 and 1226.)
XJ3F-1
- Prototype eight seat utility amphibian for US Navy. One built 1938.
JRF-1
- Production version of XJ3F-1. Five built for US Navy.
JRF-1A
- Similar to JRF-1, but with target towing gear and camera hatch added. Five built for US Navy.
JRF-2
- Version for United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast GuardThe United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
, with provision for carrying stretchers. Seven built.
JRF-3
- Similar to JRF-2, but fitted with autopilotAutopilotAn autopilot is a mechanical, electrical, or hydraulic system used to guide a vehicle without assistance from a human being. An autopilot can refer specifically to aircraft, self-steering gear for boats, or auto guidance of space craft and missiles...
and deicing bootDeicing bootA deicing boot is a type of ice protection system installed on aircraft surfaces to permit a mechanical deicing in flight. Such boots are generally installed on the leading edges of wings and control surfaces A deicing boot is a type of ice protection system installed on aircraft surfaces to permit...
s on wing leading edge to aid operations in Arctic. Three built for Coast Guard.
JRF-4
- Similar to JRF-1A, but could carry two depth bombs under wing. Ten built for US Navy.
JRF-5
- Major production version, incorporating bomb racks from JRF-4, target towing and camera gear from JRF-1A and de-icing gear from JRF-3. 184 built.
JRF-5G
- 24 JRF-5 transferred to US Coast Guard.
JRF-6B
- Navigation trainer purchased for supply under Lend-LeaseLend-LeaseLend-Lease was the program under which the United States of America supplied the United Kingdom, the Soviet Union, China, Free France, and other Allied nations with materiel between 1941 and 1945. It was signed into law on March 11, 1941, a year and a half after the outbreak of war in Europe in...
. 50 built.
OA-9
- Transport and air-sea rescue amphibian for United States Army Air ForcesUnited States Army Air ForcesThe United States Army Air Forces was the military aviation arm of the United States of America during and immediately after World War II, and the direct predecessor of the United States Air Force....
. Twenty-six ordered in 1938, supplemented by five JRF-6Bs carrying the same designation.
OA-13A
- Designation given to three G-21As impressed by USAAF.
OA-13B
- Two JRF-5s transferred to USAAF.
Goose Mk I
- British designation for three JRF-5s supplied to the Fleet Air ArmFleet Air ArmThe Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
.
Goose Mk IA
- British designation for 44 JRF-6Bs supplied under Lend Lease and used for Observer training by 749 Naval Air Squadron in TrinidadTrinidadTrinidad is the larger and more populous of the two major islands and numerous landforms which make up the island nation of Trinidad and Tobago. It is the southernmost island in the Caribbean and lies just off the northeastern coast of Venezuela. With an area of it is also the fifth largest in...
.
Goose Mk II
- British designation for two JRF-5s used as staff transports by British Air Commission in United States and Canada.
Grumman LXG
- A single Grumman G.21A evaluated by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air ServiceImperial Japanese Navy Air ServiceThe Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service was the air arm of the Imperial Japanese Navy during World War II, the organization was responsible for the operation of naval aircraft and the conduct of aerial warfare in the Pacific War.It was controlled by the Navy Staff of the Imperial Japanese Navy and...
.
Military operators
- Royal Australian Air ForceRoyal Australian Air ForceThe Royal Australian Air Force is the air force branch of the Australian Defence Force. The RAAF was formed in March 1921. It continues the traditions of the Australian Flying Corps , which was formed on 22 October 1912. The RAAF has taken part in many of the 20th century's major conflicts...
- Six aircraft were used by No. 1 Air Ambulance Unit RAAFNo. 1 Air Ambulance Unit RAAFNo. 1 Air Ambulance Unit was a Royal Australian Air Force air ambulance unit of World War II. The Unit was formed in February 1941 and was disbanded in June 1944 after seeing action in the Mediterranean Theatre of World War II.-History:...
in Mediterranean.
- Six aircraft were used by No. 1 Air Ambulance Unit RAAF
Canada
- Royal Canadian Air ForceRoyal Canadian Air ForceThe history of the Royal Canadian Air Force begins in 1920, when the air force was created as the Canadian Air Force . In 1924 the CAF was renamed the Royal Canadian Air Force and granted royal sanction by King George V. The RCAF existed as an independent service until 1968...
- Japan Maritime Self-Defense ForceJapan Maritime Self-Defense ForceThe , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....
- Paraguayan Naval Aviation
- Peruvian Air ForcePeruvian Air ForceThe Peruvian Air Force is the branch of the Peruvian Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of air power...
- Swedish Air ForceSwedish Air ForceThe Swedish Air Force is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.-History:The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded...
- Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
United States
- United States Army Air CorpsUnited States Army Air CorpsThe United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
- United States Army Air Force
- United States NavyUnited States NavyThe United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
- United States Coast GuardUnited States Coast GuardThe United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
Governmental operators
United States
- The Fish and Wildlife Service and the Bureau of Land ManagementBureau of Land ManagementThe Bureau of Land Management is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior which administers America's public lands, totaling approximately , or one-eighth of the landmass of the country. The BLM also manages of subsurface mineral estate underlying federal, state and private...
, both agencies of the US Department of the Interior in Alaska, each operated several G-21 aircraft.
Canada
- Royal Canadian Mounted PoliceRoyal Canadian Mounted PoliceThe Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
Civil operators
- Asiatic PetroleumAsiatic Petroleum CompanyAsiatic Petroleum Company was a joint venture between the Shell and Royal Dutch oil companies founded in 1903. It operated in Asia in the early twentieth century. The corporate headquarters were on The Bund in Shanghai, China. The division tested the limits of corporate liability in the Lennard's...
British Guiana
- British Guiana Airways
- Air BCAir BCAir BC was an airline headquartered in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It is now part of Air Canada Jazz.- History :Air BC was established in 1980 after the merger of a number of west coast domestic airlines: Canadian Air Transit, Flight Operation, Gulf Air Aviation, Haida Airlines, Island...
- Almon Landair Ltd
- European Coastal Airways
- H.J. O'Connell Supplies
- Oakley Air Ltd Canada
- Pacific Coastal AirlinesPacific Coastal AirlinesPacific Coastal Airlines is an airline based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its main base is Vancouver International Airport, with a hub at Port Hardy Airport....
- Sioux Narrows Airways
- West Coast Air Services
Dutch East Indies
- Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart MaatschappijKoninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart MaatschappijKoninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij was the airline of the former Dutch East Indies...
- Yaukuve Resort
- LoftleiðirLoftleiðirLoftleiðir HF, internationally known as Icelandic Airlines or Loftleiðir Icelandic, was a private Icelandic airline headquartered on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík, which operated mostly trans-atlantic flights linking Europe and America, pioneering the low-cost flight business...
- Mount Cook AirlineMount Cook AirlineMount Cook Airline is an airline based in Christchurch, New Zealand. It is wholly owned by Air New Zealand and operates scheduled services throughout the country under the Air New Zealand Link brand...
- Sea Bee Air
United States
- Alaska Coastal AirlinesAlaska Coastal AirlinesAlaska Coastal Airlines was formed in 1939 as a result of the merger of Alaska Air Transport and Marine Airways. On April 1, 1962 Alaska Coastal Airlines merged with Ellis Air Lines, trading for a while as Alaska Coastal-Ellis Airlines. Alaska Coastal Airlines was taken over by Alaska Airlines in...
- Alaska Coastal-Ellis Airlines
- Alaska Island Air
- Alaska Fish and Game
- Amphib. Inc.
- Antilles Air Boats
- Avalon Air Transport
- Catalina Air
- Catalina Channel Airlines
- Chevron of California
- Devcon Construction
- Flight Data Inc.
- Ford Motor Co.
- Gulf OilGulf OilGulf Oil was a major global oil company from the 1900s to the 1980s. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth-largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the so-called Seven Sisters oil companies...
- Kodiak Airways
- Kodiak Western
- North Coast Aero
- Ozark Management
- Pan AirPAN AirPAN Air Líneas Aéreas S.A. is a cargo airline based in Madrid, Spain. It operates on the TNT Express European Network. Its main base is Madrid Barajas International Airport and Liège airport , with hubs at San Pablo Airport, Seville, Valencia Airport, Zaragoza Airport, Vitoria Airport and Barcelona...
- PenAirPenAirPeninsula Airways, doing business as PenAir, is an American airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska. It is Alaska's second largest commuter airline operating an extensive scheduled passenger and cargo service, as well as charter and medevac services...
- Reeve Aleutian AirwaysReeve Aleutian AirwaysReeve Aleutian Airways was an airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It ceased operations on December 5, 2000.-Founding:...
- SouthEast Skyways
- Superior Oil
- Sun Oil Co. (Sunoco)
- Teufel Nurseries
- The Texas Company (Texaco)
- Tuthill Corporation
- Virgin Islands Seaplane Shuttle
- Webber Airlines
Accidents and incidents
- On June 22, 1972, N1513V of Reeve Aleutian AirwaysReeve Aleutian AirwaysReeve Aleutian Airways was an airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It ceased operations on December 5, 2000.-Founding:...
was written off at False Pass, AlaskaFalse Pass, AlaskaFalse Pass is a city in Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, United States. Isanax̂ is the Aleut name for present day Isanotski Strait and means gap, hole, rent, or tear in the Aleut language which was rendered as Isanotski in transliterated Russian...
. - On September 2, 1978, Charles F. Blair, Jr., former Naval Air Transport Service and Pan American Airways pilot and husband to actress Maureen O'HaraMaureen O'HaraMaureen O'Hara is an Irish film actress and singer. The famously red-headed O'Hara has been noted for playing fiercely passionate heroines with a highly sensible attitude. She often worked with director John Ford and longtime friend John Wayne...
was flying a Grumman Goose that belonged to his company, Antilles Air Boats, from St. Croix to St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands when it crashed into the ocean due to engine failure. He and three passengers were killed, seven passengers were severely injured. - On August 3, 2008, a Grumman Goose of Pacific Coastal AirlinesPacific Coastal AirlinesPacific Coastal Airlines is an airline based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its main base is Vancouver International Airport, with a hub at Port Hardy Airport....
with seven passengers and crew crashed during a flight from Port Hardy to Chamiss Bay. The aircraft was completely destroyed by a fire. There were only two survivors. - On November 16, 2008 a Grumman Goose of Pacific Coastal AirlinesPacific Coastal AirlinesPacific Coastal Airlines is an airline based in Richmond, British Columbia, Canada. It operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its main base is Vancouver International Airport, with a hub at Port Hardy Airport....
with eight passengers and crew crashed during a flight from Vancouver International Airport to Toba Inlet, BC. The aircraft exploded into a mass of burning wreckage according to the lone survivor. This person was rescued up by the Coast Guard on South Thormanby Island off British Columbia's Sunshine CoastSunshine Coast, British ColumbiaThe Sunshine Coast is a region of the southern mainland coast of British Columbia, on the eastern shore of the Strait of Georgia, and just northwest of Greater Vancouver...
. The company resumed floatplane operations on November 19, 2008. - On February 27, 2011 a turbine Goose, N221AG, crashed in the United Arab Emirates when it immediately veered after takeoff. Although registered in the US as a McKinnon G-21G, the aircraft was not an actual McKinnon conversion; it was instead actually designed and built by the Fish & Wildlife Service in Alaska, who originally intended it to be re-certified as a model G-21F, but that design was never formally approved as such by the FAA.
Specifications (JRF-5 Goose)
Notable appearances in media
The Grumman Goose has been featured in films and television. A U.S. Navy JRF-1 Goose in early World War II paint scheme appears in full color close-up water-taxiing and climbing a ramp in the 1943 submarine film Crash DiveCrash Dive
Crash Dive is a World War II film in Technicolor released in 1943. It was directed by Archie Mayo, written by Jo Swerling and W.R. Burnett, and starred Tyrone Power, Dana Andrews and Anne Baxter...
.
In the 1967 film Tobruk
Tobruk
Tobruk or Tubruq is a city, seaport, and peninsula on Libya's eastern Mediterranean coast, near the border with Egypt. It is the capital of the Butnan District and has a population of 120,000 ....
starring Rock Hudson and George Peppard, Maj. Donald Craig (Hudson) is rescued from Vichy forces in Algeria by a team of Jewish commandos posing as Nazis and led by Capt. Kurt Bergman (Peppard). They make their get-away in a silver Grumman Goose painted with Nazi crosses and they go on to sabotage German defenses and fuel stores near Tobruk in conjunction with an Allied amphibious assault there.
A Grumman Goose with Pan Air’s retractable wing-tip float modification appears in the motion picture Commando
Commando
In English, the term commando means a specific kind of individual soldier or military unit. In contemporary usage, commando usually means elite light infantry and/or special operations forces units, specializing in amphibious landings, parachuting, rappelling and similar techniques, to conduct and...
(1985).
A Goose named Cutter's Goose is prominent in the 1980s TV series Tales of the Gold Monkey
Tales of the Gold Monkey
Tales of the Gold Monkey is a 1982 television show broadcast by ABC. Most critics saw it as the network's attempt to capitalize on the fame of the movie Raiders of the Lost Ark the previous year, in the same vein as Bring 'Em Back Alive on CBS...
starring Stephen Collins, inspired by the movie Only Angels Have Wings
Only Angels Have Wings
Only Angels Have Wings is a movie directed by Howard Hawks, starring Cary Grant and Jean Arthur. It is generally regarded as being among Hawks' finest films, particularly in its portrayal of the professionalism of the pilots, its atmosphere, and the flying sequences.It inspired the 1983 television...
.
In the Quantum Leap TV series (1992), during the Ghost Ship episode Sam Beckett leaps into a pilot tasked with flying a converted VIP carrying Grumman Goose through the dangers of the Bermuda Triangle
Bermuda Triangle
The Bermuda Triangle, also known as the Devil's Triangle, is a region in the western part of the North Atlantic Ocean where a number of aircraft and surface vessels allegedly disappeared under mysterious circumstances....
to save a critically ill passenger and mentally unstable co-pilot.
In Jimmy Buffett
Jimmy Buffett
James William "Jimmy" Buffett is a singer-songwriter, author, entrepreneur, and film producer. He is best known for his music, which often portrays an "island escapism" lifestyle. Together with his Coral Reefer Band, Buffett's musical hits include "Margaritaville" , and "Come Monday"...
'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
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville
Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville is the name of a United States-based casual dining American restaurant chain and a chain of stores selling Jimmy Buffett-themed merchandise...
restaurant in Orlando, Florida.)
A Grumman Goose with a luxurious interior appears in the first episode of the third season of the animated FX network series Archer
Archer (TV series)
Archer is an American animated television series created by Adam Reed for the FX network. A preview of the series aired on September 17, 2009. The first season premiered on January 14, 2010. The show carries a TV-MA-LSV rating....
.