Alaska based with the US Army as 55-3296 from 1956 - 73, this Otter was donated to the Fairbanks School District as a ground trainer. The University of Alaska acquired it in 1975 registered N90422 to operate for the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory. Donated to the yet to open Pioneer Air Museum in 1987, the aircraft was too tall to fit in the museum when it opened and the aircraft was traded for a Norseman in 1992. Sold to Kenmore Air, it was converted to a Vazar Turbine Otter. It has had several advertising schemes, with this one for the Emerald Queen Casino & Hotel being the latest.

Taxiing serenely out of the mouth of the Campbell River for takeoff in the open waters of Discovery Passage. Photographed twenty years earlier at Fairbanks, Alaska before turbine conversion as shown here

Coming off the step passing Tyee Spit, on a landing run well into the mouth of the Campbell River.

Put out to grass by the University of Fairbanks, which operated it from 1975 as N90422, in support of the Navy Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL). Still showing signs of its original military markings. Built in 1956 and delivered as U-1A 55-3296 to the US Army, which deployed it on operations in Alaska. Sold in 1993 and converted to a Vazar Turbine Otter with Kenmore Air, in whose service it has continued ever since. I have photographed it in operation again several times in its later life as seen here

Built in 1956. Converted to a Vazar Turbine Otter in 1993. Now a long-serving member of Kenmore Air's fleet. Seen here returning home to base at Seattle's Kenmore Air Harbour on a summer evening in 1999, even at that time more than forty years old.

Promoting Vancouver Island's famous Butchart Gardens 100th anniversary.

Some passengers would be worried, I think, if they found out that their aircraft was 62 years old, and was actually given to a museum 31 years ago! As a U-1A, 55-3296, it served with US Army aviation in Alaska until 1973, then as N90422 'Miss Piggy' for the Naval Arctic Research Laboratory (NARL) from 1975 until 1987. With 4346 hours on the clock, the Otter was converted to turbine in 1993, and celebrated its 25th anniversary with Kenmore in the summer of 2018.

The seaplanes were coming in behind the Museum of History & Industry this beautiful afternoon.