Large Seaplane in Broads

[Pricestavern]

Anyone see the large seaplane practicing landings and takeoffs in the Broads near Diamond and Rattlesnake this afternoon between 11 and 1pm? Twin engine, floats on wings...anyone know what kind of aircraft it was? I'll see if I can upload video I've taken of it once I can figure out how to flip the video right-side up (looks like it's taking off in Australia).

[cowisl]

it was doing the same thing Saturday evening

[Convertible Girl]

That plane is awesome, it landed right in front of us over at Steamboat island. The people on board then got off and had a picnic out on the plane, they had lots of onlookers while they were out there.

[granitebox]

According to Flightaware that tail number belongs to:

1951 GRUMMAN G-21A
Fixed wing multi engine
(8 seats / 2 engines)

based in Rocky Hill, CT

[Resident 2B]

This is what a G21 looks like when out of the water. These are designed for the air and the water. Nicknamed the goose.

http://cdn-www.airliners.net/aviatio.../1/1562126.jpg

[ITD]

I believe it is owned by the Collings Foundation, which has a facility in Stow MA. Check out this facebook entry.....

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=750588175003254

[rgilfert]

....some pictures to a long since dormant thread! These shots were taken from Rattlesnake Island looking NW at about 6:00 PM on Aug 23 and they capture the seaplane doing repetitive "touch & Goes" out in the Broads. I can not explain the difference in tail numbers with the picture posted above.

[rick35]

I saw a twin engine take off on the east side of Bear back in August. I think it was the one in the first photo. This photo is of a newer plane.

[Broken Glass]

Originally Posted by rgilfert

....some pictures to a long since dormant thread! These shots were taken from Rattlesnake Island looking NW at about 6:00 PM on Aug 23 and they capture the seaplane doing repetitive "touch & Goes" out in the Broads. I can not explain the difference in tail numbers with the picture posted above.

My wife and I were on our way back to Rattlesnake that evening in August. When I spotted the Goose, I chopped the engine in the boat so that I could listen to those beautiful radial engines. When the plane got closer, I was shocked to see the aircraft had been retrofitted with newer engines. The turbofans looked cool, but they just don't have the beautiful sound that one would expect from a pair of radials clawing for air. She is a beautiful airplane none the less.

[rick35]

Here's a link to this airplane:

http://www.jetphotos.net/viewphoto.php?id=7893241

There's a photo of the plane taken at Pease airport on Aug 28. Its registered to TCC Air Services of Greenwich CT.

[rick35]

Here's another link about that plane (serial number J-34). It has quite a history. Its been to a lot of places since 1948. Winnipesaukee may be the least interesting.


http://www.mallardaviation.com/history.htm

[JRossetti]

I was fishing in Chestnut cove that night and headed out to ship island and watched them for a while. Awesome plane

[rick35]

Check out the interior... Awesome plane!

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...6449333&type=3

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Convertible Girl

Attachment 9780 That plane is awesome, it landed right in front of us over at Steamboat island. The people on board then got off and had a picnic out on the plane, they had lots of onlookers while they were out there.

This aircraft above has radial (round) engines. The aircraft I saw didn't have radial engines (by the sound) but had skinnier, and more powerful engines. It flew over me three times. I'm not questioning the occurrence(s) on Lake Winnipesaukee, but only one of these planes can be the subject aircraft!



I spent a lot of time yesterday trying to figure out the differences between Grumman's models Duck, Goose, Mallard, and Albatross, but only confused myself through the many YouTube distractions on the Internet.

I tried counting windows, but that's a variable on these aircraft.

The Albatross is the largest. The Mallard is smaller than the Goose, according to this site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=py8IOqM-Z8A.

Since that wasn't helpful, I tried for "empty weight". The Widgeon looks small and weighs a small 3,189 pounds. The Mallard weighs 3,969 pounds, The Goose weighs 6,700 pounds, and the huge Albatross weighs 22,883.

The "Duck" was an early military amphibian, suitable for launching off Navy cruisers. My Dad said he flew a Duck with "beaching gear"—for land-based operations—and said "That plane almost killed me!". (And returned to me the two books on the Duck I had just bought the day before).

My Dad also "dodged a bullet" when he piloted for Chalk's Ocean Airways to the Bahamas/Miami. Management upgraded their Mallard to turboprops about the time he thought he'd retire for good. Not long afterwards, one of Chalk's Mallards crashed shortly after takeoff, with a loss of all 20 people. The reason given was that the extra power stressed the wing root, a crack developed, was unintentionally hidden with sealer—the stress fatigued the metal—and the wing broke off.

Now I see a link to the tail number N380GB, and so it is a Mallard, after all. Tail number N985R belongs to the Grumman Goose with the radial engines (pictured first).

[Rusty]

Originally Posted by ApS

Since that wasn't helpful, I tried for "empty weight". The Widgeon looks small and weighs a small 3,189 pounds. The Mallard weighs 3,969 pounds, The Goose weighs 6,700 pounds, and the huge Albatross weighs 22,883.

The Mallard only weighs 3,969 pounds? Hard to believe by looking at the images of it.

[JRossetti]

http://vid124.photobucket.com/albums...psc91911f0.mp4
Hopefully this video works from that night.

[Phantom]

Took QUITE a while for it to load for me ..... so be patient !!

It does load as a Quick Time movie



.

[Newbiesaukee]

It loaded instantaneously on my iPad. Thanks.

[MGWillia]

loaded right up on the iPhone.. Not so much on my laptop. Nice vid

[cowisl]

Originally Posted by rgilfert

....some pictures to a long since dormant thread! These shots were taken from Rattlesnake Island looking NW at about 6:00 PM on Aug 23 and they capture the seaplane doing repetitive "touch & Goes" out in the Broads. I can not explain the difference in tail numbers with the picture posted above.

This just literally landed right in front of our house.

[ApS]

Originally Posted by Rusty

The Mallard only weighs 3,969 pounds? Hard to believe by looking at the images of it.

"Canadian Measure".