| Alexander Monroe, e-mail, 26.03.2023 20:09 I have done a piece on this a/c which may be found on the Hampton Roads Naval Museum Blogspot. I appreciate reading of your experiences in her. Thank you. Sandy Monroe, Captain USN (Ret.)
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| Sandy Monroe, e-mail, 24.03.2023 19:04 You helped me do a blog on the aircraft. It has been published and can be found on Hampton Roads Naval Museum Blogspot. Thank you very much
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| Alexander Monroe, e-mail, 13.01.2023 20:57 If you can get me a copy of The Roosevelt Roads article, I’d be obliged. Sandy Monroe 228 Bay Colony Drive, Virginia Beach, Va, 22451
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| Don Lynch, e-mail, 16.12.2022 17:15 If you are still pursuing this, I may be able to help.
I was the duty flight surgeon and accompanied the last flight of 137899 to Kusaie ECI (now Kosrae), where the crash occurred, June 25th, 1973.
Sadly, we lost a patient, the patient's husband, and a crewman in the crash. I sustained some significant lacerations and a fractured clavicle, and we had several other crew with lacerations.
Please e-mail me at the above if I can help. I would be interested to hear what else you have learned.
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| Alexander Monroe, e-mail, 09.12.2022 18:10 I am working on a blog for the Hampton Roads Naval Museum. Does anyone have recollections of BUNO 137928 an rescues in which it played a part? Alexander “Sandy” Monroe Captain USN (Ret.)
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| Ken Hopke, e-mail, 09.10.2022 21:28 Please contact me at 760-861-3470
Thanks,
Ken
Thanks to your dad (my surrogate father) I am a retired Gulfstream pilot!!
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| Ken Hopke, e-mail, 09.10.2022 21:25 Surprise I spotted your email. Please contact me again. All you said is accurate.
Thanks,
Ken
760-861-3470
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| William G Schultz, e-mail, 04.10.2022 03:29 Ken ,was your Dad's name Charlie (and mother named Fran) and he passed away about 1976 while working at El Toro with the Marines.
If so lets talk!
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| Vince Guarino, e-mail, 15.09.2022 23:38 I may have flown on that same plane 1958-1960 at USNS Trinidad. Pilot was base Commander Capt. David Sooy or an Enlisted Pilot. Flew as an observer. Went to Barbados and twice to San Juan. If it is the same place it was taken out of the boneyard in Arizona by a former Navy Flight Surgeon and completely restored. He keeps in in a collection at Driggs Idaho. After restoration he flew it to Australia. Have a model of it on my desk as this is written. Very much enjoyed flying low and slow over some beautiful places.
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| Thomas Hsueh, e-mail, 27.07.2022 09:24 Dear John,
If you still have some G111, I would like to buy them. Please reply to my email or give me a call at 360 941 3565. Thanks. sssssssssssssssss
Tom
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| Ken Hopke, e-mail, 27.04.2022 20:15 Are you there?
760-861-3470
April 2022
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| timothy runkle, e-mail, 22.11.2021 20:08 Bill I am searching supporting the coast guard with research for their operations at Quonset Point, Salem, and Cape Cod and came across your remarks on an online forum. Would you be willing to share information with me?
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| Robert Rozell, e-mail, 06.11.2021 20:52 Other AT Smitty AT1 not Scotty. Getting older and memory not as sound as I'd prefer.
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| Robert Rozell, e-mail, 06.11.2021 20:38 ROB , I flew with you. I thought that we blew a jug on the left side. Wasn't Scotty on that flight too. 3 A.T.'s. Bad fuel and icing coming out of Petersbug after RON. I remember the radar partially painting and if I'm mistaken we had a medivac on board that was going to catch the commercial out of Annette to Seattle.
I hope this finds you well and that I hear from you
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| Robert Rozell, e-mail, 06.11.2021 20:38 ROB , I flew with you. I thought that we blew a jug on the left side. Wasn't Scotty on that flight too. 3 A.T.'s. Bad fuel and icing coming out of Petersbug after RON. I remember the radar partially painting and if I'm mistaken we had a medivac on board that was going to catch the commercial out of Annette to Seattle.
I hope this finds you well and that I hear from you
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| Ken Hopke, e-mail, 23.05.2021 18:50 We need to update!
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| Thomas Hsueh, e-mail, 07.02.2021 04:04 Dear John,
Could you send me your phone number to call. If your son still owns the 7 G111, would you ask him to give me a call. My cell phone number is 360 941 3565. My Skype name is thomashsueh6262. I own a HU-16 and would like to consider buying G111. Thanks
Tom
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| Robert Prange, e-mail, 02.01.2021 06:47 My Dad flew the Grumman Albatross out of Roosevelt Roads from '62 to '64 when I was in grade school. He participated in the project flying scientists and crates of baby sea turtles around Costa Rica to re-populate the turtles. If you are still working on this, I can find an article in the Roosy Roads newsletter from back then. My Dad was in a utility squadron there; he also flew the Twin Beech (SNB or C-45). Other squadrons at Roosy Roads then had P2 Neptunes and Connies. Somewhere we have 8mm film showing the crew members riding around on the adult sea turtles on the beach.
Email me at rsp10000@aol.com if interested.
There is an Air Force SA-16 with wing spar issues parked on the ramp at Warrenton-Fauquier Airport (HWY) in Virginia. Let's find a few million $ and get her painted in Navy colors and flying again.
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| Robert Prange, e-mail, 02.01.2021 06:43 My Dad flew the Grumman Albatross out of Roosevelt Roads from '62 to '64 when I was in grade school. He participated in the project flying scientists and crates of baby sea turtles around Costa Rica to re-populate the turtles. If you are still working on this, I can find an article in the Roosy Roads newsletter from back then. My Dad was in a utility squadron there; he also flew the Twin Beech (SNB or C-45). Other squadrons at Roosy Roads then had P2 Neptunes and Connies. Somewhere we have 8mm film showing the crew members riding around on the adult sea turtles on the beach.
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| Byron J Thomas, e-mail, 04.12.2020 06:59 my dad Randall J Thomas was crew chief on hu-16 i think from 1971 to 1973 i would like some pictures of his plane to build a rc model
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| sergio, e-mail, 20.02.2018 22:54 My boss has one SA-16A ex usaf 49-080, ex bralian air force 6535, now is paint with USN colors and civilian tail number PP-ZAT, this plane USAF operator in Clark AFB and have acidente , 1 B-29 Shocked with the 49-080 in the taxi
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| Larry Barnes, e-mail, 23.10.2017 03:12 I was a Pararescueman assigned to the 31st ARRS at Clark AFB, RP. We pulled TDY two weeks each month flying the HU-16's out of Danang AB, Vietnam. Our sister squadron stationed in Okinawa flew with us there. Almost all of these rescue missions were flown close to the coast of North Vietnam so any US airman who could make it "feet wet" could be rescued. This airplane and the crews who flew her will never forget those missions.
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| Max Morgan, e-mail, 10.10.2017 07:10 Stationed at Wheelus Field May 54 to Nov 55 working on the SA16 mostly in the nose dock. My boss was M/SGT Henry Robitz, a fine man. Got to see parts of the world that otherwise would not have been possible. Sure would like to hear from of the great people I had the pleasure of knowing, but realize at 82 yrs old it's not likely.
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| John Barron, e-mail, 09.03.2017 06:40 My son Mike Barron who sanity might be questioned, now owns the remaining 7 G111 s at Pinal airport in Az. He needs to move them to Missouri , and has the first one nearly ready for ferry, my grandson started a web site " Grumman Albatross Recovery" with some photos of progress. These planes are overall very nice condition, all zero timed in the early 80, some with nearly no time on them, but flight controls needing cover hydraulic cylinders needing seals and on and on. Mike and team are working huge hours to get them mobile, bringing a big crowd onto the airport in Az. Is not possible once they are here in Perry or Hannibal mo. Then help will possibly be needed. He does not have 14 operable engines or props, though he does have 7, lots to talk about. John@barronaviation.com
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| Tom Spencer, e-mail, 18.12.2016 19:00 I was an AT3 stationed at NAF Annapolis from 1957 to 1959. I flew as a radioman and navigator and we use to make "booze runs" to Bermuda three or four times a year. Flew once in the N3N (yellow peril) and once in the hellocopter. Quite a few times in the UF with midshipmen. Great memories.
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| dick wilbur, e-mail, 23.08.2016 21:47 Hi. I'm researching the Navy's support for a ferry service out of Rosie Roads in the early 1960s when Grumman Albatrosses were used to support a marine biology project trying to reestablish green sea turtles from nesting sites in Costa Rica to historic sites all around the region. Would love to hear from anyone who participated or knew about these flights, which ran from about 1961-1968. Thank you!
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| Richard Okerblom, e-mail, 13.05.2016 19:17 My dad Bill Okerblom was Grummans field service rep in Alaska, ( Elmendorf ) from 55-58 supporting the SA 16s. I was very lucky boy to have gone on some missions with them out over the Aleutian Islands. Flying over those volcanos then dropping down to scare millions of seals off their islands was a highlight of my life. My dad later became west coast service rep when Grumman came out with the first Gulfstream 1 the Rolls Royce Turboprop. My first paying job ever was Cleaning and polishing Walt Disneys Gulfstream. Dads been gone since 2007, but he helped many young men get into aviation. Anyone who might of known him, I would like to hear from you
richallan1949@gmail.com
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| John, e-mail, 27.03.2016 18:00 June 25, 1973 was the date of 137899 crash. 3 souls lost on that date (2 civilians and 1 military). I was the plane captain on that flight.
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| Alec Williams, e-mail, 22.06.2015 11:30 I have a picture of one that landed on Roosevelt Lake in AZ. while we were fishing mid 1990. Illx send it in an email if I can. My friend and I were employed at Macdonell Douglas making AH64 Apache helicopters tnen.
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| RJ Mcgaw, e-mail, 12.05.2015 00:54 Found no way to pull up history so posting my E-mail rjmcgaw@gmail.com
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| Rick McGaw, e-mail, 12.05.2015 00:37 My dad MSGT James McGaw was crew chief on SA-16 At Whellus AFB In the 58th ARS from 1949 to 1954. Any one who knew him would like to hear from you by E-mail
Thanks His Son Rick
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| JW HARDY, e-mail, 09.04.2015 05:41 ADR3 NAS Agana Guam (71 to 75), Flight Crew Plane Captain onboard 137899 when she went down in Kusaie harbor on 25 June 1973
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| William Justus, e-mail, 07.03.2015 09:03 Was in the Navy from 1960-64...From 1962-early 1964 was an AMH3 in the Azores The Goose was the only plane we had and I was the only AM for 1 1/2 years... Doing an Intermediate & Major checks was hard for one guy, especially testing the landing gear...Had problems with the locking ping on the main gear, which didn't always give a Barber Pole light...A real bitch...(So, in flight, someone had made a holes in the Fuselage with a small round door which we would open and use a long broom stick to push the pin to fully lock and give us a Barber Pole (Down & Locked)... Our broom stick was painted Day-glo so it could be seen at night...
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| Harry Marshall, e-mail, 09.12.2014 19:02 I was an AMH-2 stationed at USNS Trinidad, WI. (1963-1966).
SA-16 137910 was the bird attached to this base when I left.
She was a good old girl, we only had water take off and landings. Corrosion was a big problem, I had to completely overhaul her empennage at Rosie Roads, PR. in 1965.
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| Guy Leida, e-mail, 05.04.2014 21:44 usaf afftc ca. tested SA16B landed at point magoo nas broke aircraft aft of keel step, lading towards runway 90 t deg to beach. sent back to Florida on r.r. car
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| Guy Leida, e-mail, 05.04.2014 21:39 usaf afftc ca. tested SA16B landed at point magoo nas broke aircraft aft of keel step, lading towards runway 90 t deg to beach. sent back to Florida on r.r. car
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| John J. Kaye AD3, e-mail, 03.02.2014 08:28 I flew in the "Goat" when I was stationed at CGAS Brooklyn,N.Y. (Floyd Bennett Field) 1961-63. A tough loud aircraft that did everything that was asked of it. Spent many hours looking out the bubble windows on SAR's. Didn't particularly liked JATO take offs from water. Lots of porpoising before getting up on the step. Eventually transferred over to helos.
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| Herb, e-mail, 28.12.2013 15:57 Flew in UF-1's and 2's Navy 141264 was my main aircraft. We were ASR out of Guantanamo Bay, Cuba back when they were bringing in missiles from Russia. We did some aerial survailence of them with a photog shooting pics from the back hatch. The configuration of them was with the radio operator behind the copilot and radar/nav just outside the flight deck. Just thought I'd answer the question about the configuration of the A/C. Spent many long
air hours flying searches. No air conditioning and noisey but there was always a pot of coffee brewing in my nav table.
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| FRED GEDNEY, e-mail, 24.12.2013 00:37 12/23/13 I was stationed Albrook in the Canal Zone 26th ARS
Crewed 51-7197& 51-7113 in the mid 50's 55,56,
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| John, e-mail, 04.10.2013 16:17 I flew on them out of the P.I.between 64&65.Good old plane then and now
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| John, e-mail, 04.10.2013 16:15 Can anyone tell Me what radar system the hu-16 was running in the 1960'sI suffer from CSM(can't remember sh-t
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| john moran, e-mail, 01.08.2013 00:55 s worse. believe this was one reason wings were extended to
furnish better lift after this event.
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| Scott Milton, e-mail, 17.04.2013 04:01 My uncle was one of the men lost (Eckley Powlus) when their Coast Guard Albatross crashed in the Gulf of Mexico on a rescue mission. He was the radio operator. I am trying to see the layout of the interior to see where he sat. Does anyone have a drawing of the layout of the interior ? Thank you, Scott. Ifly1956@yahoo.com
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| Klaatu83, e-mail, 08.03.2013 19:28 Unlike the Catalina and Mariner, this aircraft was designed from the outset to be an amphibian. The result may not have been the most glamorous of aircraft, but then the Albatross was designed with versatility, durability and practicality in mind, rather than high performance. A total of 466 examples were built over a period of a dozen years, and they served in a wide variety of roles in over twenty different countries, from the arctic to the equator.
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| Steve Fowler, e-mail, 06.03.2013 02:28 I flew in the goat at CGAS Corpus Christi Tx. 1972-75 I was AM3 and plane Cpt. Made 1 water landing when I couldn't figure out how to prime the hand pump..Got a little flak for that. Still the time of my life.
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| George Howe, e-mail, 16.12.2012 16:43 I flew many missions with the SA in NAM, as photo cameraman. in Oct 1966 we rescued two fliers from the water somewhere east of Hanoi , the photo made 49 stateside papers the next day.we were stationed at DA NANG, VietNam. didint realize we had been shot at till we got "home"..My favorite aircraft.
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| Ed Callahan, e-mail, 07.12.2012 03:14 Flew GOATS at U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod 1980-1985 The last one decommissioned was the 7250 in 1983. A sad day for us all, things never were the same after that. Would love to contact anyone involved at hangar 128 USCG Air Station Cape Cod. Anyone remember Tim Shockly's poem?
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| Loelfenwick@gmail.com, e-mail, 03.12.2012 02:30 How come there's no mention of the Grumman G73 Mallard?
The first dedicated multi-engine executive transport, the second aircraft certified in the CAR4 transport category and the most beautiful seaplane that ever flew!
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| Dick Strohmeyer, e-mail, 05.09.2012 04:22 Hardly qualified to speak much about a great old airplane, but there are two of them active in Alaska. One is based at the Wasilla airport and the other is in Anchorage. I have never flown in either one YET. At times we get to see them in the air and it is wonderful.
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| Larry Zaker, e-mail, 03.08.2012 20:13 Flew as a Coast Guard Flight Mechanic at CGAS Cape Cod from 1978-1980. Great plane to cut my teeth on, though New England weather in the winter was a bit rough in the back of that plane.
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| Zippo, 25.06.2012 00:01 Mexico have a some Albatross. Received in 1976, they have the missions of SAR and ASW. Still in service until 1986, withdraw in choice of the MBB Bo 105.
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| mandowil@hotmail.com, e-mail, 05.05.2012 23:37 Checked out as SAR Aircrewman on the Albatross at Midway Islands in 1963.Have many hours flying Duckbutts nd SAR missions and training flights. A fine aircraft but very noisyduring a flight. Nice plane to maintain. I was an ADR-1 at that time.
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| Val, e-mail, 29.02.2012 21:06 Greetings, sorry for the slow response. I believe that Chalk' like Catalina Air here in SoCal revolved around corrosion issues on the airframe. Of course, that nasty accident, Chslk's in Florida ended up killing their airworthiness certificate leading to permanent grounding of their Grumman fleet. Kinda sad, as I had intended to go to FL for a last time ride in memoriam of my being picked up off the coast of North Viet Nam (Vinh) by the wonderful guys based at Da Nang, 27th ARRS, I think, on 27 April 1967. Dont think engine failures were an issue, that I know of, pretty sure airframe corrosion was the culprit. FWIW, the Navy spends as much money on airframe corrosion yearly to buy a new squadron of F/!8's! At least that was what I was told by an E-8 AMS CPO some years ago.
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| Bill Rohrbach, e-mail, 28.02.2012 23:45 I flew as the flight mechanic/plane captian of the HU16 at CGAS Kodiak during 68-69, then again at CGAD Quonsett Pt. from 69 to 70 and finally at CGAS Cape cod from 70 to 71. Great plane to fly in and lots of fun to work on; except the rudder boost and the vacuum relief valves for the deicing boots. I really enjoyed the water landings except one at night in the soup at Dutch Harbor. Fortunately we had the best radar man in the CG onboard that night, AT Lucas. Cheers to all my "herdsman" brothers; that was indeed the "Old Guard"
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| George Maroney, e-mail, 11.02.2012 21:42 Worked and flew in the Goats for 17 years in the Coast Guard. Got to fly in one 4 years ago at the Sea Plane splash in at Gaylord Mi.Steve V was one of my students at the Coast Guard Mechanic school. GREAT BIRD Brought me back from some nasty places in Alaska. Changed an engine in Cold Bay Alaska and lived in a WWII quonset hut.
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| Jack Hoyt, e-mail, 10.02.2012 23:33 Any former members of the 56th ARS Sidi Slimane Morocco 1954 - 1956 still around? Reply here or email
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| John Gould, e-mail, 05.02.2012 12:10 Our crew picked up a new SA-16B at the Grumand Plant in 1956. The trip from Goose bay with an older model A with all the good parts exchanged with junk. Got over Long Island, NY to sit down on Grumands runway. had to circle for 30 mins. to hand crank the gear down.Very low on fuel, landed. Great trip though.Very safe AC but all of them had one problem. APU would catch on fire and fill the interior with thick smoke.Many great stories.I was the RO. We to SAC after that into Air refueling. The KC-97 and 135 had no roance. Longed to be back at the Goose with a fine AC.Joined the Army later. I will always have this image of sitting behind the co-pilot. Enjoyed fishing from the wings while sitting on a small lake somewhere. I am 75 now but mems. are still strong.I now live in Indiana and finally retired 9 mos. ago.I have 2 hobbies. Making pottery and brewing fine beer.
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| selina, e-mail, 13.01.2012 14:28 i am using this great plane in holland for roundtrips.
I go often to th e ijsselmeer and land in the water.
the people loved it.
i am very happy with this plane.
I do go on a private holiday with it.
greatins
Selas air service
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| joe tyler, e-mail, 14.12.2011 03:54 Great acft. flt eng. sa-16a and sa-16b 31st ARS clark AB PI
1957-1960. ARS NAHA AB Okinawa 1960-1961
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| Dean Word, e-mail, 26.11.2011 06:03 I spent another fascinating Thanksgiving day with my father-in-law Bill Edge listening to stories. He was a 50 mission 8th AF B-17 pilot who took delivery of the very first Guppy from Grumman. After checkout, he delivered it to Tampa, Fl where he an 2 others logged 146 water takeoff/landings over 3 days.
He carried Lt. Gen Robert E. Lee to 3 islands on one ahead of the first H-bomb test. One takeoff required rocket assist from the overgrown and collapsed runway, which had stuck the right main gear on landing.
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| Jack Hoyt, e-mail, 25.10.2011 23:59 In 1954 - 1956 I flew as A/C in the 56th ARS at Sidi Slimane, Morocco. Any "alumni" of that squadron during those years please post a comment.
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| Richard R. Casey (AT-2), e-mail, 11.10.2011 22:57 Was stationed on Kwajalein, M.I. from 1955-1956 doing SAR duty with a squadron of UF's. Our plane (137928) as TDY'd to Eniwetok by Rear Adm. Hanlin during Operation Redwing for his secondary plane to fly from Eniwetok to Bikini and the surrounding island to witness and view A-Bomb distruction sites. Was present during the H-Bomb drop off Bikini in 1956. Left Eniwetok after suffering radiation poisoning and returned to Kwajalein. Also spent a lot of time doing SAR at Wake Island. Loved that aircraft. My next duty station was with VP-42 at North Island, San Diego. Left active duty in 1958, but never the Navy. Became an Aerospace Engineer and spent many years working on Navy projects. Retired from DCMA(DOD)in 2006 and now live in St. Petersburg, FL.
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| Jerry Bethke, e-mail, 09.10.2011 20:50 I flew the UF-1 off NS MIDWAY in 1957 and 58. I was a ADR3Plane capt. at that time we had 4 aircraft the Bu #131890 131904 131905 131924 I had time in all four My pilot was LtCDR Bill Fitzsimmons Those days were a lot of fun
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| william Sweet, e-mail, 08.10.2011 20:29 I was stationed at Hickham AFB in Hawaii for 3 1/2 years in Squadran ASR 47. We had 4 SB-17's and 4 SB-29's which I flew in as a Crewchief. We lost our SB-17"s in 1951 and got 4 SB-16A's, the first one was tail number 1714 which I flew in all over the Pacific for 3 years. Many Jato take offs lots of fun. We took 2 SA16's to Entwtok for the first H-Bomb tests spent 3 months there flying from island to island picking up filters to check radio activity.
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| Harold Bratton, e-mail, 02.09.2011 00:22 Was stationed at ECity AR&SC form Nov 1968 to Feb 1972.
Mainly worked on 52's but spent some time with the goats.
Remember high speed water taxies after overhaul. Checking
for water leaks. Did these with no floorboards and a bunch
of folks in the hull with flashlights. On one of these
we had lots of wind. When we turned to come back to the
seaplane ramp we ended up with one wing in the water
up to the engine. Water ran out of that wing for a couple
of days. Wonder it that added to the corosion problems???
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| Harry "JUG" Jones, e-mail, 24.08.2011 18:03 I flew this A/C in 1952 in the 580th ARS at Mt. Home AFB. This was an extraordinary short field A/C when JATO was used. Able to operate in and out in 500 ft. of "runway".
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| George Simon, e-mail, 10.08.2011 07:41 1950-51 A/C mechanic = 13 months @ BW-1 Narsarsuak,Greenland and in 1952-53 Flt Engr 51st ARS....
Please NOTE Correction in e-mail the dash instead of =... Over 1300 hours flt hrs in the Albatross.
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| George Simon, e-mail, 10.08.2011 07:24 I severed a 13 month tour as an A/C mechanic. Went bac in 1952-53 as a flight engineer assinged to the 51st ARS IN Narssauak, Greenland, BW-1. If it weren't for the loud noise it was a great plane to fly in. Landed on the ice-cap once and visited several Esikmo villages, the scenery was awesome. Also served with the 52nd ARS in Goose Bay, Labrador, a much bette duty station, close to Halifax, Nova Scotia where I would take my R&R. Duck Butted alot of Jets coming from the USA heading to Europe. Lost 4 F-86's at one time. Powered Milk, Eggs, etc., was something hard to get used to. Two 13 month tours in an ISOLATED area was also pretty tough to handle. Got my training in West Palm Beach, Florida.. Good ole Lake Okechobee. sp
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| PAUL M. STEUBE, e-mail, 08.08.2011 07:57 I flew the Albatross out of NAS Agana, Guam,1966-68. I've come to the point in life when I feel like indulging myself. I'm having a company build me models of the 8 aircraft I flew in the Navy. They need a picture or diagram showing the JATO bottles mounted. Does anyone have any such pictures?
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| Jack Hoyt, e-mail, 05.07.2011 23:36 Any "alumni" of the 56th Air Rescue Squadron at Sidi Slimane, Morocco from the mid fifties still around? It would be interesting to hear from you.
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| butch, e-mail, 14.06.2011 22:17 I too was a goat herder plane captain at Air Station Cape Cod for 3 1/2 yrs. 73-76. Like another rider said, you could fly for hours and move about 10 feet. sad to see the old girl go but such is the life of an airplane. Can't all be like the B-52 and last forever, or so it seems.. Actually was a great little plane. Could take a lot of abuse and still fly. Amazing.
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| Neptune, e-mail, 27.05.2011 04:38 I Bet it was 120FB. That was the only one I have seen painted in the 1990's Chalks paint scheme. It sadly crashed in florida recently.
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| Neptune, e-mail, 21.05.2011 18:20 I saw a Chalks Albatross working in Nassau in about 1993 or 1994. There was only one flying along side the Turbo mallard's. I asked around and a hotel employee said the were testing to maybe bring them back into the fleet. Does anybody know why the spent all the money to make them G-111, and then stopped flying them in the 1980's. How long were they operational in the 1980's. Where they having engine failures?
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| Steve Vansant, e-mail, 15.04.2011 06:39 I overhauled Goats at USCG AR&SC 1968 to 1970. Lots of test flights on newly overhauled A/C. I then went to Air Station New Orleans. I got out in 1971. After 31 years as a firefighter in So. Cal. I am once again a goat herder at March Field Air Museum in Riverside, Ca. We have USCG 1293 on display.
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| Ken Allen, e-mail, 29.03.2011 03:07 In 1963 I qualified on the Albatross on NS Midway Islands and flew many Searches and duck butt missions. Have many hours in the plane. I was ADR-1 at the time. Made one emergency water landing.Landing gear was screwed up.Very good bird.
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| Ed Hickey, e-mail, 20.03.2011 07:20 Flew on BUNO 137910 at NAF Lajes, Azores, 1959-1960 as radio and radar operator. Some hairy water landings but most flights were to Santa Maria island to drop off or pick up passengers as our Albatros wss fitted out nicely for passenger duty. Believe that 137910 was a former Coast Guard bird that was refurbished prior to our getting it.
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| Dave Williams, e-mail, 13.03.2011 20:30 Flew the HU-16 at Goose Bay, Labrador from 1971 to 1975. Many water experiences with DC bigwigs. Could not believe the USAF paid me for so much fun. A few rescues in between ferrying dignataries to survival (fish camps)was challenging but gratifying. Great airplane.
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| Ron Norton, e-mail, 08.03.2011 05:38 I was a plane capt. on the UF at NAS Annapolis from April 1958 to April 1959. At the time I was stationed there most of the flight time was for the Acadamy Pilots. Numerous trips to various places for their flight time. I can still remember how many cases of whiskey can be stored in the hull under the floor boards coming out of Bermuda. Had a great time while at Annapolis. Remember we had a good flag football team, just couldn't beat the marines on the base. I would like to hear from anyone that was stationed there during that time frame.
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| Harold Jaffe, e-mail, 24.02.2011 14:45 I flew a SA 16 out of Burtonwood AFB in 1952&1953 with the 68th Air Rescue 9th group and stood watch at Prestwick Scotland with it. Plus Holland floods & Greek earthquake, and varios other missions for downed planes. Did over a 100 open sea landings with it. Great plane for water landings
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| Nate graham, e-mail, 22.02.2011 07:35 My dad flew these awesome aircraft in Elizabeth city, nc, Bermuda, Kessler, San Juan, and Miami until retirement in74. He was an sheetmetalsmith. Airframe mechanic.
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| Nate graham, e-mail, 22.02.2011 07:35 My dad flew these awesome aircraft in Elizabeth city, nc, Bermuda, Kessler, San Juan, and Miami until retirement in74. He was an sheetmetalsmith. Airframe mechanic.
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| travis, e-mail, 16.01.2011 17:50 Flew this aircraft out of Air station Miami with USCG in the late sixties and early seventies. Mostly foreign shipping documentation and SAR. Those jato bottle take offs were fun out of Biscayne Bay. Spent a lot of time in training with parachute flare deployment and the like. Flew in some pretty bad weather as I remember. Experiencing some major Tinnitus now and wonder if the old "hard wired" communication systems on these birds was harmful to us. Experienced a close proximity lightning strike while on patrol once with the cutter Androscoggin one stormy night that pretty near took of my head gear. These were LOUD aircraft. Jato bottle noise was a real treat.
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| jeffery assad, e-mail, 13.01.2011 20:28 clark air base flew with major ladou danang
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| jeffery assad, e-mail, 13.01.2011 20:27 clark air base flew with major ladou danang
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| George (Jay) Foreman, e-mail, 12.12.2010 11:33 Stationed USCG Port Angeles, WA DEC 1970 to MAR 73, when I transfered to USCGAS Los Angeles (helicopters only). Was AT3 and worked avionics - mainly TACAN - when not flying as radio operator / navigator or doing maintenance in the hangar. One of the three HU-16E's was always crammed in corner of the hangar undergoing some sort of inspection / overhaul. Our three Goats were the 7209 1243 and 2123. CG air service easily fit the old motto, "Hours of Boredom, punctuated by moments of sheer terror." Was working the radio room at LA Air when we got word of the 2123 crashing in the Gulf of Mexico. Crew of six died, including Harold Brown, a mech who transfered to Corpus Christi with the '23 when USCGAS Por Angeles went helo-only. Have a ramp photo of the 2123 with the entire air department posed in front of it. Any PA "Goat Herders" want a copy, drop me a note.
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| Jerry Walterreit, e-mail, 30.11.2010 15:01 I was assigned to the 36th Air Rescue Squadron, Johnson AB, Japan from February to December 1959. It was my first assignment after completing my technical training in the instrument repair field. It has been a long time ago but I still have many fond memories of working on the SA-16's.
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| William (Henry) Ford USAF Ret., e-mail, 29.11.2010 18:51 I was crew chief and Flight Mechanic on the SA-16A at RAF Moleworth in England 1954-1957. Served with the 582nd ARS.
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| Gary Green, e-mail, 29.11.2010 07:46 AT Wheelus,May 64- Sept 65. 58TH Air Rescue Sq. Worked in the nose dock on the HU-16, fighting corrosion. Med salt water was tough on the old birds. Powered milk and powered eggs were tough also. Looking for all my friends and roommates plus base softball teammates.
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| larry post, e-mail, 15.11.2010 20:28 I flew the Goat at air station cape cod from 1978-1982. Great plane, lots of fun. The only plane you could fly for 14 hours and go nowhere. We would land and take off from OTIS.
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| CMSgt Frank Nollette, e-mail, 05.11.2010 05:53 Flew in SA-16's w/303rd ARS at Long Beach Muni Apt (ca. 1960?)before they moved to March AFB (now AFR) - then depoyed to Prestwick with them during Second 'Berlin Crisis' with SA-16s and SC-54s as well (augmenting 67th ARS).
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| CMSgt Frank Nollette, e-mail, 05.11.2010 05:53 Flew in SA-16's w/303rd ARS at Long Beach Muni Apt (ca. 1960?)before they moved to March AFB (now AFR) - then depoyed to Prestwick with them during Second 'Berlin Crisis' with SA-16s and SC-54s as well (augmenting 67th ARS).
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| joe tyler, e-mail, 26.10.2010 22:29 Great acft.flew as flt mech.31ARS clark AB pi 1957-60 and at
Naha AB OKINAWA from 1960-61.those were the best years of my
AF caree. Would like to here from anyone who mite have been
there. Joe Tyler
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| Chuck Stephens, e-mail, 12.10.2010 02:31 I was Plane Captain on a UF-1T (maybe 2T) 1958 to 1961 at NAF Annapolis. WE had 12 or 13 Albatrosses, 33 N3N's and 1 Hup-2 helicopter. When I left in July of 1961, the HUP-2 never flew again. Shortly after that all the N3N's got shipped out on a barge and they closed the base 6 months later. Don't know if there was any connection there but there you go. I was assigned to the helicopter and one of the UF-2Ts. The T models were equipped to be flying classrooms for the midshipmen from the acccademy. I enjoyed that time at NAF Annapolis from late 1958 to 1961. Would like to hear from others stationed there during that time period.
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| Bob Hargreaves, e-mail, 29.09.2010 14:54 Hi, I was a 16 maintainer with the 33rd ARS in Okinawa 1959 through 1961, always been very proud to have served with the Air Rescue Service.
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| Gene Suslowicz AL2, e-mail, 27.09.2010 00:16 Flew with CDR Charlie Tighe out of NOM 1953/55. Most notable flight in the UF-1G's, besides numerous SAR's, was transporting Sect.of State John Foster Dulles and wife with two companions to a rendezvous with a three masted motor schooner in the Caribbean. Located the schooner on the APS31, landed in 3 foot seas. On the return, needed the JATO bottles to get airborne. All QSO'S with NOM on CW. Loved that ART13. Never lost communications.
Would welcome any contacts with those served at USCG Miami '53 to '55.
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| Jim Kirkland, e-mail, 22.09.2010 11:36 I flew co-pilot with Ed LaDou and later Bob Voyles in 3rd Rescue out of K-16 near Seoul Korea in '51 and 52. Dumbo was a very special old bird that saved a lot of lives in the Korean hassle. It was originally ordered by the Navy and upon production, turned down by the Navy and the Air Force snapped it up for Air Rescue. Never did understand that. We would do water work in Tokyo Bay and taxied up once at the Navy's amphip ramp and the poor Navy guy's lusted after Dumbo, with its short field capabilities and reverse pitch while they still flew the old PBY for years after the '16 was produced. Go figure. Ed La Dou was the best water pilot in the Air Force in my opinion and he did some fantastic flying on combat missions under extremely difficult conditions of weather and sea. He later became Commandant of the West Palm Amphib School after Korea.
Sadly we lost Ed in November of 2008 from colon cancer. Would like to hear from any of the Flight A, Third Air Rescue Sq. and/or Detachment One at K-16 in '51 and '52.
Jim Kirkland, Baton Rouge, La.
P.S. For those that may not know, Jimmy Buffett has his own SA-16 Albatross which he flies himself.
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| Maynard Englebrecht, e-mail, 16.09.2010 05:52 I flew the Sa16 at Ashiya 1956 to 1957. Was a great assignment and prepared me for a 26 year career.
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| Terry Post, e-mail, 05.09.2010 01:47 Ex USCG aviator; flew uf2g/hu16e'c CGAS San Diego,CGAD Annette Isl, CGAS Brooklyn; early 60's went on to cmcl NEA,PAA,ONA. Have facebook pages with many pics of CG acft,ariel pics of CGAS's. email me direct if you can prove yourself, I'll give access
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| TJ HARRIS CMSGT RET, e-mail, 18.08.2010 19:25 I WAS A CREW CHIEF 0N HU-16' AT EGLIN AFB,FL,48TH AIR RESCUE SQDN AND DANANG AB VIETNAM 37 ARRS 1966-1967.
LOVED THE AIRCRAFT . NOTHING LIKE LANDING IN THE OPEN SEAS.SAVED A FEW LIVES AND I LOST SOME GOOD FRIENDS IN VIETNAM.
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| TJ HARRIS CMSGT RET, e-mail, 18.08.2010 19:25 I WAS A CREW CHIEF 0N HU-16' AT EGLIN AFB,FL,48TH AIR RESCUE SQDN AND DANANG AB VIETNAM 37 ARRS 1966-1967.
LOVED THE AIRCRAFT . NOTHING LIKE LANDING IN THE OPEN SEAS.SAVED A FEW LIVES AND I LOST SOME GOOD FRIENDS IN VIETNAM.
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| PJ Imhof, e-mail, 03.08.2010 06:01 Hello,
I am trying to get a picture of the UF / SA-16 that the USCG Det. Bermuda had in the Fall of 1961.
Any leads will be appreciated.
Thanks.
PJ Imhof
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| John Jacobs, e-mail, 28.05.2010 02:30 Something I wrote some time ago about flying in the HU-16 s.
Flying Search and Rescue in the Bermuda Triangle
By
John Jacobs
When I arrived at the USCG Air Station in Bermuda in 1963, everyone was talking about
the extended search for the Sulfur Queen. In those days the term Bermuda Triangle
was known, but it wasnt really taken seriously. The Sulfur Queen was just a ship that
had sunk without a trace. For those who had spent long hours searching an endless
ocean, this was not particularly hard to believe. Its disappearance seemed to become a
mystery when it was written about a few years later.
I was a 21-year old third class Aviation Machinist Mate (an airplane mechanic) with only
several months experience with the SU16E (previously UF2G or the AF designation
SA16) Grummon Albatross seaplane. We had three aircraft and a hanger near the end of
the peninsula that was the US Navy base on the west end of the island. There was a large
ramp into the Great Sound, which we used as for takeoffs and landings. The SU16E had
retractable landing gear, so it could taxi into the sound, retract the gear, and become a
flying boat. It could also operate off of a normal runway. The navy was flying P5Ms,
which were a large flying boat that did not have landing gear. They had to attach wheels
to its fuselage in order to bring it ashore. The P5Ms were used primarily for submarine
patrols, an important Navy function during the Cold War.
The Vietnam War was beginning to build. There was quite a bit of military traffic flying
aircraft in that direction, many of which needed to be refueled over the ocean. The Air
Force had large refueling aircraft in Bermuda for that purpose. One morning I was
working on the apron and heard a noise. I looked up and saw a smoke trail going directly
overhead and into the ocean a couple of miles away. It was an A.F. KB50 (a B50 that
had been converted to a mid air refueler). It had taken off from Kindly A.F. Station on
the other end of the island, caught fire, and crashed into the ocean.
The SU16E was capable of landing in the open sea under favorable conditions. On
landing, the pilot had to calculate the direction and speed of the swells and land at an
angle so that the airplane rode the top of a swell until it slowed to a safe speed. On
takeoff, it had to perform a similar stunt, but it needed extra power to get airborne
quickly. To supplement the power, we used JATO, which were rocket engines that we
mounted on either side of the fuselage just ahead of the tail. The JATO bottles were
carried in the airplane and were attached on mounts on the rear hatches, which swung
into the cabin. We practiced this (in the sound, not in the ocean) and it was a bit scary.
First you had to mount the bottles (inside the cabin) and attach the detonator wire. You
had to be really careful to make sure that the wire was not energized and that any static
electricity was grounded and bled off before hooking it up. Then the hatches were swung
out and locked shut. The pilot would put on full throttle, get the airplane up on the step
(planed out), and then fire the bottles. It was quite a ride.
A seaman on a cargo ship got into a fight and was stabbed several hundred miles east of
Bermuda. We were asked to evacuate him to a medical facility. Two airplanes were sent
out. I did not get to go. One of the airplanes made a successful landing and was able to
get the wounded man on board. On the JATO takeoff, it caught a wave wrong and
actually bent a wing enough to wrinkle the aluminum skin and damage one of the flaps.
It got airborne and flew back to Bermuda, but the damage was fairly extensive. We did
some preliminary repairs and it was flown to the overhaul facility in Elizabeth City, NC.
That was the only open sea rescue with an HU16E that I was aware of during my time in
CG aviation.
After I had been in Bermuda for several months, we moved the USCG Air Station from
the Navy Base to Kendly AFS (commercial airport) on the east end of the island.
Operating in salt water was hard on the airplanes and there were runways at the AFS. By
this time I was qualified as a Search and Rescue Air Crewman and flew as crew chief.
The crew chief was always an Aviation Machinist Mate, even though other specialist
crew members may be higher grades, because we were trained to be responsible for
everything on the aircraft. One day I had the ready crew chief duty and was working on
my airplane out on the apron. There was a loud explosion. I looked up and saw the
smoke trails of two aircraft crashing into the ocean. I immediately cranked the engines
and got the aircraft ready to take off. We were soon flying over the wreckage of two AF
transport aircraft. They had been practicing nose cone recovery on a Mercury nose cone.
Several paramedics were parachuting from the rear cargo platform of one plane and the
other was flying close behind photographing the exercise. For some reason, the ...
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| Jim Huhta, e-mail, 08.05.2010 01:01 Flew H-19B (pilot)Helicopters out of Ashiya AB, Kyushu, Japan 1956-57, in the 39th Air Rescue Squadron. I am writing this to try to contact George Groh who was a USAF Navigator there at the same time as I. Was on a "Dumbo" and was passenger being transported to Formosa for TDY duty there when over halfway there the port engine failed (severe oil leak) and we went into Taipai airport on a single engine. LT. Engelbretson was the AC, and I believe "Beetle" Bailey was CP. Can't remember any others. Anyone knows how to activate the E-mail by each posting? jwhuhta@yahoo.com
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| LLOYD SCIDMORE, e-mail, 08.04.2010 06:02 I FLEW THE UF-1 AS A FLIGHT MECH AT NAF ANNAPOLIS MD. 1957-58.ALL WATER TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS IN THE SEVERN RIVER GREAT AIRCRAFT LOTS OF GOOD TIMES. EVEN FLEW THE NAVY GOAT TO SEVERAL NAVY FOOTBALL GAMES.
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| Andrew Campbell, e-mail, 10.03.2010 18:31 I was the lead electrician for Grumman in the converting 13 HU-16's to G-111's for Resorts International. It proved to be the most fun job in my career with Grumman.
I'm looking for a production date for unit 51-7228 or CGNR 7228 for a museum display. I'm running out of places to look.
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| Don Davis, e-mail, 11.01.2010 23:52 I was a flight mec on the SA-16 from 1952- 1961. Served with the 580 ARS in Tripoli, 1707 Amph Sqdn,Palm Beach Florida and 31 ARS Clark AFB, PI. Have 1500 hours and over 8000 water landings. Instructor at PBIA for 4 years Helped train crews from Germany, Italy, Formosa, Great to find this info.
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| Jack Voigt, USCG (Ret.), e-mail, 05.01.2010 16:54 Spent many hours flying onboard HU16s at USCG Air Station Miami. Flew as both radio operator and navigator. Low and slow is a valid description of the "Goat" which made it an ideal search platform for the Coast Guard. Can attribute several great RONs to search activities in the "Goat". Chief Furqueron, good to see your name. We were at Miami at same time and flew together. I was AT3 at the time.
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| John Furqueron AEC-USCG, e-mail, 24.12.2009 16:18 Flew as crewchief on them out of CGAD Corpus in 1963 and again at CGAS Miami in 1971-73. Could always depend on it to get you there and back. Saw one being was being restored at Edwards AFB airshow a few years ago in AF colors. Am always looking for pictures of them in Coast Guard colors.
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| Steve Mattox, e-mail, 23.12.2009 04:17 My father Willliam Thomas Weaks flew as a navigator on the SA-16; he was stationed in Edenburgh, Scotland and went down on a flight back to the States in the fall of 1953, Their plane went down near Iceland and I do not believe was ever found. I was born in 1948 and my mother has been dead for over 20 years and I don't know where to find information on my father's military past or information about their crash. Any help would be appreciated. Steve Mattox
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| JACK, e-mail, 10.12.2009 22:13 I just discoveed this site. I am a card-carrying SA-16 fan! I spend three years as aircraft commander flying the SA-16 in the 56th Air Rescue Squadron at Sidi Slimane, Morocco. Best duty I ever had. We were responsible for supporting SAC and TAC deployments, and our area of resonsibility covered much of the North African Med coast, Spain, Portugal, and a good stretch of the Atlantic. One memorable month-long trip to Athens in support of a NATO fighter-day exercise. Strip alert all day, sitting under the wing playing cards, then off to Athens at night. A less pleasant memory: an emergency landing at Gibraltar. Low overcast, driving rain. The one runway lies over a sea-wall just under the sheer 1500 foot cliff of the rock. I forgot that the beacon was on the very top of the damn rock! Diverted at the last possible minute and pulled up over the sea wall and plunked onto the runway. Tower had the crash boats out for us. No fun. But all in all I loved the airplane, (deaf tho I am) After I left the service I went to work for Grumman. Any readers who were in the 56th Air Rescue Squadron at Sidi Slimane AFB in the 50's, leave a coment.
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| a2c r burnham, e-mail, 23.11.2009 01:30 Ya, My Roomie was CC on one of these back on Goose when we were Det 2 48th; Then we changed over to the 54th back in 60. I was CC of RC54D tail 7236. We caught hell after the C-133 went down off the Azoes, because she was just out of Depot and we landed at Frobisher Bay. The brought a radome for a 121 and couldn't figure which engine to put it under.
My Roomies bird (don't remember the tail) broke though the ice on Carol Lake during Col Mudge "Snow" exercises.
Anyone in that arena, happy to hear from you. Got caught up at my Grandson's Veterans Apprciation nite when I met a couple guys from up at Goose in the 60's
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| John Gould, e-mail, 03.10.2009 17:36 My new email is now homebrewer7@gmail.com My comment is above and still looking to lacate anyone stationed at Goose Bay 1955-57. I spent my time in the usaf and then went into the army but my favoite time was with the 54th ARS as RO. John still in Payson, AZ
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| Richard Butler, e-mail, 03.10.2009 07:23 I spent three glorious years at USCG Air Station at Annette ALaska (1969-19720). I ended up an AT1, flew as a navigator on HU16Es (7228 & 7254). Every week we flew an Alaska Patrol 800 miles up the coast to Kayak Island, one mile off shore on the way up and 60 miles offshore on the way back, usually under 100' in altitude. It was wonderful! Once in a blue moon we would catch a fishing violator, orbit them until relieved by a C130 out of Kodiak, then go to the nearest airport, usually Sitka, and end up in a bar full of fishermen in search of something to eat at two in the moring. When they heard about the violator, they would line up the drinks up till dawn. Annette was very close to heaven.
Richard Butler
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| Robert Calladine, e-mail, 01.10.2009 13:59 Hi, I'm researching the history of HU-16D BuNo 137899. Originally built as a UF-1 and delivered in 1954 At some point it would have received the long wing conversion as it is listed as a HU-16D. Disappeared/Crashed in Caroline Islands but I do not know the date... Any help is most appreciated!
Cheers,
Robert
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| Mesmer, e-mail, 24.07.2009 04:41 Yessss....As soon as I can put the $3m it will take to do it right. I'm gonna saddle up with a legend. I'm liken the plane gussied up in Blue Angels colors #00 (double goose eggs).
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| merrill k wood, USCG, e-mail, 27.04.2009 18:10 I can't hear you........what did you say? Oh, yes I'm wearing hearing aids.......why? Because like Jim Osborn I flew the UF -1G, UF-2G, HU-16.....whatever they called them
.....for 5000+ hours. Spending a tour where we did an abundant amount of water work brings the plane close to your heart (once you learn how easy it is to overcome a wild porpoise). As an aircraft maintenance officer working with some of the best people in the world, we knew that, treated right, it would bring you home.
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| Capt Jim Osborn, USCG (ret), e-mail, 09.04.2009 22:39 I flew the HU16E (UF2G) for the entire decade of the 60's and mostly off of the water. Water landings and take offs were a real blast that provided any number of adrenaline rushes (especially night and rough water work). When the Coast Guard restricted the HU16E to just land use because of some wing spar corrosion, the Albatross lost most of its allure to me and simply became a VERY noisy beast of burden. Overall many fond memories. If anyone buys one and needs some help ferrying it, give me a jingle.
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| George Groh, e-mail, 20.01.2009 03:29 I was a navigator in the SA16 in the 39th Air Rescue Squadron at Ashiya AFB Kyushu Japan. 1956-57. It was a fun time. The B model went 10 knots faster than the A model at the same weight and power setting. Would like to hear from anybody who was there in that period.
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| Rob Blackford, e-mail, 15.01.2009 23:20 I was a Coast Guard AT2 stationed on Annette Island, Alaska, from 1969-1972 and flew both as radio operator and as navigator throughout the Gulf of Alaska during those years. JATO takeoffs from Ward Cove in Ketchikan were a real experience. When you land on water, the aft windows were under water. We flew a rescue mission to Baranoff Island in January once and one of the props froze in reverse. It took awhile to break it loose. Lost an engine on the way home, radar became intermittent because the antenna jumped the stops, and we couldn't maintain altitude. We barely cleared the landing lights on approach.
I have a painting of an Albartoss above my desk in my office. Nobody can truly appreciate the risk Coasties take unless they've been through weather no one would fly in except us.
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| Hi guys, e-mail, 03.01.2009 13:36 I've lived most of my life in Greenland and worked many years in the aviation business. Also heard many stories, especially when USAF was stationed in Greenland. We heard about a SA-16 that have crashed in a lake in Sondre Stromfjord (Bluei West) in 1960 and have never been seen since. In 2005 we located it at greats depths and went for a dive. We found it and it's condition was good allthough it was split in two. If any of you guys have any information about the Albatross or have some friends who have been there, or some friends that know some friends I would appriciate if you would contact me. Kind Regards, Johan
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| Willy Williamson (former AM1), e-mail, 16.12.2008 20:15 Hi Craig, been a long time. The one in E-City was second to last and I believe is 7243(please correct me if I'm wrong). I was a Flight Mechanic / aircrew on the "Goats" starting in 1976 and my last flight on 9 Mar 1983, the day before they retired the 7250(last one). Loved every second aloft even with 2 engines out... (not enough room here for that story)
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| David D. Trotter, e-mail, 18.10.2008 22:45 I have two HU-16 Bush Pilot/Crewmember Goose Bay, Canada patches that I've had since 1977. I am trying to find out what unit wore them.I'm not sure that I can attach an image to this e-mail. If I can, I will, if not, I can do so later if requested.
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| Udo Fischer, e-mail, 04.09.2008 18:15 1952 through 1967 I had been flying and parachuting first from SA-16 and then from HU-16 Air Rescue Service aircraft (then replaced in out unit with HC-97, the 'Cadillac of the Air'. The SA/Hu-16 was the 'cat's meow'! I always felt very safe in it, even during extreme conditions.
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| Albatross owner, e-mail, 29.08.2008 01:40 Info above generally accurate, with a few exceptions. No Air Forces or Navies still operate Albatrosses, the last were the Greeks, they had 14, parked their last in the mid '90's. The airplanes were never civilian certificated so can not be used "as is" for any kind of work for compensation or hire. 13 airplanes were converted by Resorts International back in the '80's to Standard Category ($3.5M each) and were used for a while by Chalks Airlines in FAR 121 airline operations. About 30+ airplanes flying/flyable and another 15-20 that could easily be made so. Rest are in museums, displays (including Jimmy Buffet's) and will likely never fly again. Contact me if you really want one. But this is not a cheap proposition. You REALLY have to want one and have $$$ to do this. BTW, the long wing version was all about single engine performance. SE service ceiling with the short wing was SEA LEVEL at 33K lbs. SE service ceiling with the long wing at same weight is 8000'. However, long wing airplanes have structural issues that short wings don't.
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| Robbie Robbins, e-mail, 19.08.2008 05:42 I was assigned to the 58th Air Rescue Squadron (Unit changed to Air Rescue and Recovery Sqdn in 1966) Wheelus AB, Tripoli, Libya 2/64 - 2/67. Was a radio operator on HU-16B's. When I got there the HF/SSB radio on the airplanes was a Collins KWM-2A using a Johnson Matchbox for antenna loading. Had to stand up on the RO seat and face back to the top of the bulkhead across the isle to load the antenna every time we change frequency. The tuning dials on the Matchbox kept vibrating out of position, so it was a constant battle to stay on frequency. What a HOOT! We finally got the 618T to replace it. Most of us just stuck to the old AN/ARC-8 when we could get by without SSB. Many memorable missions that tour. Very trustworthy airplane in the hands of our great pilots.
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| Craig McCrodden, e-mail, 12.08.2008 15:41 I was stationed at Otis ANG Base on Cape Cod from 80 - 82 and I was one of the last military aircrews to fly the HU-16's. Great plane but you could not hear a thing on takeoff roll and they leaked like sivs... Shortly after I left for my next assignment the last of the breed left for Elizabeth City and now it sits at the front gate on a pedistal...
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| Doyle F. Howe, e-mail, 31.05.2008 03:29 While assigned to the Air Department at Kodiak Naval Station (Alaska) 1952-1953 I was crew chief on SN 22893. See the monkeyview website link below for some interesting pictures of the UF-1 and other Alaska sights.
http://www.monkeyview.net/id/4191/yesteryear/index.vhtml
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| John Gould, e-mail, 09.05.2008 07:03 I flew as radio operator 1955-56 at Goose bay, Labrador in the 54th ARS. We had 5 of these great aircraft. Flew to Greenland and allot of other places in the area. We picted up a SA-16 at the Grummand plant in "56. Would enjoy talking to anyone that served with this aircraft and any others in that country, John in Payson, AZ johnnygo@localnet.com
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| steven weaver, e-mail, 09.05.2008 03:25 The SA-16 was one of my favorit4e airplanes, My dad was a career Air Force Pilot and he flew air rescue out of Elmendorf from 1953-1956. His name was Captain Truman "Pappy" Weaver. He loved flying that plane and in those conditions. It was a wonderdful place to spent some childhood years. I still have a pre-made model of that plane my dad gave me for my 7th birthday. I would love to hear form anyone who knew my dad. dwtrain@yahoo.com steven weaver
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| Robert, e-mail, 18.03.2008 22:59 Hi! I'm looking to purchasing of these planes for business use. We would need to land on water and snow..can anyone suggest? Thank you for your help! Best regards, Robert
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| allan pochop, e-mail, 15.01.2008 18:30 Flew SAR on BuNo 137922, (was a UF-1 converted to a UF-2) NAS Port Lyautey,Kentria, Morocco 1960-62. Best two years of duty out of the eight active years.
Did the JATO thing out of the bay of Gibraltor.
137922, did time at Midway, Is. South America, and ended up in the Philapene (sp) air force, cut up for scrap in 1995. Shame/.
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| Frank Tuzzio, e-mail, 17.12.2007 06:57 I was assigned to the 71st Air Rescue Squardon at Elmendorf AFB in Anchorage Alaska 1952 to 1953. We had 6 SA 16's. I was a propeller mechanic. The propeller was the Hamilton 43D50 Electric. I have many fond memories of this aircraft, and the many times I removed, repaired and installed the propellers on this aircraft. Also of the many times I flew in one in beautiful Alaska, especially the water landings and JATO take offs from water. I enjoyed reading this page. Thank you.
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| Keith Sage, e-mail, 19.05.2007 07:27 As soon as I get my $#!^ Together I plan to buy one..
This would be great as a bush plane well for me and my friends. I realy wont one.
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