Grumman Widgeon

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The Grumman G-44 Widgeon is a small, six-person, twin-engine amphibious aircraft. It was designated J4F by the U.S. Navy and Coast Guard and OA-14 by the United States Army Air Corps and United States Army Air Forces.

There is an ex-Coast Guard Widgeon on display at the Pensacola Naval Air Museum in Pensacola, Florida.

A G44, Grumman Widgeon, (serial number 1360, registration N17481) on Frazier Lake on the southwest end of Kodiak Island, Alaska. It is primarily used for hauling freight, mail, hunters, fishermen and tourists around Kodiak and the surrounding islands. Here it has just dropped off a group of tourists for a bear viewing excursion.

[edit] History

The Widgeon was originally designed for the civil market. It is a smaller version of the Grumman's earlier G-21 Goose, and was produced from 1941 to 1955. The aircraft was used during World War II as a small patrol and utility machine by the US Navy and by the Royal Navy.

The first prototype flew in 1940, and the first production aircraft went to the US Navy as an anti-submarine aircraft. In total, 266 were built, including 176 for the military. During World War II, they served with the US Navy, Coast Guard and Army Air Force, as well as with the British Royal Navy, who called it the "Gosling".

After the war, the type was redesigned to make it more suitable for civilian operations. A new hull improved its water handling, and six seats were added. A total of 50 of the new G-44A were built. Another 40 were produced in France as the SCAN-30; however, most of these ended up in the United States.

McKinnon Enterprises converted some Widgeons to "Super Widgeons". The conversion features replacing the engines with Lycoming GO-480 flat six piston engines, and various other modifications, such as:

• Modern avionics
• 3-blade propellers
• Larger windows
• Improved soundproofing
• Emergency exits
• Increased MTOW
• Retractable wing-tip floats (optional)

[edit] Operators

[edit] Military operators

•  Brazil
•  Israel
•  Portugal
•  Thailand
•  United Kingdom
•  United States: USAAC, USAAF, US Coast Guard, US Navy
•  Uruguay

[edit] Specifications (G44A)

[edit] General characteristics

• Crew: one pilot
• Capacity: 5 passengers
• Length: 31 ft 1 in (9.47 m)
• Span: 40 ft 0 in (12.19 m)
• Height: 11 ft 5 in (3.48 m)
• Wing area: 245 ft² (22.8 m²)
• Empty: 3,240 lb (1,470 kg)
• Loaded: 4,500 lb (2,041 kg)
• Maximum takeoff: 5,500 lb (2,500 kg)
• Powerplant: 2x Ranger Engine L-440C-5, 200 hp (150 kW) each

[edit] Performance

• Maximum speed: 160 mph (257 km/h)
• Range: 920 miles (1481 km)
• Service ceiling: ft ( m)
• Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (305 m/min)
• Wing loading: lb/ft² ( kg/m²)
• Power/Mass: hp/lb ( kW/kg)

[edit] See also

Related development:

Comparable aircraft:

• Grumman Goose
• Sikorsky S-38
• Sikorsky S-39
• Piaggio Aero P-136 Royal Gull
• Supermarine Walrus

Designation sequence (Grumman): G35 - G44 - G58

Designation sequence (US Navy): JF - J2F - XJ3F - J4F

Designation sequence (US Air Force): OA-11 - OA-12 - OA-13 - OA-14 - OA-15