Seaplane Sunday

Photo: U.S. Coast Guard (public domain) via Wikimedia Commons.

The Albatross served USAF/USN/USCG as a SAR amphib from 1949–1970s; many fly on with private owners and museums.

Designed by Grumman as a rugged air-sea rescue amphib, the HU-16 (SA-16/UF-1) first flew in 1947 and entered service in 1949. It earned a reputation for seaworthiness and long-range SAR capability, flying with USAF, USN, and USCG, and numerous allies. For a concise overview, see the wiki entry (production 1949–1961; 466 built; long-span B/UF-2 conversions from 1955).

Ref: Wikipedia summary and specs. :contentReference[oaicite:0]{index=0}

---

The type still appears at shows and in private operations. Recent sightings and updates include:

• Italy (Apr 2025): One of the most pristine flying Albatrosses made a surprise landing at Bresso Airfield; coverage published May 5, 2025. :contentReference[oaicite:1]{index=1}
• USA road trip (Summer 2025): ITPS Canada blog chronicled an HU-16 “Albatross Road Trip 2025.” :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}
• Oshkosh 2025: Enthusiast reports noted N3HU getting its “feet wet” on Lake Winnebago during EAA AirVenture (July 23). :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}
• Restoration work: New England Air Museum and others share ongoing HU-16 preservation updates. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4}
• “Field of Albatrosses” (Mar 2025): AOPA profiled a private collection relocating seven airframes to Missouri. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}

---

For Wind & Wireless, the HU-16 is our “chapter template” for Skylab-style missions: bay/river ops training, weather & RF mapping, remote cargo / med-support, and STEM outreach. Opportunities we’re tracking:

• Airshow fly-ins: Boulder City / Lake Mead and seaplane splash-ins for community demos (target: 2026 season).
• Museum partnerships: Joint restoration days + cockpit tours (e.g., NEAM / local CA museums like Castle & Yanks have HU-16s on display). :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}
• Data missions: Bay-to-Delta waterway transects: WX soundings, AIS/RF survey, comms tests for disaster-relief playbooks.