The Grumman G-44 Widgeon is a small, five-person, twin-engined,
amphibious aircraft. It was designated J4F by the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and
Coast Guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a maritime security organization of a particular country. The term embraces wide range of responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to ...
and OA-14 by the
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 r ...
and
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 ...
.
Design and development
The Widgeon was originally designed for the civil market. It is smaller, but otherwise similar to
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 1994 ...
's earlier
G-21 Goose
The Grumman G-21 Goose is an amphibious flying boat designed by Grumman to serve as an eight-seat "commuter" aircraft for businessmen in the Long Island area. The Goose was Grumman's first monoplane to fly, its first twin-engined aircraft, and i ...
, and was produced from 1941 to 1955. The aircraft was used during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
as a small patrol and utility machine by the US Navy, US Coast Guard, and
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
's
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
.
The first prototype flew in
1940
A calendar from 1940 according to the Gregorian calendar, factoring in the dates of Easter and related holidays, cannot be used again until the year 5280.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
January
* Januar ...
, and the first production aircraft went to the US Navy as an
antisubmarine aircraft. In total, 276 were built by Grumman, including 176 for the military. During World War II, they served with the US Navy, Coast Guard,
Civil Air Patrol, and Army Air Force, as well as with the British Royal Navy, which gave it the service name Gosling.
Operational history
United States Coast Guard
![Grumman J4F-1 V212 USCG Pensacola NAS FL 15](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Grumman_J4F-1_V212_USCG_Pensacola_NAS_FL_15.12.02R_edited-2.jpg)
On August 1, 1942, a J4F-1 flown by US Coast Guard Patrol Squadron 212 based out of
Houma, Louisiana, and flown by Chief Aviation Pilot Henry White, spotted and attacked a German
U-boat
U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...
off the coast of Louisiana. White reported the submarine sunk, and he was subsequently credited with sinking and awarded the
Distinguished Flying Cross.
However, in June 2001 the wreck of ''U-166'' was found sitting near the wreck of
SS ''Robert E. Lee'' by an oil exploration team; and the sinking of ''U-166'' on July 30 (i.e. two days before the Widgeon flight) is now credited to patrol craft ''PC-566'' escorting the ''Robert E. Lee''.
White's Widgeon is now thought to have made an unsuccessful attack against , a
Type IXC U-boat identical to ''U-166'' that reported an air attack coincident with White's attack. ''U-171'' was undamaged by White's attack, but was sunk four months later in the
Bay of Biscay.
Civil Air Patrol
The sinking of a German U-boat by the
Civil Air Patrol (CAP) was claimed by one of their larger aircraft on 11 July 1942. The Grumman G-44 Widgeon, armed with two depth charges and crewed by Captain Johnny Haggins and Major Wynant Farr, was scrambled when another CAP patrol radioed that they had encountered an enemy submarine, but were returning to base due to low fuel. After scanning the area, Farr spotted the U-boat cruising beneath the surface of the waves. Unable to accurately determine the depth of the vessel, Haggins and Ferr radioed the situation back to base and followed the enemy in hopes that it would rise to
periscope depth
A periscope is an instrument for observation over, around or through an object, obstacle or condition that prevents direct line-of-sight observation from an observer's current position.
In its simplest form, it consists of an outer case with ...
. For three hours, the crew shadowed the submarine. Just as Haggins was about to return to base, the U-boat rose to periscope depth, and Haggins swung the aircraft around, aligned with the submarine and dove to . Farr released one of the two depth charges, blowing the submarine's front out of the water. As it left an
oil slick
An oil spill is the release of a liquid petroleum hydrocarbon into the environment, especially the marine ecosystem, due to human activity, and is a form of pollution. The term is usually given to marine oil spills, where oil is released into th ...
, Farr made a second pass and released the other charge. Debris appeared on the ocean's surface, confirming the U-boat's demise and the CAP's first kill.
Postwar operations
After the war, Grumman redesigned the aircraft to make it more suitable for civilian operations. A new hull improved its water handling, and six seats were installed. In total, 76 of the new G-44As were built by Grumman, the last being delivered on January 13, 1949. Another 41 were produced under license by the (SCAN) in
La Rochelle
La Rochelle (, , ; Poitevin-Saintongeais: ''La Rochéle''; oc, La Rochèla ) is a city on the west coast of France and a seaport on the Bay of Biscay, a part of the Atlantic Ocean. It is the capital of the Charente-Maritime department. Wi ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
, as the
SCAN 30. Most of these ended up in the United States.
McKinnon Enterprises at
Sandy, Oregon
Sandy is a city located in Clackamas County, Oregon, United States, settled 1853 and named after the nearby Sandy River. Located in the foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range, the city serves as the western gateway to the Mount Hood Corridor, ...
, converted over 70 Widgeons to "Super Widgeons". The conversion features replacing the engines with
Avco Lycoming GO-480-B1D flat-six
piston engines, and various other modifications, including modern
avionics
Avionics (a blend of ''aviation'' and ''electronics'') are the electronic systems used on aircraft. Avionic systems include communications, navigation, the display and management of multiple systems, and the hundreds of systems that are fit ...
, three-bladed
propellers, larger windows, improved
soundproofing
Soundproofing is any means of impeding sound propagation. There are several basic approaches to reducing sound: increasing the distance between source and receiver, decoupling, using noise barriers to reflect or absorb the energy of the sound ...
, emergency exits, and increased
maximum takeoff weight
The maximum takeoff weight (MTOW) or maximum gross takeoff weight (MGTOW) or maximum takeoff mass (MTOM) of an aircraft is the maximum weight at which the pilot is allowed to attempt to take off, due to structural or other limits. The analogous ...
. Retractable wingtip floats were optional.
[Taylor 1976, p. 338.]
Variants
![1945GrummanG44](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/37/1945GrummanG44.jpg)
;G-44
:Main production variant, 200 built (serial nos. 1201–1400) including J4F series military variants listed below.
![Grumman G-44A Widgeon](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/96/Grumman_G-44A_Widgeon.jpg)
;G-44A
:Improved postwar production variant with redesigned hull, 76 built (serial nos. 1401–1476.)
;J4F-1
:G-44 for the United States Coast Guard with three seats, 25 built.
;J4F-2
:United States Navy version of the J4F-1 with 5-seat interior, 131 built.
![J4F-Grumman](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e6/J4F-Grumman.jpg)
;OA-14
:Fifteen G-44s impressed into wartime service with the United States Army Air Forces.
;OA-14A
:One new aircraft for the Corps of Engineers.
;Gosling I
:Fifteen J4F-2s transferred to the Royal Navy, later renamed Widgeon I
![GrummanG44A](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/fe/GrummanG44A.jpg)
;SCAN 30
:G-44A Licence-built in France using Metric standards and not Anodized as were original Grumman-built aircraft, 41 built (serial nos. 1–41.)
;PACE Gannet:
Pacific Aerospace Engineering Corporation conversions of S.C.A.N. 30s, powered by
Lycoming R-680-13
The Lycoming R-680 is a nine-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, the first aero engine produced by Lycoming. The engine was produced in two types, the E and B series; both are essentially the same. The B4E was available in a trainer version wit ...
radial engines. Later known as the Gannet Super Widgeon
Operators
Military operators
;
:
Brazilian Air Force operated 14 from 1942 to 1958
;
:
Cuban Navy
The Cuban Revolutionary Navy ( es, Marina de Guerra Revolucionaria) is the navy of Cuba.
History
The Constitutional Navy of Cuba was the navy of Cuba that existed prior to 1959. During World War II, it sank the German submarine ''U-176'' on 15 ...
received four in 1952
;
*
Israeli Air Force
The Israeli Air Force (IAF; he, זְרוֹעַ הָאֲוִיר וְהֶחָלָל, Zroa HaAvir VeHahalal, tl, "Air and Space Arm", commonly known as , ''Kheil HaAvir'', "Air Corps") operates as the aerial warfare branch of the Israel Defens ...
operated two from 1948 to 1949
;
:
Portuguese Navy
The Portuguese Navy ( pt, Marinha Portuguesa, also known as ''Marinha de Guerra Portuguesa'' or as ''Armada Portuguesa'') is the naval branch of the Portuguese Armed Forces which, in cooperation and integrated with the other branches of the Port ...
operated 12 from 1942 to 1968
;
:
Royal Thai Navy
The Royal Thai Navy ( Abrv: RTN, ทร.; th, กองทัพเรือไทย, ) is the naval warfare force of Thailand. Established in 1906, it was modernised by the Admiral Prince Abhakara Kiartiwongse (1880–1923) who is known a ...
operated five in 1951
:
Royal Thai Air Force
"Royal Thai Air Force March"
, mascot =
, anniversaries = 9 April 1937 (Royal Thai Air Force Day)
, equipment =
, equipment_label =
, battles ...
operated five from 1951 to 1956
;
*
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the United Kingdom's naval warfare force. Although warships were used by English and Scottish kings from the early medieval period, the first major maritime engagements were fought in the Hundred Years' War against ...
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is one of the five fighting arms of the Royal Navy and is responsible for the delivery of naval air power both from land and at sea. The Fleet Air Arm operates the F-35 Lightning II for maritime strike, the AW159 Wil ...
;
*
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 r ...
*
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 ...
*
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, mu ...
*
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
*
Civil Air Patrol
;
:
Uruguayan Navy
The National Navy of Uruguay () is a branch of the Armed Forces of Uruguay under the direction of the Ministry of National Defense and the commander in chief of the Navy (''Comandante en Jefe de la Armada'' or COMAR).
History Independence
Unde ...
operated one example from 1943 to 1979
Civil operators
;
*
Mørefly
Mørefly A/S was an airline and general aviation company which operated between 1955 and 1995. Based in Ålesund and later Giske, Norway, it was involved in a wide range of operations, the most dominant being air ambulance services and helicopter ...
;
*
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 ...
Surviving aircraft
Brazil
* 1290 – UC-4F2 on static display at the
Museu Aeroespacial
Museu Aeroespacial is a national aviation museum located in the West Side of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in the Administrative Region of Realengo. The place is known as "the Brazilian Aviation cradle".Ogden (2008)
Address
Av. Marechal Fontenelle, 2000 ...
in
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro ( , , ; literally 'River of January'), or simply Rio, is the capital of the state of the same name, Brazil's third-most populous state, and the second-most populous city in Brazil, after São Paulo. Listed by the GaWC as a ...
.
Canada
* 28 – SCAN-30 airworthy with Mark Williston of
Delta, British Columbia
Delta is a city in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia, Canada, as part of Greater Vancouver. Located on the Fraser Lowland south of Fraser River's south arm, it is bordered by the city of Richmond on the Lulu Island to the north, N ...
.
Portugal
* 120 – G-44 on static display at the
Navy Museum in
Lisbon.
* 129 – G-44 on static display at the
Museu do Ar
The Air Museum ( pt, Museu do Ar) is an aviation museum of the Portuguese Air Force located at Sintra Air Base and with spaces at Ovar and Alverca.
History
The museum dates back to the ''Aero Clube de Portugal'' in 1909 and was created in ...
in
Sintra, Lisbon.
Thailand
* 1449 – G-44A on static display at the
Royal Thai Air Force Museum
The Royal Thai Air Force Museum is located in Don Mueang District, Bangkok, Thailand. It is located on the Phahonyothin Road just to the south of Wing 6 of the domestic terminal of the Don Mueang Airport. It was served by the Royal Thai Air Force ...
in
Bangkok
Bangkok, officially known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon and colloquially as Krung Thep, is the capital and most populous city of Thailand. The city occupies in the Chao Phraya River delta in central Thailand and has an estimated populati ...
.
United States
* 31 – SCAN 30 airworthy with Orlando Financial Corporation in
Bear, Delaware
Bear is a census-designated place (CDP) in New Castle County, Delaware, United States. The population was 19,371 at the 2010 census.
Originally a small crossroads in a rural area, approximately south of Wilmington, the area supported small f ...
. It was used as
De plane! De plane!
"De plane! De plane!", or "The plane! The plane!", is a catchphrase originating from the opening titles of every episode of the U.S. TV series ''Fantasy Island'' (1977–1984). Each episode began with the diminutive Tattoo (played by Hervé Villec ...
in the television show ''
Fantasy Island
''Fantasy Island'' is an American fantasy drama television series created by Gene Levitt. It aired on ABC from 1977 to 1984. The series starred Ricardo Montalbán as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Hervé Villechaize as his assistant, Tattoo. ...
'' where it delivered guests to the island and was put up for at auction in April 2016.
* 1312 – G-44 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 displa ...
in
Anchorage, Alaska.
* 32976 – J4F-2 on static display at the
Pima Air & Space Museum
The Pima Air & Space Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona, is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres (320,000 m²) on a campus oc ...
in
Tucson, Arizona
, "(at the) base of the black ill
, nicknames = "The Old Pueblo", "Optics Valley", "America's biggest small town"
, image_map =
, mapsize = 260px
, map_caption = Interactive map ...
.
* V212 – J4F-1 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 ...
in
Pensacola, Florida.
Specifications (G-44)
See also
References
;Notes
;Bibliography
* Donald, David. ''The Complete Encyclopedia of World Aircraft''. New York: Barnes & Noble Books, 1997. .
* Green, William. ''War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Five; Flying Boats''. London: Macdonald, 1968. .
*
Taylor, John W. R. ''Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77''. London: Jane's Yearbooks, 1976. .
External links
Grumman Widgeon Owners GroupGrumman Widgeon
{{Authority control
Widgeon
The wigeons or widgeons are a group of birds, dabbling ducks currently classified in the genus ''Mareca'' along with two other species. There are three extant species of wigeon, in addition to one recently extinct species.
Biology
There are t ...
1940s United States civil utility aircraft
Flying boats
Amphibious aircraft
High-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1940
Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft