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Grumman G-21 Goose
First flown in 1937, the G-21 Goose was Grumman's first single-wing aircraft, its first twin-engine aircraft, and its first aircraft used as a commercial airliner. Capable of alighting on water or land, this remarkable aircraft has served for many decades in a variety of roles that have confirmed the strength and durability of its original design.
The G-21 was designed as an "air yacht" for wealthy New York businessmen, so they could commute from their homes on Long Island to their Manhattan offices. It soon found a market as an airliner, military transport, and utility aircraft. After World War II, small airlines in Alaska, the Caribbean, and California adopted G-21's. This Goose flew with several airlines before the Naval Aviation Museum acquired it and later transferred it to the Smithsonian. Buehler Aviation Research of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, restored it. |