Country of origin:

United States of America

Description:

Four/five-seat light twin-engine amphibian

Power Plant:

Two 149 kw (200 hp) Ranger 6-44O-C5 six-cylinder in-line air-cooled engines

Specifications:

Armament:

One bomb or depth charge under each wing root for anti-submarine patrol operations

History:

The Grumman G-44 Widgeon was a light, twin-engine, high-wing, cabin monoplane amphibian which, in prototype form, flew for the first time in July 1940. The type was aimed at the executive and light transport market, accommodation being provided for five. However, the first production model was purchased by the United States Coast Guard (USCG) as the J4F-1, 25 examples being obtained. It saw service as a three-seat anti-submarine patrol and utility aircraft, becoming the OA-14 with the United States Army Air Force (USAAF), and 135 examples as the J4F-2 with the United States Navy (USN) serving as light utility amphibians.

A total of 176 Widgeons was manufactured during the war years, with 15 of these (serials FP455 to FP469) being supplied to the Royal Navy (RN) under Lend-Lease for communications duties, mainly in the West Indies, between 1943 and 1945. For a time it was known as Gosling while in British service, but finally the Widgeon name was adopted. Military production ended in 1944. Sixteen privately owned aircraft were impressed by the USAAF as OA-14s in 1944. A small number were delivered to the Brazilian Navy.

After the war the type was produced for commercial use with a modified hull for improved water handling. About 50 examples of this new five seat G-44A were manufactured, and a further 40 were built under licence in France as the SCAN 30 with 149 kw (200 hp) Salmson 8 AS-00 engines by the French Societe de Constructions Aero-Navales.

The G-44B was a flying-boat variant with no undercarriage. Most of the French-built aircraft were eventually sold in the United States of America (USA) where they were re-engined with 164 kw (220 hp) Continental W-670 radial engines, many later being fitted with 194 kw (260 hp) Lycoming GO-435-A engines, and a few with 224 kw (300 hp) Lycoming R-680E3 engines, thus becoming known as the Gannet Super Widgeon. McKinnon in the USA also re-engined a number of aircraft with 201 kw (270 hp) Lycoming GO-480-B1D engines and these were known as the McKinnon Super Widgeon.

One G-44 Widgeon was registered in Australia as VH-AZO (c/n 1466 – ex NC86640), being shipped to Australia and assembled at Rose Bay, NSW, before being operated in New Guinea by Australasian Petroleum Corporation (APC) from April 1947 until 1950 when it was sold to Amphibian Airways of Invercargill, New Zealand, where it became ZK-AVM. This aircraft, and a number of other Widgeons, was operated by Tourist Air Travel, Mount Cook Airlines, and Sea Bee Air. In 1965 the Ranger engines were replaced by 194 kw (260 hp) Continental IO-470-D engines.

In 1977 the waterborne operations of Amphibian Airways, were sold to Sea Bee Air, which operated from Mechanics Bay, Auckland. In 1978 the Widgeon ZK-AVM was sold and flown to Sydney but was not registered in Australia and, after a short time at Bankstown, NSW, it returned to New Zealand.

Again in 1987 ZK-AVM was flown to Australia and operated in Queensland as VH-WET from Cairns with Coral Wings on scheduled charter flights in support of a prawn trawling fleet based at Flinders Island on Princess Charlotte Bay, until exported to Papua New Guinea (PNG) in 1994 where it operated as P2-WET. It eventually returned to New Zealand and was placed in storage in Auckland.

Some six Widgeons have operated in New Zealand over the years. Initial operator was Amphibian Airways of Mechanics Bay which obtained a Widgeon (F-OAGX) from Tahiti, this aircraft being shipped to New Zealand and being placed on the register as ZK-BGQ in May 1955 but, on landing on the first flight, a float was broken and required repairs. First commercial flights were VIPs flown to Mansion House at Kawau Island. Many ambulance flights were made into Waiheke Island during this period. On 15 February 1959 it turned over landing at Bucklands Beach, had to be towed ashore and was repaired. Shortly after it commenced regular services to Great Barrier Island.

In 1961 operators considered the Widgeon was under-powered for the services being performed and investigations led to the installation of Continental engines of 194 kw (260 hp).

Eventually all aircraft were converted. Tourist Air Travel took over Amphibian Airways in 1962, having obtained a further Widgeon, ZK-BPX (c/n 1432), which had arrived on board the vessel ‘Kildare’ from South America in December 1959, this aircraft having entered service with Amphibian Airways in January 1960 with a flight from Mechanics Bay to Whenuapai, joining Tourist Air travel in  March 1960. It crashed at Pegasus Bay, Stewart Island, in January 1964 and was withdrawn from service. It has been restored and preserved at the MOTAT Museum in Auckland.

Another aircraft ZK-BAY, also a G-44 (c/n 1362 – ex N9236H, FP462), was obtained in 1952, later joining Tourist Air Travel, but on 24 December 1952 was damaged landing at Queenstown due to a partly extended wheel and was under restoration for some time. The aircraft was written off in a crash off Browns Island on Waitemata Harbour on 24 December 1970.

ZK-CFA (c/n 1439 – ex NC86613, CU-P346, N9096R) joined Tourist Air Travel in June 1963, having been shipped to Auckland on board the vessel ‘Lotte Skou’ and operated with that company, Mount Cook Airlines and Sea Bee Air from Mechanics Bay on Auckland’s waterfront.

In 1965 Tourist Air Travel merged with Southern Scenic Air Services of Queenstown, the new airline having a fleet of 21 aircraft, five of which were Widgeon amphibians, becoming known as ‘The Biggest Little Airline in New Zealand’.

Mount Cook Airlines acquired Tourist Air Travel in January 1968 and the fleet was re-painted, all aircraft having been in the Tourist Air Travel colour scheme.

Two other Widgeons operated with Sea Bee Air, these being ZK-BGQ (c/n 1391) and ZK-CHG (c/n 1356 – ex Bu Aer 37726). Like ZK-BAY, ZK-BGQ was built for the US Navy as a J4F-2 for Coast Guard work, whereas ZK-AVM, ZK-BPX and ZK-CFA were all G-44As built for civil owners.  ZK-CHG operated until 1974 when it was retired.  The type performed countless mercy flights around the Hauraki Gulf and provided vital links with the mainland.

Although the Widgeons suffered their share of accidents, sometimes involving being immersed in salt water, only one was lost in this manner when, as noted, Tourist Air Travel’s ZK-BPX was landing at Pegasus Bay on Stewart Island on 15 January 1964, the pilot inadvertently landing with the undercarriage extended. The aircraft cartwheeled and was destroyed, the wreck later being salvaged and converted to spares.

Eventually Mount Cook Airlines withdrew from amphibious operations in 1976 and ZK-AVM and ZK-CFA, the two survivors, were sold to Sea Bee Air, and later went to Aquatic & Vintage Airways, which eventually became Salt Air.  They were based at Paihia on the north island.

Three Widgeons have survived in storage in Auckland: ZK-CHG, ZK-AVM and ZK-CFA.

An American-registered example N144SL (c/n 1215) owned by the Bank of Utah Trustee, Salt Lake City, Utah, has been under restoration at Ardmore near Auckland.