Grumman HU-16

Grumman HU-16 Albatross
Grumman HU-16E of the US Coast Guard
Type:	Amphibious aircraft
Design country:	United States
Manufacturer:	Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation
First flight:	October 1, 1947
Commissioning:	1949
Production time:	1947 to 1959
Number of pieces:	464

The Grumman HU-16 Albatross is a long-range amphibious aircraft made by the US manufacturer Grumman in the late 1940s. It was developed under the factory designation G-64 as the successor to the Grumman designs Goose , Widgeon and Mallard . In the period from 1947 to 1959, 464 machines were built, which were used in 22 countries. The main users were the United States Air Force , US Navy and the US Coast Guard , who used the HU-16 for search and rescue .

history

The company Grumman began developing the Albatross at its own risk in the mid-1940s. The US Navy then placed the initial order for the construction of two prototypes. Fred Rowley and Carl Alber carried out the maiden flight of the first prototype ( Bureau Number 82852) in Bethpage (Long Island) on October 1, 1947 . In 1949, after acceptance by the US Navy, the two XJR2F-1s (manufacturer designation G-64) were given the designation JR2F-1. During the following development phase the US Navy decided to use the Albatross as an aircraft for anti-submarine combat (ASW) under the designation PF-1A.

The first machines for the US Navy could only be taken over in December 1949, as the latter had since given up the ASW role for the Albatross. After a short time, the Navy realized that the Albatross was too small for ASW use and instead turned to Martin, who developed the significantly larger P5M-1 Marlin for this purpose . Instead, the Navy ordered six UF-1s as multipurpose aircraft.

The USAF had meanwhile also expressed its interest in the Albatross as a search and rescue aircraft (SAR) and ordered 52 SA-16A, of which the first 20 copies (USAF serial numbers 48-588 to 607) in July 1949, before the first Navy machine were delivered. The 32 cells already produced for the original Navy order, which had received the designation PF-1A, were finally completed as the second batch of the USAF variant SA-16A (USAF serial numbers 49-069 to -100). The US Coast Guard received its first of six UF-1Gs from an initial order in March 1952.

The USAF decommissioned its HU-16 in 1973 and handed over 55 machines to the US Coast Guard. The last HU-16E of the Coast Guard were retired in 1983 and those of the US Navy in 1976. The last US Navy machine took over the Smithsonian Institution .

construction

Float under the wing

SA-16A with JATO, 1955 Wiesbaden-Erbenheim

Almost all Albatross were powered by two nine-cylinder Wright R- 1820-76s with 1425 hp each. Exceptions were only six built for Japan, which used two 1525 hp Wright R-1820-82. The engines were tilted upwards by 3 ° in order to keep the adverse effects of splashing, corrosive salt water as low as possible. The engines were equipped with hydraulically operated single-stage two-speed turbochargers . The all-metal three-blade propeller model 43 D 50 with a diameter of 3.34 m was supplied by Hamilton Standard . The fuel supply amounted to 2550 l, but could be increased to 4060 l with float tanks and two additional tanks to 6330 l. For takeoffs in heavier seas (2.4 to 3.0 m and higher), the machine needed start-up missiles (JATO = jet assisted take off), which could be attached to the outside of the center of the rear fuselage section.

For air rescue missions the Albatross had a crew of six; in addition, six to eight rescued people could be taken in. Later the Albatross was also equipped with ten passenger seats or devices for the transport of twelve stretchers. The very good hydrodynamic properties of the design were mainly due to the work of Ralston Stalb.

Versions

US Navy and US Coast Guard until 1962

XJR2F-1

two prototypes, initially called Pelican . The US Navy used the mission identifier "JR" from 1935 to 1955 for utility transport aircraft. For the designation system of the US Navy, see here .

PF

Interim designation for the series version of the JR2F, which was subsequently given the designation UF. 32 PF-1A were ordered from the USAF, where they were designated SA-16A. The US Navy used the mission identifier "P" from 1923 to 1962 for patrol aircraft.

UF

Production version of the JR2F. "U" was the mission identifier for multipurpose aircraft (utility) from 1955 to 1962

UF-1 (ex PF-1): 104 built, 51 of which were converted as UF-2S, while the remaining 1962 were given the designation HU-16C.

UF-1G: six aircraft for the US Coast Guard. Also 28 former UF-1s in the Navy. All converted to UF-2G.

UF-1L: UF-1 with winter equipment, one built. Others were converted from UF-1. Named the LU-16C in 1962.

UF-1T: Five UF-1s converted as crew training aircraft with double controls. 1962 designated as TU-16C.

UF-2S: like UF-1, but with increased wingspan and higher tail unit. 51 UF-1s were converted to UF-2S (also UF-2 for short). 17 machines built directly as UF-2S. 1962 designated as HU-16D.

UF-2G: UF-1G that have been brought up to UF-2S standard. Also 37 former USAF HU-16Bs that were handed over to the US Coast Guard. 1962 designated as HU-16E.

US Air Force until 1962

A-16

The US Air Force used the mission identifier "A" from 1948 to 1962 for amphibious aircraft. Designated as OA-16 in 1947. "OA" stood for observation, amphibian.

SA-16A: First series production for the USAF. 170 built, many of them later converted to SA-16B. 1962 designated as HU-16A.

SA-16B: larger wingspan, enlarged tail unit. 118 originally ordered as the SA-16A but completed to the SA-16B standard. Some as UF-2G to the US Coast Guard, which were eventually handed over to Spain. Many SA-16A were brought to this level. 1962 designated as HU-16B. In 1960 ten US Navy UF-2S went to the USAF as SA-16B.

Common names from 1962

U-16

From 1962 the mission code “U” (utility, multi-purpose) was used for all Albatross variants, “H” stood for search and rescue operations

HU-16A: ex SA-16A

HU-16B: ex SA-16B

HU-16C: ex UF-1

LU-16C: ex UF-1L

TU-16C: ex UF-1T

HU-16D: ex UF-2

HU-16E: ex UF-2G

Others

CRS-110

Royal Canadian Air Force HU-16 .

production

Acceptance of the Grumman Albatross by the USAF, US Navy and US Coast Guard:

version	1949	1950	1951	1952	1953	1954	1955	1956	1957	1958	1959	1960	1961	TOTAL
SA-16A	10	31	57	99	95	8th								300
SA-16A MDAP			1		2	2								5
UF-1 US Navy	1	5			30th	16	21st	22nd	2	6th				103
UF-1 Coast Guard			5	8th	10	6th	1							30th
G-191 Germany										1	4th			5
G-231 Canada												5	5	10
G-262 Japan													6th	6th
TOTAL	11	36	63	107	137	32	22nd	22nd	2	7th	4th	5	11	459

Military users

country	Number and operator	Remarks
Argentina	7 (3 for Fuerza Aerea Argentina , 4 for Commando de Aviación Naval )	in use from 1961 to the early 1980s
Brazil	14 SA-16A from the USAF to the Brazilian Air Force in 1959	Decommissioned in 1980
Chile	6 (3 ex-USAF SA-16 1958 to the Fuerza Aerea de Chile + 3 SHU-16B 1963)	Decommissioned in 1979
Canada	10 G-231 1960/61 to the RCAF	Decommissioned in 1971
Colombia	An SA-16B modified for the Fuerza Aerea Colombiana , but not adopted. Became the 6th Chilean SA-16
Germany	8 for the German Navy (5 G-191s delivered in 1958/59 + 3 ex USAF SA-16A)	Resold in 1972
Greece	15 for Elliniki Aeroporia (1 SA-16B / ASW converted for Greece + 11 ex Norway SHU-16B + 1 ex Spain SHU-16B + 1 HU-16B + 1 HU-16D as spare parts donor)	in use beyond 1991
Iceland	2	The Icelandic Coast Guard leased 2 HU-16Cs in 1969, but they were not taken over as emergency aircraft
Indonesia	15 (1957/58: 8 machines + 2 ex US Navy UF-2 + 4 G-191 ex German Navy + 1 G-262 ex Japan)	5 1991 still in service with the Air Force
Italy	12 (6 ex USAF SA-16A + 6 HU-16A 1965)	The last 5 were retired in 1979
Japan	6 (6 G-262 built in 1961 for the Maritime Self-Defense Force )	5 copies sold to the USA in 1976
Malaysia	2 (delivered as used machines in 1976, 1 with VIP equipment for the Prime Minister)
Mexico	14 (the Navy Air Forces received 4 ex-Canadian CSR-110s + 9 ex-US Navy HU-16C + 1 ex-Canadian civilian G-111 in 1974)	some were still in use in 1991
Norway	20 (the Norwegian Air Force deployed 20 SHU-16B)	Replaced in 1969 by the Lockheed P-3 B.
Pakistan	4 (ex USAF SA-16A, delivered 1958)	Retired in the early 1970s
Peru	5 (3 SHU-16B delivered to Fuerza Aerea Peruana 1963 + ex 2 Norwegian 1970)	in use for 26 years until retirement
Philippines	18 (4 ex USAF SA-16A delivered in the mid-1950s + 4 4 ex USAF HU-16B from the 1970s + 2 ex USCG HU-16E + 2 ex US Navy HU-16C)	some in 1991 still in use by the armed forces
Portugal	3 delivered to the Portuguese Air Force under the MDAP program	Retired in 1962
Spain	15 (5 SA-16A delivered under MDAP in 1954 + 7 HU-16A and HU-16B in the early 1960s + 1 to 3 ex Portuguese HU-16A)	retired in the late 1970s
Taiwan	17 (14 ex USAF SA-16A and 3 HU-16B)	the Air Force of the Republic of China used the Albatross for over three decades
Thailand	2 (ex USAF HU-16B delivered to the Royal Thai Navy in 1968 )	used for SAR tasks until 1981
Venezuela	6 (ex USAF HU-16A probably used by the Venezuelan Sea Air Force )	Retired in 1982

Technical specifications

Parameter	Data (HU-16B)	Data (HU-16D)
overall length	19.16 m	19.18 m
span	29.46 m
height	7.90 m	7.87 m
Wing area	k. A.	96.20 m²
Wing extension	k. A.	9
Empty mass	10,430 kg	10,366 kg (submarine) 9,600 kg (multi-purpose)
Preparation mass	k. A.	11,100 kg (submarine) 10,380 kg (multi-purpose)
Payload	k. A.	4,557 kg (submarine) 6,630 kg (multi-purpose)
normal takeoff mass	k. A.	13,768 kg (submarine) 14,545 kg (multi-purpose)
maximum take-off mass	17,010 kg	15,657 kg (submarine) 17,010 kg (multi-purpose)
Wing loading	k. A.	163 kg / m² (underground hunt) 176 kg / m² (multi-purpose)
Power load	k. A.	5.0 kg / hp (submarine) 5.5 kg / hp (multi-purpose)
Top speed	395 km / h	380 km / h at sea level 420 km / h at 5,000 m altitude
Cruising speed	k. A.	328 km / h at sea level 360 km / h at 5,000 m altitude
Minimum speed	k. A.	119 km / h
Landing speed	k. A.	137 km / h
Climb performance	k. A.	9.3 m / s at 13,600 kg 7.3 m / s at 17,100 kg
Rise time	k. A.	4.5 min at 2,000 m
Summit height	7,500 m	practically 6,550 m, absolutely 7,000 m with one engine 2,835 m
Range	4320 km	normal 2,850 km maximum 4,500 km 5,284 km with overpass
Flight duration	k. A.	maximum 22 h
Take-off distance up to 15 m	k. A.	1,356 m on land 457 m with jump starters 300 m on water with no wind
Landing distance from a height of 15 m	k. A.	670 m
drive	2 Wright R-1820-76A Cyclone with 1,050 kW (1,428 PS) takeoff power each
Additional drive	2 booster rockets to support water starts
crew	3-6	2–4 for transport use, 5–6 for use at sea
Armament	no

See also

• List of aircraft types
• List of Bundeswehr aircraft
• We wait in Ashiya , a feature film in which the main role is played by an albatross .

literature

• Steve Ginter: Grumman HU-16 Albatross - Naval Fighters Number Eleven. 1984, ISBN 0-942612-11-8 .
• Robert F. Dorr: Albatross, amphibious airborne angel. In: AIR International. October 1991, pp. 193-201.
• Don Sims: Out of a lifeboat, into an aircraft - US Coast Guard Aviation. In: AIR International. October 1977, pp. 190-196.

Web links

Commons : Grumman HU-16 Albatross  - Collection of images, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

1. ^ ^{A b} Robert F. Dorr, AIR International October 1991, p. 193.
2. ↑ Statistical Digest of the USAF 1949, p. 164 ff .; 1951, p. 153 ff .; 1952, p. 153 ff .; 1953, p. 185; 1954, p. 70; 1955, p. 80; 1956, p. 91; Francillon, René J .: Grumman Aircraft Since 1929, London 1989, pp. 281 ff.
3. ↑ Ulrich Israel: Grumman HU-16 "Albatross" . In: Illustrated series for type collectors . No. 42 . German Military Publishing House, Berlin 1968, p. 20-22 .