Widgeon's and Kodiak Island

[CoastieJohn]

I came across this website tonight. If you're a Grumman fan and like Alaska, you may like the vintage pictures here. Of special note are 1951 pics of an S-43 (N16934) on Kodiak. There are some other non-Grumman float plane pics too. It does show a pic of PBY that was supposedly pulled out of swamp up there in 2004.


http://www.tanignak.com/More%20Amphibia ... ntures.htm

[ALOHADAVE]

Anybody got info on the fate of that PBY?

[helinut]

That pby was airlifted out of its crash location in the early 80,s 82 or83 in that time period and was nick named the queen of Dago lake.

[Invader26]

How about the Widgeons of Auckland NZ..?

[The Inspector]

I just about choked on coffee reading about dealing with the Feds back at Igloo Puk (first nations reference for 'the big government house' in D.C.) after the Good Friday quake. My dad went to Anchorage for the SBA as bulding were still quivering after the quake, '6-10 weeks' turned into 23 years in ANC, He dealt with post quake disaster loans and once flew to Kodiak. A couple months later he gets a phone call from some bean massager in D.C. wanting to know why he flew to 'Kode eye ack' instead of using a motorpool car since it was only 300 miles. My dad listened to this clown rant about 'excessive unnecessary costs' when he paused my dad simply said 'it's an Island' there was a pause and a 'click' and the line went dead.

[DH82EH]

Thanks for the link. Some really cool shots.

Great story Inspector.
I deal with lots of people, who sit behind desks, with easy solutions for everything!

Andy Scott

[Mr Widgeon]

That pby was airlifted out of its crash location in the early 80,s 82 or83 in that time period and was nick named the queen of Dago lake.

The Queen of Dago Lake has resided at the Alaska Aviation Museum since it's recovery.

[CoastieJohn]

That pby was airlifted out of its crash location in the early 80,s 82 or83 in that time period and was nick named the queen of Dago lake.

The Queen of Dago Lake has resided at the Alaska Aviation Museum since it's recovery.

On the Museum website, they just call it "The Queen".

[Mr Widgeon]

How about the Widgeons of Auckland NZ..?

What about them ?
Of the 6 that were used down there, 3 crashed and were written off and the remaining 3 are complete, but all are in bits & pieces in storage.
Until recently the remains of all 6 were in the hands of Owen Harnish, but I understand the collection has been sold off.
One of them is currently being restored to airworthy condition, with a second being considered.
They will not be used for commercial service though.

[StangStung]

I'd like to hear more about the recovery of the Sikorsky.

[The Inspector]

I'd like to hear more about the recovery of the Sikorsky.

I remember seeing the forward fuselage sitting in a backyard in Clam Gulch near ANC when I lived there in 1967, later it was moved to the museum facility @ PANC, so it has been recovered (all or parts) for nearly 50 years or more.
It was one of two operated by R.A. 'Bob' Reeve (you've never met a more ornery, abrasive, and confrontational man than Bob, on his best behaviour he was 40 grit garnet paper) and it sat on the tide flats on Cook Inlet for many years before the fuselage was 'rescued' by a guy who thought it would make a 'swell' fishing boat (except for the fact it was very top heavy) anyone else have more to add to this out in the open mystery?

Last edited by The Inspector on Fri Feb 07, 2014 6:59 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Mr Widgeon]

I'd like to hear more about the recovery of the Sikorsky.

I remember seeing the forward fuselage sitting in a bakyard in ANC when I lived there in 1967, later it was moved to the museum facility @ PANC, so it has been recovered (all or parts) for nearly 50 years or more anyone else have more to add to this out in the open mystery?

All they have is the forward hull section, it had been used as a houseboat.
Nothing else is known to exist, it was scrapped ages ago.

[RMAllnutt]

I'd like to hear more about the recovery of the Sikorsky.

In the early eighties, Gary Larkins recovered a complete S-43/JRS-1 from a lake in Alaska where it had been abandoned for many years. This aircraft is now on display at Pima. A quick google should give you more details. I remember him explaining it took some negotiation with the locals to allow its removal.

Cheers,
Richard

[Chris Brame]

Ran the numbers on that red Norseman N1047N, and it doesn't seem to be around anymore. Last info I found was from accident-report.com where it was apparently run into by a C-45F at Nakner AFB, Alaska on May 28, 1951. No pilot was listed on the Norseman, so I imagine it was a ground collision.

[CoastieJohn]

Ran the numbers on that red Norseman N1047N, and it doesn't seem to be around anymore. Last info I found was from accident-report.com where it was apparently run into by a C-45F at Nakner AFB, Alaska on May 28, 1951. No pilot was listed on the Norseman, so I imagine it was a ground collision.

Ooops! I bet someone was PO'd after that.