HU-16 Albatross

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HU-16 Albatross
Restored Navy UF-1/HU-16C BuNo 131906, built June 1953
Role	Flying boat
Manufacturer	Grumman
First flight	1949
Introduced	1949
Primary user	US Air Force
Produced	1949-1961
Number built	466

The Grumman HU-16 Albatross is a large twin-radial engine amphibious flying boat. Originally designated SA-16, it was renamed HU-16 in 1962.

Contents 1 Design and development 2 Operational history 3 Variants 4 Operators 5 Survivors 6 Specifications (G64) 7 See also 8 References 9 External links

[edit] Design and development

The Albatross was designed to be able to land at sea in open ocean situations in order to effect the rescue of downed pilots. Its deep-V cross-section and substantial length helped make it possible for it to land in wavy conditions.

Since it weighs over 12,500 pounds, pilots must have a type rating in order to act as pilot or co-pilot on board the Albatross. There is a yearly Albatross fly-in at Boulder City, Nevada, where Albatross pilots can renew their type ratings.

[edit] Operational history

The majority of Albatrosses were used by the U.S. Air Force, primarily by the Air Rescue Service. The USAF utilized the SA-16 extensively in Korea, where it gained a reputation as a rugged and seaworthy craft. Later, the HU-16B (long-wing variant) Albatross was used by the U.S. Air Force's Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service in the Vietnam conflict. The HU-16D Albatross was used for United States Navy Search And Rescue and "skunk runs" on Guam during the Vietnam War at NAS Agana. Goodwill flights were also common to the surrounding Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands in the early 1970s. Open water landing and takeoff training using JATO was conducted frequently at Apra Harbor, Guam. The aircraft was also operated by the United States Coast Guard for many years.

In 1970, Conroy Aircraft marketed a remanufactured HU-16A with Rolls-Royce Dart turboprop engines as the Conroy Turbo Albatross, but only the single prototype (registration N16CA) was ever built.

Many surplus Albatrosses were sold to civilian operators, mostly to private owners, but Chalk's International Airlines flew five examples on scheduled services from Florida to various points in the Bahamas, landing in lagoons and other water strips.

[edit] Variants

• XJR2R-1 - Prototype designation, two built.
• HU-16A (originally SA-16A) - USAF version
  • HU-16A (originally UF-1) - Indonesian version
  • HU-16B (originally SA-16A) - USAF version
  • SHU-16B (modified HU-16B for Anti-Submarine Warfare) - export version
• HU-16C (originally UF-1) - US Navy version
  • LU-16C (originally UF-1L) - US Navy version
  • TU-16C (originally UF-1T) - US Navy version
• HU-16D (originally UF-1) - US Navy version
  • HU-16D (originally UF-2) - German version
• HU-16E (originally UF-1G) - US Coast Guard version
• HU-16E (originally SA-16A) - USAF version
• G-111 (originally SA-16A) - USAF version
• CSR-110 - RCAF version

[edit] Operators

•  Argentina
•  Brazil
•  Canada
•  Chile
•  Republic of China
•  Colombia
•  Germany
•  Greece
•  Iceland
•  Indonesia
•  Italy
•  Japan
•  Malaysia
•  Mexico
•  Norway
•  Pakistan
•  Peru
•  Philippines
  • Philippine Air Force
•  Portugal
•  Spain
•  Thailand
  • Royal Thai Navy
•  United States
  • US Air Force
  • United States Navy
  • United States Coast Guard
•  Venezuela

[edit] Survivors

• HU-16B, AF S/N 51-5282, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. This was USAF's last operational HU-16. On 4 July, 1973 it established a world record for twin-engine amphibians when it reached 32,883 feet. Two weeks later it was flown to the Air Force Museum. ^[1]
• Jimmy Buffett's Hemisphere dancer, now the centerpiece of Universal Studios' Margaritaville Cafe in the Orlando, Florida.
• Restored Navy UF-1/HU-16C, Navy Bureau Number (BuNo) 131906, originally built June 1953
• Swimwear manufacturer Billabong operates a well-equipped Albatross for surf touring.
• Quiksilver also operates a similarly-equipped Albatross for surf touring.
• Several private owners have Albatrosses equipped with sleeping quarters which can be used as an airborne recreational vehicle (sleep-aboard), either at an airport or on the water.
• HU-16B Albatross, AF S/N 51-7163, at Castle Air Museum (former Castle AFB, Atwater, California
• Two HU-16B's of the Hellenic Air Force are on display at Dekelia (Tatoi) Air Base, north of Athens.
• An HU-16E of the United States Navy (BuNo 141266) and an HU-16E of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG 7236) at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Florida. These aircraft were the last operational HU-16s in their respective services.

[edit] Specifications (G64)

General characteristics

• Crew: two, pilot and co-pilot
• Capacity: up to 30 passengers
• Length: 62 ft 10 in (19.16 m)
• Wingspan: 80 ft 0 in (24.4 m)
• Height: 25 ft 10 in (7.8m)
• Wing area: 883 ft² (82 m²)
• Empty weight: 20,000 lb (9,100 kg)
• Max takeoff weight: 33,000 lb (15,000 kg)
• Powerplant:
  • 2 or 4× 15KS1000 rocket, 1,000 lb_f () each
  • 2× Wright R-1820-76 Cyclone 9 radial engine, 1,425 hp (1,063 kW) each
• *Fuel Capacity :1,075 gal plus 2-300 US gal drop tanks (4,000 L plus 1,100 L drop tanks)

Performance

• Maximum speed: 205 knots (236 mph, 380 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 130 knots (150 mph, 241 km/h)
• Range: 2,477 nm (2,850 mi, 4,587 km)
• Service ceiling 21,500 ft (6,553 m)
• Additional lift utilizing two or four RATO 15KS1000 units with 15 seconds of solid propellant.

Armament

None

[edit] See also

Related development

• Grumman Goose
• Grumman Mallard
  

Comparable aircraft

• Canadair CL-215
• Bombardier CL-415
• PBY Catalina
• Harbin PS-5
• ShinMaywa US-1
• ShinMaywa PS-1
  

[edit] References

• Production listing, source for Variants section

[edit] External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: HU-16 Albatross

• HU-16 history, including other designations
• The Grumman Albatross Site
  • List of all Albatrosses ever produced, and their current status
• Historical Aircraft page on Northrop Grumman Web Site
• Summary at Coast Guard Historian's site
• Flight from Ashiya, a 1964 movie which centers on three crewmembers of a USAF Air Rescue Service HU-16 Albatross and various experiences in their collective pasts. Aircraft sequences are generally considered quite good, especially for fans of the Grumman Albatross.

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