The Grumman G-21 Goose is an

amphibious Amphibious means able to use either land or water. In particular it may refer to: Animals * Amphibian, a vertebrate animal of the class Amphibia (many of which live on land and breed in water) * Amphibious caterpillar * Amphibious fish, a fish ...

flying boat A flying boat is a type of seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in having a fuselage that is purpose-designed for flotation, while floatplanes rely on fuselage-mounted floats for buoyancy. Though ...

Grumman The Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, later Grumman Aerospace Corporation, was a 20th century American producer of military and civilian aircraft. Founded on December 6, 1929, by Leroy Grumman and his business partners, it merged in 19 ...

to serve as an eight-seat "commuter" aircraft for businessmen in the

Long Island Long Island is a densely populated continental island in southeastern New York (state), New York state, extending into the Atlantic Ocean. It constitutes a significant share of the New York metropolitan area in both population and land are ...

area. The Goose was Grumman's first

monoplane A monoplane is a fixed-wing aircraft configuration with a single mainplane, in contrast to a biplane or other types of multiplanes, which have multiple wings. A monoplane has inherently the highest efficiency and lowest drag of any wing con ...

to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and its first aircraft to enter commercial airline service. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the Goose became an effective transport for the US military (including the

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and Admiralty law, law enforcement military branch, service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight Uniformed services ...

), as well as serving with many other air forces. During hostilities, the Goose took on an increasing number of combat and training roles.

Design and development

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."Goose."
''Antilles Seaplanes history page''. Retrieved: August 30, 2008. In response, the Grumman Model G-21 was designed as a light amphibious transport. Grumman produced a high-wing 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

Pratt & Whitney R-985 Wasp Junior 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 ...

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."Grumman Goose."
''Aerofiles.com Grumman page''. Retrieved: August 30, 2008. 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

A number of modifications were made for the Goose, but the most numerous are those by

McKinnon Enterprises McKinnon, MacKinnon or Mackinnon is a Scottish surname. (Gaelic: ''Mac Fhionghain''), Notable people with this surname include: * Allan McKinnon (1917–1990), Canadian politician, MP – Victoria 1972-1988 * Alexander "Alex" McKinnon (1895– ...

of Sandy, Oregon, which holds 21

supplemental type certificate A supplemental type certificate (STC) is a civil aviation authority-approved major modification or repair to an existing type certified aircraft, engine or propeller. As it adds to the existing type certificate, it is deemed "supplemental". In ...

s (STCs) for modifying G-21-series aircraft and which also manufactured four different conversions that were recertified under a separate FAA

type certificate A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). Certification confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production is in compliance w ...

as brand-new "McKinnon" airplanes."FAA Type Certificate no. 4A24".
''FAA.'' Retrieved: August 26, 2011. The first was the McKinnon model G-21C which involved replacing the original R-985 radial engines with four

Lycoming GSO-480-B2D6 The Lycoming GO-480 is a family of six-cylinder, horizontally opposed fixed-wing aircraft engines of 479.6 cubic inch (7.86 L) displacement, made by Lycoming Engines. The engine is a six-cylinder version of the four-cylinder Lycoming O-320. Desi ...

piston engines A reciprocating engine, more often known as a piston engine, is a heat engine that uses one or more reciprocating pistons to convert high temperature and high pressure into a rotating motion. This article describes the common features of all ...

. It was approved under TC 4A24 on November 7, 1958, and two examples were converted in 1958–1959.

New production

In November 2007, Antilles Seaplanes of

Gibsonville, North Carolina Gibsonville ("City of Roses") is a town in both Alamance and Guilford counties in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Most of Gibsonville is situated in the Greensboro-Winston-Salem- High Point Combined Statistical Area and the eastern portion is ...

, announced it was restarting production of the turbine-powered McKinnon G-21G Turbo Goose variant, now identified as the Antilles G-21G Super Goose.

Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-34 The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Its design was started in 1958, it first ran in February 1960, first flew on 30 May 1961, entered service in 1964, and has been continuously upd ...

turboprops flat-rated to would have replaced the original PT6A-27 engines, and the airframe systems and especially the avionics (aviation electronics – i.e. radios and navigation systems) would have been updated with state-of-the-art "glass panel" instrumentation and cockpit displays. However, as of 2009, Antilles Seaplanes' manufacturing center has been foreclosed and sold at auction. The fate of new Goose production is currently unknown.

Operational history

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. In addition to being marketed to small air carriers, the G-21 was also promoted as a military transport. In 1938, the

U.S. Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

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 The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

variants, designated the JRF. The amphibious aircraft was also adopted by the Coast Guard and, during World War II, served with the

Royal Canadian Air Force The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF; ) is the air and space force of Canada. Its role is to "provide the Canadian Forces with relevant, responsive and effective airpower". The RCAF is one of three environmental commands within the unified Can ...

in the transport, reconnaissance, rescue, and training roles. The G-21 was used for air-sea rescue duties by the

Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...

, who assigned the name Goose. A single aircraft was used briefly by No. 1 Air Ambulance Unit,

Royal Australian Air Force The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is the principal Air force, aerial warfare force of Australia, a part of the Australian Defence Force (ADF) along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Australian Army. Constitutionally the Governor-Gener ...

in the Mediterranean. 1 After the war, the Goose found continued commercial use in locations from

Alaska Alaska ( ) is a non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also considered to be the north ...

to Catalina and the

Caribbean The Caribbean ( , ; ; ; ) is a region in the middle of the Americas centered around the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean, mostly overlapping with the West Indies. Bordered by North America to the north, Central America ...

. A total of 345 were built, with about 30 known to still be airworthy today (although around 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. "Seven confirmed dead in B.C. plane crash."
''canada.com''. Retrieved: December 19, 2009.

Variants

;G-21 :The original production version, these were powered by two Pratt & Whitney Wasp Junior SB engines, at gross weight, with six passengers, and 12 were built, all converted to G-21A standards.Francillon and Killion 1993, p.55. ; :Increased gross weight (), 30 built. ;G-21B :Export coastal patrol flying boat armed with machine gun in bow and dorsal hatches and two bombs underwing, 12 built for

Portuguese Naval Aviation The Portuguese Naval Aviation () constituted the Naval aviation, air component of the Portuguese Navy, from 1917 to 1957. The Portuguese Air Force maritime patrol units and the Navy's Helicopter Squadron (EHM, ) are the present successors of the f ...

. ;G-21C :Conversion by McKinnon Enterprises, these were re-engined with four

air-cooled, geared, and supercharged

flat-six A flat-six engine, also known as a horizontally opposed-six, is a six-cylinder piston engine with three cylinders on each side of a central crankshaft. The most common type of flat-six engine is the boxer-six engine, where each pair of opposed c ...

engines and fitted with retractable wingtip floats, a fiberglass radar nose, a one-piece wraparound windshield, and enlarged cabin windows; gross weight increased to as result of internal structural reinforcements. Two were converted as piston-powered models G-21C in 1958–1959, and two other airframes subsequently were converted in 1968, but with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-20

turboprop A turboprop is a Gas turbine, gas turbine engine that drives an aircraft Propeller (aeronautics), propeller. A turboprop consists of an intake, reduction drive, reduction gearbox, gas compressor, compressor, combustor, turbine, and a propellin ...

s per STC SA1320WE as G-21C Hybrids. Two G-21C Hybrids were identical to the later model G-21E, but they were never certified as such."Aircraft N642"
''FAA Registry''. Retrieved: August 26, 2011. ;G-21D :One G-21C was further converted by McKinnon with an extended nose marked by two extra windows on each side and accommodating another four passengers. Recertified as G-21D in 1960. In 1966, it was re-engined with two PT6A-20 turboprops and fitted with revised Alvarez-Calderon electric flaps in accordance with STC SA1320WE, retaining the G-21D designation, but subsequently identified as the McKinnon "Turboprop Goose".Francillon and Killion 1993, pp. 54–56. ;G-21E :A fully certified new model, it was based on a simplified turbine conversion of the McKinnon G-21C, with PT6A-20 engines (

Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-27 The Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6 is a turboprop aircraft engine produced by Pratt & Whitney Canada. Its design was started in 1958, it first ran in February 1960, first flew on 30 May 1961, entered service in 1964, and has been continuously upd ...

engines optional) and more fuel, but without all of the structural reinforcements of the G-21C. gross weight. One converted. ;G-21G :The final McKinnon conversion also was fully certified as a new model with PT6A-27 engines, of fuel, and gross weight. Two converted. an
"Aircraft – N70AL."
''FAA Registry''. Retrieved: August 26, 2011. Grumman JRF-5 Kaman K-16B 04351 BDL 21

;

Kaman K-16B The Kaman K-16B is an experimental VTOL, vertical-takeoff-and-landing aircraft that was constructed by Kaman Aircraft for the United States Navy in 1959 to evaluate the tiltwing concept. Converted from a Grumman Goose amphibian, the K-16B underwe ...

:Experimental tilt wing aircraft, with JRF-5 fuselage powered by two General Electric YT58-GE-2A engines; one built but not flown. ;XJ3F-1 :Prototype eight-seat utility amphibian, built for the US Navy; one built in 1938.Green 1968, pp. 169–170. ;JRF-1 :Production 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 :U.S. Coast Guard version with provisions for carrying stretchers; seven built. ;JRF-3 :Similar to the JRF-2, fitted with

autopilot An autopilot is a system used to control the path of a vehicle without requiring constant manual control by a human operator. Autopilots do not replace human operators. Instead, the autopilot assists the operator's control of the vehicle, allow ...

and

deicing boot A 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 flight control surfaces, control surfaces (e.g. hori ...

s on the wing leading edges for Arctic operations. Three built for US Coast Guard.Donald 1995, p. 145. ;JRF-4 :Similar to JRF-1A, these could carry two underwing depth bombs. Ten built for US Navy. EL-2003-00316

;JRF-5 :Major production version with bomb racks, target towing and camera gear, and deicing gear; 184 built. In 1953, a modified JRF-5 tested hydroskis for the US Navy. ;JRF-5G :24 JRF-5s transferred to the US Coast Guard. ;JRF-6B :Navigation trainer purchased for supply under

Lend-Lease Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (),3,000 Hurricanes and >4,000 other aircraft) * 28 naval vessels: ** 1 Battleship. (HMS Royal Sovereign (05), HMS Royal Sovereign) * ...

; 50 built. ;OA-9 :Transport and air-sea rescue for

United States Army Air Forces The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...

, 26 ordered in 1938, supplemented by five JRF-6Bs under the same designation. ;OA-13A :Three G-21As impressed by the USAAF.Green 1968, p.169. ;OA-13B :Two JRF-5s transferred to the USAAF. ;Goose Mk.I :British designation for three JRF-5s supplied to the

.March 1998, p.127. ;Goose Mk.IA :British designation for 44 JRF-6Bs, supplied under Lend Lease for observer training by the

749 Naval Air Squadron 749 Naval Air Squadron (749 NAS) was a Fleet Air Arm (FAA) naval air squadron of the United Kingdom’s Royal Navy (RN). It was active from 1941 through to 1945, formed as an Observer Training Squadron, as part of No.1 Observer School at RNAS ...

Trinidad Trinidad is the larger, more populous island of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago, the country. The island lies off the northeastern coast of Venezuela and sits on the continental shelf of South America. It is the southernmost island in ...

. ;Goose Mk.II :British designation for two JRF-5s staff transports for British Air Commission in the United States and Canada.

Operators

Military operators

; *

Argentine Naval Aviation The Argentine Naval Aviation (', COAN) is the naval aviation branch of the Argentine Navy and one of its four operational commands. Argentina, along with Brazilian Navy, Brazil is one of two South American countries to have operated two aircraft c ...

** Six aircraft were used 1947–1966. ; *

** A single aircraft was used briefly by

No. 1 Air Ambulance Unit RAAF No. 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 No. 1 Ai ...

in the Mediterranean. ; *

Bolivian Air Force The Bolivian Air Force (BAF; or 'FAB') is the air force of Bolivia and branch of the Bolivian Armed Forces. History By 1938 the Bolivian air force consisted of about 60 aircraft ( Curtiss Hawk fighters, Curtiss T-32 Condor II and Junkers ...

**At least two aircraft (one JRF-2 and one JRF-6B) received in 1942.Francillon 2008, p. 37 ; ** 10 used for anti-submarine patrols during Second World War. ; *

** 36 received. ; ; ; *

Honduran Air Force The Honduras Air Force (, sometimes abbreviated to FAH in English) is the air force of Honduras. As such it is the air power arm of the Honduras Armed Forces. History The first Honduras military flying took place on 18 April 1921 in a Bristo ...

; *

Indonesian Air Force The Indonesian Air Force (, sometimes shortened as IDAF / IdAF) is the Air force, aerial branch of the Indonesian National Armed Forces. The Indonesian Air Force is headquartered in Jakarta, Indonesia, and is headed by the Chief of Staff of th ...

; *

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force The , abbreviated , also simply known as the Japanese Navy, is the maritime warfare branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. The JMSDF was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy ( ...

; *

Paraguayan Naval Aviation The Armed Forces of Paraguay () officially the Armed Forces of the Nation () consist of the Paraguayan army, Paraguayan navy (including naval aviation and marine corps) and air force. The constitution of Paraguay establishes the president of Par ...

; *

Peruvian Air Force The Peruvian Air Force (, FAP) is the branch of the Peruvian Military of Peru, Armed Forces tasked with defending the nation and its interests through the use of aerial warfare, air power. Additional missions include assistance in safeguarding i ...

; *

Portuguese Air Force The Portuguese Air Force () is the air force, aerial warfare force of Portugal. Locally it is referred to by the acronym FAP but internationally is often referred to by the acronym PRTAF. It is the youngest of the three branches of the Portuguese ...

; *

Swedish Air Force The Swedish Air Force ( or just ) is the air force Military branch, branch of the Swedish Armed Forces. History The Swedish Air Force was created on 1 July 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalatin ...

; *

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the Air force, air and space force of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, on the merger of t ...

(several impressed examples by 24 Squadron and ATA) *

Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...

(44 Lend Lease examples) ; *

United States Army Air Corps The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical ri ...

Civil Government operators

; *The

United States Fish and Wildlife Service The United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS or FWS) is a List of federal agencies in the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of the Interior which oversees the management of fish, wildlife, ...

and the

Bureau of Land Management The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) is an agency within the United States Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal lands, U.S. federal lands. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., the BLM oversees more than of land, or one ...

each operated several G-21 aircraft. ; *

Royal Canadian Mounted Police The Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP; , GRC) is the Law enforcement in Canada, national police service of Canada. The RCMP is an agency of the Government of Canada; it also provides police services under contract to 11 Provinces and terri ...

"Grumman Goose has served coast for many years as 'flying-boat workhorse'."
''canada.com''. Retrieved: December 19, 2009.

Civil operators

British Guiana Govt Airways Grumman Goose c 1955tr

; * Asiatic Petroleum ; * British Guiana Airways ; *

Pacific Coastal Airlines Pacific Coastal Airlines is a Canadian regional airline that operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its head office is located in the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, Br ...

Wilderness Seaplanes Pacific Coastal Airlines is a Canadian regional airline that operates scheduled, charter and cargo services to destinations in British Columbia. Its head office is located in the South Terminal of Vancouver International Airport in Richmond, Br ...

; *

European Coastal Airlines European Coastal Airlines was a Croatian seaplane operator headquartered in Split. Founded in 2000, the company launched scheduled services in August 2014 and served domestic flights within Croatia as well as services to nearby Italy. The compan ...

; *''

Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij Koninklijke Nederlandsch-Indische Luchtvaart Maatschappij (in English: Royal Dutch Indies Airways) was the flag carrier of the former Dutch East Indies. Headquartered in Amsterdam, KNILM was ''not'' a subsidiary of the better-known KLM (Royal Du ...

'' ; * Yaukuve Resort ; *''

Loftleiðir Loftleiðir (, ), internationally known as Icelandic Airlines (abbreviated IAL) or Loftleiðir Icelandic, was a private Icelandic airline headquartered on the grounds of Reykjavík Airport in Reykjavík, which operated mostly trans-Atlantic flig ...

'' ; *

Airfast Indonesia PT. Airfast Indonesia is an air carrier based in Tangerang, Indonesia in Greater Jakarta. It specialises in contract operations, aviation management services and charter passenger and cargo services to the oil, mining and construction industries i ...

Merpati Nusantara Airlines PT Merpati Nusantara Airlines, operated as Merpati Nusantara Airlines, was an airline in Indonesia based in Central Jakarta, Jakarta. It operated scheduled domestic services to more than 25 destinations in Indonesia, as well as scheduled intern ...

– Leased a Goose from Indonesian Air Force. *SAATAS-East Indonesia ; *

Mount Cook Airline Mount Cook Airline was a regional airline based in Christchurch, New Zealand. Formerly part of the Mount Cook Group and latterly a subsidiary of Air New Zealand, it operated scheduled services throughout the country under the Air New Zealand ...

* Sea Bee Air ; PenAir Grumman Goose

; *

Alaska Airlines Alaska Airlines is a major American airline headquartered in SeaTac, Washington, within the Seattle metropolitan area. It is the fifth-largest airline in North America when measured by scheduled passengers carried, as of 2024. Alaska, togethe ...

– Alaska Airlines called their turboprop-powered aircraft the "Turbo Goose" propjet. They also operated piston-powered versions. *

Alaska Coastal Airlines Alaska Coastal Airlines was an airline in the United States. It 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 Island Air *

Alaska Fish and Game Alaska ( ) is a Non-contiguous United States, non-contiguous U.S. state on the northwest extremity of North America. Part of the Western United States region, it is one of the two non-contiguous U.S. states, alongside Hawaii. Alaska is also ...

* Amphib. Inc. * Antilles Air Boats * Avalon Air Transport * Catalina Air *

Catalina Channel Airlines Catalina may refer to: Arts and media * ''The Catalina'', a 2012 American reality television show * ''Catalina'' (novel), a 1948 novel by W. Somerset Maugham * Catalina (''My Name Is Earl''), a character from the NBC sitcom ''My Name Is Earl' ...

Chevron of California Chevron (often relating to V-shaped patterns) may refer to: Science and technology * Chevron (aerospace), sawtooth patterns on some jet engines * Chevron (anatomy), a bone * ''Eulithis testata'', a moth * Chevron (geology), a fold in rock lay ...

Devcon Construction The Autobots are a fictional faction of sentient robots in the ''Transformers'' multimedia franchise. The Autobots are living robots from the planet Cybertron who, like most Transformers, are each imbued with a unique "life force" known as a "s ...

* Flight Data Inc. *

Ford Motor Co. Ford Motor Company (commonly known as Ford) is an American multinational automobile manufacturer headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, United States. It was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated on June 16, 1903. The company sells automobil ...

Gulf Oil Gulf Oil was a major global oil company in operation from 1901 to 1985. The eighth-largest American manufacturing company in 1941 and the ninth largest in 1979, Gulf Oil was one of the Seven Sisters (oil companies), Seven Sisters oil companies. ...

Kodiak Airways Kodiak may refer to: Places * Kodiak, Alaska, a city located on Kodiak island * Kodiak, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Kodiak Archipelago, in southern Alaska * Kodiak Island, the largest island of the Kodiak archipelago ** Kodiak Launch ...

Kodiak Western Kodiak may refer to: Places * Kodiak, Alaska, a city located on Kodiak island * Kodiak, Missouri, an unincorporated community * Kodiak Archipelago, in southern Alaska * Kodiak Island, the largest island of the Kodiak archipelago ** Kodiak Launch ...

North Coast Aero North is one of the four compass points or cardinal directions. It is the opposite of south and is perpendicular to east and west. ''North'' is a noun, adjective, or adverb indicating direction or geography. Etymology The word ''north'' is ...

* Ozark Management *

Pan Air Pan or PAN may refer to: Food * Pan (cooking), a piece of cooking equipment * Harina P.A.N., a pre-cooked corn meal * Pan or Paan, a North Indian term for betel Prefix * ''Pan-'', a prefix meaning "all", "of everything", or "involving all m ...

PenAir Peninsula Airways, operated as PenAir, was a U.S.-based regional airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska. It was Alaska's second-largest commuter airline operating scheduled passenger service, as well as charter and medevac services througho ...

Reeve Aleutian Airways Reeve Aleutian Airways was an airline headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska, Anchorage, Alaska, United States. It ceased operations on December 5, 2000. Reeve Aleutian was named, possibly as a pun on the word revolution, by combining founder Rober ...

* SouthEast Skyways *

Superior Oil The Superior Oil Company was an American oil company founded in 1921 in Coalinga, California, by William Myron Keck, Superior Oil began as a drilling contracting firm and grew into the exploration and production of oil and natural gas. In 1930 the ...

* Sun Oil Co. (Sunoco) * Teufel Nurseries * The Texas Company (Texaco) *

Tuthill Corporation Tuthill may refer to: People with the surname *Anna Tuthill Symmes or Anna Harrison (1775–1864), wife of President William Henry Harrison and grandmother of President Benjamin Harrison *David Tuthill Jennings (born 1952), former American footbal ...

Virgin Islands Seaplane Shuttle Virginity is a social construct that denotes the state of a person who has never engaged in sexual intercourse. As it is not an objective term with an operational definition, social definitions of what constitutes virginity, or the lack thereof ...

Webber Airlines Webber may refer to: * Webber Lake, California, a lake in Sierra County, California * Webber, Kansas, a US city * Webber Township, Jefferson County, Illinois, USA * Webber Township, Michigan, USA * Webber International University Webber In ...

Accidents and incidents

;19 November 1943: Grumman JRF-2 of

Port Heiden Port Heiden (Alutiiq: ) is a city in Lake and Peninsula Borough, Alaska, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city is 100, slightly down from 102 in 2010. Geography and climate Port Heiden is located at (56.948949, -15 ...

, Alaska (USCG), crashed with three crewmen and one passenger missing. It was found in 1987. ;13 March 1947: A Grumman JRF-6B of

with a pilot and seven passengers crashed immediately after takeoff on Hvammsfjörður by the town of

Búðardalur Búðardalur () is a village situated on the Hvammsfjörður in the north-west of Iceland. The village also lies at the north-eastern end of the Snæfellsnes peninsula and is part of the municipality of Dalabyggð. Búðardalur had about 270 inh ...

in Iceland. The pilot and four passengers evacuated the plane and were rescued by a boat, but one of those passengers later died. Three of the original seven passengers died in the crash. ;21 August 1958: N720 crashed in the

Brooks Range The Brooks Range (Gwich’in language, Gwich'in: ''Gwazhał'') is a mountain range in far northern North America stretching some from west to east across northern Alaska into Canada's Yukon Territory. Reaching a peak elevation of on Mount Isto, ...

, near the upper

Ivishak River The Ivishak River is a tributary of the Sagavanirktok River in the North Slope Borough of the U.S. state of Alaska. Fed by glaciers at the headwaters, the Ivishak flows northeast, then northwest, through the Philip Smith Mountains and the nort ...

, in Alaska, killing U.S. Fish and Wildlife Agents Clarence J. Rhode and Stanley Fredericksen, and Clarence's son Jack. The crash site was not found until August 23, 1979. ;27 January 1961: A JRF-5 of the French Navy crashed, killing Admiral Pierre Ponchardier and five others. This accident led the French Navy to retire all of their Grumman JRF-5 Gooses in the spring of 1961.JRF-5 Goose
Retrieved: February 26, 2012. ;30 July 1971: One person was killed and one was injured when a Grumman G-21A taking off from the airport in

Greenville, Maine : Greenville is a New England town, town in Piscataquis County, Maine, Piscataquis County, Maine, United States. The population was 1,437 at the 2020 United States Census, 2020 census. The town is centered on the lower end of Moosehead Lake, the ...

experienced engine malfunction during takeoff. The NTSB determined the probable cause to be the pilot's lack of familiarity with the plane and fuel mismanagement. ;22 June 1972 : N1513V of

was written off at

False Pass, Alaska False Pass () is a city on Unimak Island, in the Aleutians East Borough, Alaska, Aleutians East Borough of southwestern Alaska, United States. Although the population was marked 397 including seasonal fish processing plant workers at the 2020 U ...

."N1513V."
''NTSB''. Retrieved: December 19, 2009."accident."
''NTSB''. Retrieved: December 19, 2009. Note: States 1970 as year!? ;25 August 1978: All 11 people aboard a Webber Airlines seaplane were killed when the Grumman Goose crashed on as it was preparing to land at Labouchere Bay on Prince of Wales Island after a flight from

Ketchikan, Alaska Ketchikan ( ; ) is a city in and the borough seat of the Ketchikan Gateway Borough on Revillagigedo Island of Alaska. It is the state's southeasternmost major settlement. Downtown Ketchikan is a National Historic Landmark District. With a p ...

. ;2 September 1978: Charles F. Blair Jr., former Naval Air Transport Service and Pan American Airways pilot and husband to actress

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was an Irish-born naturalized American actress who became successful in Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural redhead who was known for playing passionate b ...

, was flying a Grumman Goose that belonged to his company, Antilles Air Boats, from St. Croix to St. Thomas in the

U.S. Virgin Islands The United States Virgin Islands, officially the Virgin Islands of the United States, are a group of Caribbean islands and a territory of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located ...

when it crashed into the ocean due to failure of the left engine. He and three passengers were killed; seven passengers were severely injured. ;24 July 1984: Grumman Goose G-21A, Serial # B-114, Registration: N 2021 A, Hal’s Air Service, Piloted by Hal Dierich, Four Fatalities including pilot. Collision with water in the narrow strait NW of Monashka Bay near Ouzinkie, Kodiak Island, AK. ;15 February 2005: A 1939 Grumman Goose G-21A, registered N-327, crashed around 9:30 am in a field on Route 14A near

Penn Yan, New York Penn Yan is an incorporated Village (New York), village and the county seat of Yates County, New York, Yates County, New York (state), New York, United States. The population was 5,159 at the 2010 census. It lies at the north end of the east bran ...

after an engine failure simulation went wrong. The plane fell rapidly, with the left wing hitting the ground first, before the badly damaged plane burst into flames on impact. Pilots Paul and Daryl Middlebrook, both of Penn Yan, escaped serious injury. The plane, originally owned by the

, had starred in the 1980s ABC television series

Tales of the Gold Monkey ''Tales of the Gold Monkey'' is an American adventure drama television series broadcast in prime time on Wednesday nights by ABC from September 22, 1982, to June 1, 1983. Debuting the year following the release of ''Raiders of the Lost Ark'', ...

as ''Cutter's Goose''. ;3 August 2008: A Grumman Goose of

with seven passengers and crew crashed during a flight from

Port Hardy Port Hardy is a district municipality in British Columbia, Canada located on the north-east tip of Vancouver Island. Port Hardy has a population of 3,902 as of the 2021 census. It is the gateway to Cape Scott Provincial Park, the North Coast Tr ...

to Chamiss Bay. The aircraft was completely destroyed by fire. There were only two survivors."5 dead in B.C. plane crash."
''TheGlobeAndMail.com''. Retrieved: December 19, 2009. ;16 November 2008: A Grumman Goose of

with eight passengers and crew crashed on South Thormanby Island near

Sechelt Sechelt (, Sechelt language, shíshálh Language: ch'atlich) is a district municipality located on the lower Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), Sunshine Coast of British Columbia. Approximately northwest of Vancouver, it is accessible from ma ...

off British Columbia's

Sunshine Coast Sunshine Coast may refer to: * Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia **Sunshine Coast Region, a local government area of Queensland named after the region **Sunshine Coast Stadium * Sunshine Coast (British Columbia), geographic subregion of the Br ...

in bad weather during a flight from Vancouver International Airport to

Toba Inlet Toba Inlet is one of the lesser, but still principal, inlets of the British Columbia Coast. It is fourth in the series north from the 49th parallel which begins with Burrard Inlet, which is the harbour for the city of Vancouver. Between it and J ...

, BC. Only one passenger survived. The company resumed floatplane operations on November 19, 2008."7 dead in plane crash off B.C. coast."
''CBC News'', 16 November 2008. Retrieved: December 19, 2009. Viewable: https://web.archive.org/web/20121103203609/http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/british-columbia/story/2008/11/16/bc-081115-plane-crash.html ;27 February 2011: A turbine Goose, N221AG, crashed in the

United Arab Emirates The United Arab Emirates (UAE), or simply the Emirates, is a country in West Asia, in the Middle East, at the eastern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is a Federal monarchy, federal elective monarchy made up of Emirates of the United Arab E ...

when it veered immediately after takeoff."Plane crash kills 4 in UAE"
''CNN News'', February 28, 2011. Retrieved: February 28, 2011. ;17 June 2014: A Grumman G-21A Goose lost control in a snowstorm over the

Montana Montana ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is bordered by Idaho to the west, North Dakota to the east, South Dakota to the southeast, Wyoming to the south, an ...

Idaho Idaho ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest and Mountain states, Mountain West subregions of the Western United States. It borders Montana and Wyoming to the east, Nevada and Utah to the south, and Washington (state), ...

border and crashed into the parking lot of the Lost Trail Ski Area near the summit of

Lost Trail Pass Lost Trail Pass is a mountain pass in the Rocky Mountains of the northwestern United States, on the border of Idaho and Montana in the Bitterroot Mountains. The pass is at an elevation of above sea level and is traversed by U.S. Highway 93. Th ...

, subsequently catching fire. The plane was completely destroyed, and the pilot, who was the only occupant of the plane, was killed. ;18 December 2023: A Grumman Goose operated by Wilderness Seaplanes crashed shortly after takeoff from

Bella Bella, British Columbia Bella Bella, also known as Waglisla, is the home of the Heiltsuk and is an unincorporated community and Indian reserve community located within Bella Bella Indian Reserve No. 1 on the east coast of Campbell Island (British Columbia), Campbell ...

on its way to

, British Columbia. The plane was transporting the pilot and four fish farm workers. All survived with minor injuries.

Aircraft on display

;Canada * B-77 – G-21A in storage at the

Canada Aviation and Space Museum The Canada Aviation and Space Museum () (formerly the Canada Aviation Museum (''Musée de l'aviation du Canada'') and National Aeronautical Collection (''Collection aéronautique nationale'')) is Canada's national aviation history museum. The m ...

Ottawa, Ontario Ottawa is the capital city of Canada. It is located in the southern Ontario, southern portion of the province of Ontario, at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the cor ...

. ;Indonesia * PB-521 – G-21A on static display at

Suryadarma Air Force Base Suryadarma Air Force Base is one of the Indonesian Air Force bases on Java. Formerly known as Kalijati Airfield (Van Ophuijsen Spelling System, alternatively spelled as Kalidjati), it is located in the village of Kalijati, in the ''kabupaten'' o ...

Subang Regency Subang Regency (; ) is a regency (''kabupaten'') in West Java province of Indonesia. The Regency is bordered by the Java Sea in the north, Indramayu Regency in the east, Sumedang Regency in the southeast, West Bandung Regency in the south, and ...

West Java West Java (, ) is an Indonesian Provinces of Indonesia, province on the western part of the island of Java, with its provincial capital in Bandung. West Java is bordered by the province of Banten and the country's capital region of Jakarta to t ...

. ;Sweden * 37810 – JRF-5 under restoration for static display at the

Swedish Air Force Museum The Swedish Air Force Museum () is located at Malmen Airbase in Malmslätt, just outside Linköping, Sweden. Malmen is where Baron Carl Cederström, nicknamed the "Flyer Baron" founded his flying school in 1912. Malmen Airbase is home to the Roy ...

in Linköping, Östergötland. ;United States * 1048 – G-21A on static display at the

Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center The Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center, also called the Udvar-Hazy Center, is the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum (NASM)'s annex at Dulles International Airport in the Chantilly area of Fairfax County, Virginia. It holds numerous exhibits, ...

of the

National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum (NASM) of the Smithsonian Institution is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States, dedicated to history of aviation, human flight and space exploration. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, ...

Chantilly, Virginia Chantilly is a census-designated place (CDP) in western Fairfax County, Virginia, United States. The population was 24,301 as of the 2020 census. Chantilly is named after an early-19th-century mansion and farm, which in turn took the name of an ...

. * 1086 – G-21A on static display at the

National Naval Aviation Museum The National Naval Aviation Museum, formerly known as the National Museum of Naval Aviation and the Naval Aviation Museum, is a military and aerospace museum located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. Founded in 1962 and moved to its cur ...

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

. * 1157 – G-21A under restoration for static display at the Tongass Historical Society in

. * B-102 – G-21A on display at the

Alaska Aviation Museum The Alaska Aviation Museum, previously the Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum, is located on Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage, Alaska. Its mission since 1988, is to preserve, display, and honor Alaska's aviation heritage, by preserving and disp ...

Anchorage, Alaska Anchorage, officially the Municipality of Anchorage, is the List of cities in Alaska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Alaska. With a population of 291,247 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, it contains nearly 40 percent of ...

. * B-122 – G-21A on static display at the

Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum The Evergreen Aviation & Space Museum is an independent, 501(c)(3) non-profit, aviation museum in McMinnville, Oregon. Its exhibits include the Hughes H-4 Hercules (''Spruce Goose'') and more than fifty military and civilian aircraft, unmanned ...

McMinnville, Oregon McMinnville is the county seat of and the most populous city in Yamhill County, Oregon, Yamhill County, Oregon, United States at the base of the Oregon Coast Range. The city is named after McMinnville, Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States cens ...

. * B-130 – G-21A on static display at the Historic Aircraft Restoration Project in

Brooklyn, New York Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

. * Reproduction – G-21A on static display at the

Cradle of Aviation Museum The Cradle of Aviation Museum is an aerospace museum located in the East Garden City section of Uniondale, New York on Long Island, established to commemorate Long Island's part in the history of aviation. It is located on land once part of ...

Garden City, New York Garden City is a village located in Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York, United States. The population was 23,272 at the time of the 2020 census. The Incorporated Village of Garden City is primarily located within the Town of Hempstead ...

Specifications (JRF-5 Goose)

Media appearances

Notes

Bibliography

* Ablitzer, Fabrice. "Round-Out". ''

Air Enthusiast ''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to ''Air International'' magaz ...

'', No. 79, January/February 1999. p. 79. . * Donald, David, ed. ''American Warplanes of World War II''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1995. . * Francillon, René J. and Gary L. Killion. "Sauce for the Goose – turbine style". ''

Air International ''AIR International'' is a British aviation magazine covering current defence aerospace and civil aviation topics. It has been in publication since 1971 and is currently published by Key Publishing Ltd. History and profile The magazine was fir ...

'', July 1993, Vol. 45, No 1, pp. 53–57. Stamford, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0306-5634. * * Green, William. ''War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Five Flying Boats''. London:Macdonald, 1968. . * * * March, Daniel J., ed. ''British Warplanes of World War II''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1998. . * Niccoli, Riccardo. "Pottuguese Numerology: Serial systems used by the Aeronautica Militar and the Força Aerea Portuguesa". ''

'', May–June 1998, No. 75. pp. 33–40. . * * Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. ''United States Navy Aircraft since 1911''. London: Putnam, Second edition, 1976. . * Thruelsen, Richard. ''The Grumman Story''. New York: Praeger Publishers, Inc., 1976. . * Winchester, Jim, ed. "Grumman Goose/Mallard." ''Biplanes, Triplanes and Seaplanes (The Aviation Factfile)''. Rochester, Kent, UK: Grange Books plc, 2004. .

External links

Goose Central database
{{Authority control 1930s United States civil utility aircraft 1930s United States military utility aircraft Aircraft first flown in 1937 Amphibious aircraft Flying boats

Goose A goose (: geese) is a bird of any of several waterfowl species in the family Anatidae. This group comprises the genera '' Anser'' (grey geese and white geese) and '' Branta'' (black geese). Some members of the Tadorninae subfamily (e.g., Egy ...

High-wing aircraft Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft Aircraft with retractable conventional landing gear