HU-16C Albatross “Erica”

Restored to flying condition

Albatross Arrival: Museum volunteer Dennis Stewart’s fantastic footage from March 8th, 2025.

The Albatross was the last and largest in a series of Grumman flying boats that included the Goose, Widgeon and Mallard. The growth did not completely stop there, however. Although the Air Force’s SA-16A was built with an 80-foot wingspan, starting in 1955 many of these aircraft were remanufactured as SA-16Bs with their wing extended to 96 feet for increased range. The Navy followed suit, having their UF-1s converted to UF-2s. When the Department of Defense consolidated all the military branches’ designations into a single “Tri-Service” system in 1962, both the SA-16s and UFs became HU-16s.

Despite being initially ordered in part for maritime patrol, the main role of the Albatross was search and rescue. As part of the USAF’s Air Rescue Service, it plucked many downed airmen – 47 during the Vietnam War alone – from the ocean after they had been forced to bail out of their aircraft by enemy fire. Some of these rescues took place within range of shore based defenses and at least one Albatross was lost as a result. This was not the only risk, as even in peacetime it was not uncommon for aircraft to be unable to take off due to heavy seas or damage from rough landings. In one case, it even resulted in an aircraft taxiing over 50 miles back towards port.

A solution to the former problem came in the form of rocket assisted takeoff, or RATO bottles. Four of these devices could be fitted to the rear hatches to provide a short period of increased thrust to permit takeoff from ocean swells. Another unusual version of the Albatross, called a “Triphibian”, came equipped with skis in the floats and an extendable keel that allowed it to operate off of snow in addition to land and sea.

The Albatross was well equipped for the search and rescue mission, having an APS-31 radar either in a nose mounted thimble radome or, on early aircraft, a pod hung from the left wing. Inside, the standard seats could be removed and replaced with racks for litters and a platform that attached to just below the rear door to aid entry into the aircraft from the water. Other features included a hatch in the top of the rear fuselage large enough for a replacement quick engine change to be craned in and even a sink and small toilet in the rear compartment.

In addition to the Air Force and Navy, the Albatross was also used by the Coast Guard – earning it the rare distinction of being operated by three different branches of the U.S. military. Known as the “Goat”, it performed yet many more rescues. Unfortunately, it was determined that the long wing conversions limited the life of the spar to 11,000 flight hours and preparations were begun to phase out the aircraft.

It was only in 1983 that the last Albatrosses operated by the Coast Guard were retired, bringing an end to 33 years of service with the U.S. armed forces. An anti-submarine variant called the SHU-16B with a larger nose radar had been sold to various foreign countries and the last of these aircraft would only be retired by Greece in 1993.

However, many aircraft continued on in civilian service. Although they saw their most widespread use by Chalk’s International Airlines, the most famous example is probably “Hemisphere Dancer”, the personal ride of singer Jimmy Buffet.

Military History

The HU-16 on display was accepted by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) on 29 October 1951 as an SA-16A, 51-017. Two weeks later, the aircraft was delivered to Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho where the newly established 581st Air Resupply and Communications Wing was undergoing training. The unit, which included twelve B-29s, four C-119s and four SA-16A, departed for Clark Air Base in the Philippines in July 1952.

A detachment of aircraft was then sent to Yongdong Air Base. Once it had arrived in theater, the unit was charged with conducting clandestine flights in support of Central Intelligence Agency operations. The aircraft, painted black with red lettering, inserted undercover agents, dropped propaganda leaflets and delivered supplies to partisans operating behind enemy lines.

In October 1954, following the cessation of hostilities on the Korean Peninsula, the Wing became a group, “Communications” was dropped from the name and it was transferred to Kadena Air Base in Japan. 51-017 remained there until January 1958, when it was given to the 129th Air Resupply Squadron, later 129th Troop Carrier (Medium) Squadron.

In November 1960, the aircraft was transferred to the U.S. Navy – in the process becoming a UF-1, Bureau Number 149836. After a short period of rework, it was assigned to NAS Patuxent River in Maryland on 31 May 1961. Its time in the Navy was limited, however, and by July of 1963 the then redesignated HU-16C was moved back into storage at NAF Litchfield Park in Arizona.

Civil History

The aircraft’s first civilian owner was a private boneyard in Tucson, Arizona called Allied Aircraft Sales which had purchased it on behalf of Grumman. Grumman had rebuilt a series of Albatrosses for civilian owners such as Chalk’s International Airlines. Based on its subsequent ownership by three different companies in the Miami area, 51-017 was part of this plan. However, it appears to have never left Arizona. Instead, it remained there until the early 2010s. By then the aircraft had been sold to a Delta Airlines captain named Tom Casey and restored to airworthy condition. Tom flew the aircraft for a number of years before it was eventually donated to the museum in early 2024. After several maintenance trips, it was ferried to the museum on 8 March 2025.