Scanned from a print

"Golden West" overpainted. Photo by Steve Kraus.

Photo by Steve Kraus.

Built as a JRF-5 for the USN in 1942, this Goose was registered N1523V in 1955. In 1958/59 it was converted by Kaman to become the only K-16 tilt-wing experimental aircraft with YT58 turboprops for VTOL/STOL development work. Ground runs were carried out here at Windsor Locks in 1960 and in 1962 it was flown aboard a C-133 to Moffett Field for wind-tunnel tests. After return it was never flown. Given to the museum in 1965, by 1975 it had been restored and had its huge props fitted after 2000, but these have been removed again. The C-124 and C-133 behind were both destroyed in the 1979 tornado.

Photo by Steve Kraus.

Photo by Steve Kraus.

Operated by Catalina Seaplanes. Now preserved at Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum as NC702A. Photo by Steve Kraus.

At rest on the top of the slipway at its Sproat Lake base on Vancouver Island. Bird dog spotter plane for the two Martin Mars flying boat fire bombers of Forest Industries Flying Tankers stationed on the lake. Constructed as a US Navy Grumman JRF-5, BuNo 84806. Became N62899 in 1952. Joined Forest Industries Flying Tankers as CF-VFU in 1967, changing to C-FVFU in 1979. Flew for European Coastal Airlines of Croatia from 2002 until 2006. Became C-FMXW in 2015, then N345GG in 2022.

Rebuilt from JRF-5 c/n B-62 in 1969. Sold in the US as N77AQ in December 1984. Bob Kerr photo

Sold in Fiji as DQ-FDQ in September 1982. Returned to New Zealand in in December 1984, Sold in Australia as VH-ENY in November 1989. Bob Kerr photo

(photographer not known)

Later re-registered as VH-MBA. Was intended to serve the Yakuave Resorts, but the deal fell through. Ex US Navy, Royal Navy, Bay Valley Air Service, Alaska Coastal Airlines, Alaska Airlines and Kodiak Airlines before migrating to the warmer South Pacific (photographed by G. Bühlmann)

Thanks to the Airport Manager, flew with him and the owner from the water at Lake Hood to the runway at Talkeetna for a burger break. Returned to the Lake Hood but could not get ashore at the entry slipway. Had to water-taxi across to the Government Dock and take the road round the Lake back to the hangar. Wonderful experience !!

Sitting outside its Pacific Coastal base hangar at Port Hardy Airport on the northern tip of Vancouver Island BC

Sitting outside its Pacific Coastal base hangar at Port Hardy Airport on the northern tip of Vancouver Island BC.