What happened to the Grumman HU-16 "Albatross?

[Versatile]

The one that was in Tucson at the Bob Hoover Airpark. (not that Bob Hoover) back in the 90's.

[bilwor]

I hope this answers your question, Versatile

Grumman HU-16 Albatross bu no 137911 cn G.384 Identified both as HU-16C & HU-16D. Photo taken at Bob's Airpark (ACEP Inc) Tucson, AZ April 3, 1993 Currrently flying with Cavanaugh Flight Museum as N7027Z

"http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/index.php/component/content/article/85"

"The HU-16D on display, Bureau No.137911 was accepted by the U.S. Navy on November 16, 1954 and assigned to the following locations. 15th Naval District, Naval Air Station (NAS) Coco Solo, Panama, Canal Zone 12/54-6/56. NAS Annapolis, 12/56-5/57. 6th Naval District, NAS Jacksonville,05/57-01/59. NAS Pensacola, Fl, 01/59-05/59. NAS Alameda, 09/59-12/59. 14th Naval District, NAS Midway Island, 12/59-01/62. Fleet Air Western Pacific Repair Activity Naval Air Facility (FAWPRA) Atsugi, Japan 01/62-05/62. Pacific Missile Range Facility at NAS Kwajalein, Marshall Islands 05/62-03/64. NAS Agana, Guam 03/64-10/64. FAWPRA, Atsugi, Japan 10/64-02/65. NAS Agana, Guam 02/65-05/67. FAWPRA, Atsugi, Japan 05/67-09/67. Naval Air Warfare Development Center (NAWD) 09/67-11/67 and Naval Antarctic Support Unit (NASU) 11/67-01/70 at NAS Iwakuni, Japan. NAS North Island, CA, 01/70-02/70. Transferred to Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center, Tuscon, AZ 02/70 then stricken from Navy records May, 1970.

This aircraft was donated to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in 2008."



From Warbirds Directory 2008
G-384 • UF-1 Bu137911 Davis Monthan AFB AZ: wfu, open storage 75/80
(17D) HU-16C offered for disposal: TT 4880 hours 16.4.80
Allied Aircraft Sales Inc, Tucson AZ/ behalf of
Grumman Aerospace Corp, St Augustine FL 9.3.81
N89LH (2 Lynn C. Hunt, Santa Rosa CA
N7027Z refiled as reg. candidate 7.11.88
Air Crane Inc, Opa Locka FL 1.89
Island Flying Boats Inc, Miami FL 4.89/93
South Florida Aviation Investments,
Opa Locka FL 3.93/99
Jay B. Koven, Montclair NJ 2.3.00/08

Any further info or corrections welcome
bill word

[b747cf]

This is N7027Z at Opa Locka airport in the 90's.




Mark Fidler

[bilwor]

After Mark posted his photo of N7021Z I started more investigation. The aircraft he posted was not the same aircraft as I posted. Searching thru Warbirds 2008 I found the following:

G-296 • UF-1 Bu131911 Davis Monthan AFB AZ: wfu, open storage 75/80
HU-16C offered for sale: TT 3063 hours 16.4.80
Allied Aircraft Sales Inc, Tucson AZ/ behalf of Grumman Aerospace Corp, St Augustine FL 9.3.81
N89LH Lynn C. Hunt, Santa Rosa CA 6.87/88
stored Allied Aircraft Sales Inc, Tucson AZ 88
N416C Lynn C. Hunt, Santa Rosa CA 15.9.88/08
flies as "USN 131911/Alameda

The Bureau Number on the side of my photo is 131911 and not 137911 as it appears to be. Check the Warbird Registry and you can see photos as it flies in now. So thanks Mark for posting your photo that allowed me to correct the Id of my photo.

bill word

[b747cf]

Glad it helped.

Mark

[Versatile]

I hope this answers your question, Versatile

Grumman HU-16 Albatross bu no 137911 cn G.384 Identified both as HU-16C & HU-16D. Photo taken at Bob's Airpark (ACEP Inc) Tucson, AZ April 3, 1993 Currrently flying with Cavanaugh Flight Museum as N7027Z

"http://www.cavanaughflightmuseum.com/index.php/component/content/article/85"

"The HU-16D on display, Bureau No.137911 was accepted by the U.S. Navy on November 16, 1954 and assigned to the following locations. 15th Naval District, Naval Air Station (NAS) Coco Solo, Panama, Canal Zone 12/54-6/56. NAS Annapolis, 12/56-5/57. 6th Naval District, NAS Jacksonville,05/57-01/59. NAS Pensacola, Fl, 01/59-05/59. NAS Alameda, 09/59-12/59. 14th Naval District, NAS Midway Island, 12/59-01/62. Fleet Air Western Pacific Repair Activity Naval Air Facility (FAWPRA) Atsugi, Japan 01/62-05/62. Pacific Missile Range Facility at NAS Kwajalein, Marshall Islands 05/62-03/64. NAS Agana, Guam 03/64-10/64. FAWPRA, Atsugi, Japan 10/64-02/65. NAS Agana, Guam 02/65-05/67. FAWPRA, Atsugi, Japan 05/67-09/67. Naval Air Warfare Development Center (NAWD) 09/67-11/67 and Naval Antarctic Support Unit (NASU) 11/67-01/70 at NAS Iwakuni, Japan. NAS North Island, CA, 01/70-02/70. Transferred to Military Aircraft Storage and Disposition Center, Tuscon, AZ 02/70 then stricken from Navy records May, 1970.

This aircraft was donated to the Cavanaugh Flight Museum in 2008."



From Warbirds Directory 2008
G-384 • UF-1 Bu137911 Davis Monthan AFB AZ: wfu, open storage 75/80
(17D) HU-16C offered for disposal: TT 4880 hours 16.4.80
Allied Aircraft Sales Inc, Tucson AZ/ behalf of
Grumman Aerospace Corp, St Augustine FL 9.3.81
N89LH (2 Lynn C. Hunt, Santa Rosa CA
N7027Z refiled as reg. candidate 7.11.88
Air Crane Inc, Opa Locka FL 1.89
Island Flying Boats Inc, Miami FL 4.89/93
South Florida Aviation Investments,
Opa Locka FL 3.93/99
Jay B. Koven, Montclair NJ 2.3.00/08

Any further info or corrections welcome
bill word

Thanks. I don't remember the AC being that torn up or with paint. This AC sat about in the center of the lot facing the SE irrc. My memory might be fading i guess.

[bilwor]

There could have been more than 1 Albatross in the yard at that time. This is the only one I had a photo of. They did move the aircraft around so it could have been at another location in the yard.
bill word

[Versatile]

There could have been more than 1 Albatross in the yard at that time. This is the only one I had a photo of. They did move the aircraft around so it could have been at another location in the yard.
bill word

I could have bought it for scrap prices! Sure i need an Albatross around my neck. Neat AC though. Thanks for the photos.

[Janny287]

Bill Word's photo of 137911 is 137911, if you copy & paste the photo and increase magnification on the white area of the tail you can make out '379' and the nose area '911'

Now the Mark Fidler photo of N7027Z really has me baffled.
Neither 131911 nor 137911 were with the US Coast Guard. I have examined all photos I can find of USCG Albatross at MASDC and I cant find an Albatross that has a the small cross above the front u/c doors. Unfortunately the nose serial number and base name and the MASDC park code have been well removed.
The colour scheme on the engine cowling in nonstandard but could have been sourced from scrap.
The wing tanks are not standard USCG white.
I don't think it is either 131911 or N7027Z.