Planetags Grumman G-21A Goose-N88821

The Grumman Goose was an American-made amphibious aircraft manufactured between 1937 and 1945. It was Grumman Aviation’s first twin-engine plane, first monoplane to fly, and its first plane to be used as a commercial airliner. The Goose was capable of ascension from land or sea, and proved to be a versatile and sturdy design. Although it was initially imagined as a commuter aircraft for wealthy New Yorkers, it later found its identity in other uses, namely as a military transport and utility aircraft during World War II. After the war, its versatility gave it new life with small local airlines in Alaska, California and the Caribbean. 345 G-21s were produced.

Our G-21A Goose, N88821, was built in 1942 and is the 157th of 345 total Gooses produced. It was delivered to the 6th Air Force/644 Command and served until 1945. After the war, N88821 joined Ellis Air Lines of Alaska and for a time was refitted for water-only operations. Over the years, ‘821 changed hands several times, both disassembled and assembled, before resurrecting once more as C-FEFN and flying the British Columbia coast for the rest of its working career. This Goose racked up an amazing 34K-plus flight hours in grueling all-saltwater operations for nearly 50 years. MotoArt received original material from the restoration of Ole ‘821 and has created a lasting memento honoring the tough and versatile Goose.