Canoe, Hunt, Fish, and Fly, by Otter

A couple of days back we saw the tragedy unfold as a Grumman Mallard suffered catastrophic failure and plummeted into the sea. Today we see a video of the Mallard's little sister, the Grumman Goose. The Grumman Goose is a great flying boat with a long "storied" history. Many of these aircraft still ply the British Columbia coast and elsewhere to this day. It was one of the original water-bombers, as bags of water would be dropped manually from it's "bow-hatch" over a fire. I have information that the sequence in this video was a "landing" gone bad. After watching it myself, I believe it was a "take-off" gone bad. The aircraft is in a confined area, and I believe the pilot was planning on being "on the step" and then making a turn and continuing the take-off through the channel. As you can see, the "sponsons" are 2/3 of the way up, which would give him more wing angle as he makes his turn. If he were landing, the sponsons would have been down. As he makes his turn, he just "digs" too much, and loses control. Quite a sight to see, especially if you were one of the viewers from the beach!

VIDEO - Grumman Goose "Gets Cooked"!

*** CHECK THIS OUT ***

This is a reproduction of the specification sheet that was part of the original promotional package sent out in 1936 when the Goose was first marketed. The original resides in the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum archives.
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October 1st., 1936

SPECIFICATIONS
THE GRUMMAN "G-21" AMPHIBIAN AIRPLANE DATA ["7500" in handwriting]

Airplane Type: 6 Place Amphibian Monoplane
Number of Engines Used: Two
Length: 38' 3"
Span (Wing): 49' 0"
Height Overall (Tail on Ground): 12' 2"
Wing Area: 375 sq. ft.
Hamilton Fixed Pitch Metal propellers: Yes ["Contr." in handwriting]
Wing Landing Flaps: Yes
Cabin Soundproofing: Yes
Fuselage Material: All Metal
Wing Material: All Metal Structure
Empennage, except movable surfaces: All Metal
Rudder and Elevators: Metal Fabric Covered
Ailerons: Metal Fabric Covered
Flaps: All Metal
Shock Absorber Units: Bendix

AIRPLANES PERFORMANCE

(With Full Gross Weight)
Cruising Speed @ Sea Level: 150 MPH
Landing Speed @ Sea Level (Flaps Down): 60 MPH
Cruising Range @ 150 MPH: 500 Miles

ENGINE DATA

Engine Make: Pratt & Whitney
Engine Type & Cooling System: Radial Aircooled
Number of Cylinders: Nine
Engine Model Number (Direct Drive): Wasp Jr. "S.B."
Engine Blower & Compression Ratio: 10 to 1; 6 to 1
Engine Overall Diameter: 45 3/4 inches
Engine Bore: 5 3/16 inches
Engine Stroke: 5 3/16 inches
Engine Displacement: 985 cu. in.
Engine H. P. @ R. P. M. for Take-off: 450 H.P. @ 2,200 R. P. M.
Engine Fuel Required for Above: 80 Octane
Engine H. P. for Cruising (Max. Recm'd.): 300 H. P. @ 2,200 R. P. M. @ 9,600 ft.
Engine Fuel Required for Above: 80 Octane

AIRPLANE WEIGHT DATA

Airplane Gross Weight: 6900 lbs. ["7500" in handwriting]
Airplane Gross Weight Empty (with Standard Equipment): 4856 lbs. ["5032" in handwriting]
Airplane Useful Load: 2044 lbs. ["2418" in handwriting]
Passengers (Four): 680 lbs.
Crew (Two): 340 lbs.
Baggage: 100 lbs.
Maximum Oil Capacity (12 gallons): 84 lbs.
Maximum Fuel Capacity (140 gallons): 140 gallons {"1200" in handwriting]
Wing Loading (Wing Area 375 sq. ft.): 18.4 lbs ["20.0" in handwriting]
Power Loading (400 H. P. per Engine): 8.65 lbs/H. P. ["9.37" in handwriting]


STANDARD EQUIPMENT GENERAL

1 Hull, complete with windshield, windows, forward entrance hatch on bow, rear entrance door on left side of hull, and emergency exit hatch in window on right side of hull.
1 Wing, complete with engine nacelles, and statically and dynamically balanced ailerons.
1 Wing Flap system.
1 Fin, non-adjustable.
1 Rudder, statically and dynamically balanced.
1 Stabilizer, non-adjustable.
2 Elevators, statically and dynamically balanced with controllable tabs.
1 Surface Control System (Dual Wheel Type).
1 Landing Gear, mechanically retractable, complete with brakes (pilot's side only) and Bendix struts and wheels.
1 Tail Wheel, retractable with landing gear.
1 Tail Wheel Lock.
2 Pilot's Seats, with safety belts.
1 Floor for passenger cabin and pilot's cockpit.
2 Wing Tip Floats.
1 Mooring Cleat.
1 Cabin and Cockpit Heating System.
1 Cabin Ventilating System.
1 Fuel System, total capacity 140 gallons.
1 Oil system, complete with two tanks of 6 gallons capacity each.
1 Engine Control System.
1 CO2 Fire Extinguisher System (5 lbs.) of approved type (Two engine type).
1 Pyrene (quart) for passenger cabin.
4 Ash trays.
4 Reclinable Passenger Chairs, with safety belts.
2 Passenger Cabin Apparel Nets.
2 Cabin Lights.
1 First Aid Kit, approved type.
1 Set shatterproof Glass or equivalent for windshield & cabin windows.
1 Set sound insulation.
1 Set Cabin wall & top upholstering.
1 Set Seat Upholstering.
1 Pilot log book, 2 engine log books, 1 Aircraft log book.
2 Sets baggage compartment hold-down straps.
1 Northill Anchor.
1 Mooring or Anchor Line.
2 Map Case pockets or containers in pilots' cockpit.
4 Seat pockets in passenger cabin.
*1 Set Erection & Maintenance Instructions.

GUARANTEES

1. All speeds guaranteed within three (3%) per cent.
2. All weights guaranteed within three (3%) per cent.

INSTRUMENTS

1 Compass.
1 Altimeter.
1 Airspeed Indicator.
1 Airspeed Indicator Pilot Static Tube.
1 Vertical Speed Indicator.
1 Bank and Turn Indicator Venturi.
2 Manifold Pressure Gages.
2 Engine Gage Units (Oil temp. & press.; fuel press.).
2 Carburetor Air Temperature Gages.
2 Tachometers.
2 Fuel Quantity Gages.
1 Clock.
1 Volt-ammeter.
1 Grumman Landing Gear Position Indicator.

ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT

1 Exide Type 6-AC-7-1 Storage Battery or Equivalent.
1 Master Switch.
1 Scintilla Dual Ignition Switch.
1 Generator Control Box.
1 Set Instrument Board Lights.
1 Landing Light.
3 Navigation Lights.
1 Mooring Light.
1 Landing Gear Warning Light.
1 Complete Set Airplane Wiring.
1 Complete Set Airplane Bonding & Shielding.
1 Complete Set Airplane Conduiting & Junction Boxes.
1 Complete Set Electrical Switches.
3 Radio Headphone Outlets (2 in Pilot's cockpit, 1 in passenger cabin).

POWER PLANT AND ACCESSORIES

2 Pratt & Whitney Wasp Jr. Radial Air Cooled Engines, Model "SB".
2 Hamilton Standard Fixed Pitch Propellers for above engines.
2 Cartridge Type Starters.
1 Generator (15 amp.) shielded.
2 Engine Fuel Pumps.
1 Emergency Hand Fuel Pump.
2 Fuel Strainers.
2 Complete Sets Pratt & Whitney Engine Radio Shielding.
2 Complete Sets NACA Type Engine Cowling -- Inner and Outer.
2 Complete Sets Pressure Type Cylinder Cooling Baffles.
2 Oil Radiators.
2 Stainless Steel Exhaust Collector Rings.
*2 Pratt & Whitney Tool Kits.

*Not included in Weight Empty.
Address All Inquiries to:

GILLIES AVIATION CORPORATION
Hicksville, L. I., N. Y.

Exclusive factory sales representatives for
GRUMMAN AIRCRAFT ENGINEERING CORPORATION
FARMINGDALE, L. I., N. Y.
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Here is what the original looks like..............




Beautiful "old boat", still plying the B.C. Coast. Her 450 HP Pratt and Whitney "Wasp Jr." engines take her on a new adventure every day!