Grumman Widgeon (oz7795)

About this Plan

Grumman G-44 Widgeon. Radio control scale model twin-engined flying boat. Wingspan 70in, for 2x .45 engines and 4 or 5 channel radio. Uses a foam core wing.

Quote: "The story of this model goes back to the summer of 1966. My family was vacationing on Cape Cod. We arrived late on a Saturday night and checked in to our cottage. Next morning, I stepped out on the beach. There was a beautiful sight - a cove, about a half mile across, which looked like a small round lake. The water was a mirror in the dead calm air. Why didn't I build a floatplane - I cursed - or at least an RC boat - I raged. A modeler's instincts to pursue his hobby seem to be sharpened when away from home. That summer I had to settle for learning to sail. Don McGovern's articles and 'All Wet' column only made it worse.

As soon as I got home, I ordered a set of Gee-Bee floats and stuck them on my VK Cherokee (oz4075). The ship flew beautifully and I can remember no greater modeling thrill than the first successful water take-off. Don described this ship in the 'All Wet' column of Flying Models. After many fun flights and splashes, the Cherokee finally bit the concrete at Mitchell Field, but not before inspiring some of the LIDS to try hydro-flying.

My next hydro ship was a Lanier Bronco with the same Gee-Bee floats. I flew this ship at the 1967 Brimfield and Suffolk Falcon's meets. At the Suffolk Falcons' meet, I won three prizes, which I attribute to proportional radio gear and lack of competition. These were the first places I ever won at an RC contest. Again this ship was retired after a bout with solid ground, but I still have the floats! It is amazing how much punishment a model airplane can take, as long as it crashes only in the water. Incidentally, I flew hydro during my 1967 vacation. The Bronco was the first thing packed and was flown and splashed at Echo Lake in the Poconos.

What does this have to do with the Widgeon you ask; Well once bitten by the waterbug you never recover. Like many modelers my first love is scale. I had been doing research on a P-38 for two years, to be built if I ever learned to fly. But in March 1967, after I had already been bitten, American Modeler printed an article, with 3-view, on the Grumman Widgeon. That did it! Who could resist? Here was my ideal - a twin engined scale job that could be flown off land or water! The P-38 was hastily set aside and research begun on the Widgeon.

The first move was to send for a copy of the original 3-view, which was twice the size as that in the magazine and hence easier to scale up. You can get a set for $1.50 from Paul R Matt, Historical Aviation Album, PO Box 33, Temple City, Calif 91780. I recommend the American Modeler Article and Volume V of the Historical Aviation Album for scale detail, color schemes and markings. My ship was white with red trim and black markings. Areas below the water lines are also black. The Grumman Public Relations Department provided a set of six 8-1/2 x 11 in glossy prints of Widgeons in various markings and attitudes. These can be obtained cost-free from Grumman Aircraft Engineering Co, Public Relations Department, Bethpage, Long Island, New York.

Additional pictures and data can be obtained from the book 'Flying Boats' which is volume five of the series 'War Planes of the Second World War' by William Green (Doubleday, 1962). I called Don McGovern and he advised against the Widgeon because of its stubbiness. Don suggested the PBY Catalina with its longer hull and big wing, but that had been done. He also suggested leaving in the scale up-thrust.

I kicked around the scale to use for some time. There were many governing factors, such as being able to completely enclose the engines in the scale Ranger cowling; a reasonable wing area, without an unreasonably big hull; the size of my station wagon, which dictated a wingspan no greater than six feet; the size of my drawing board, which meant limiting the hull to 60 in length; the cost of balsa wood; the AMA 15 lb rule; the 1.25 cubic inch rule and so on. Also hopefully, the ship should be able to fly with two .29 engines at 10 lbs., so a lightly built one could compete in the FAI RC scale event.

I selected 1-3/4 in = 1 ft size as being the best compromise. The span and area seemed adequate, since twin float jobs with this area at 10 lbs, took off easily with only one muffled .60. To get extra scale points and aid in take-offs if necessary, it was decided to use operating flaps. Two Enya .60's fit neatly into the cowlings and there was room for 10 oz tanks. Logictrol II seven channel gear allowed flaps and also possibly retractable gears and brakes. Another possibility was inde-pendent throttles, to give scale-like taxiing. The full scale ship had no water rudder..."

Direct submission to Outerzone.

Update 11/07/2016: article pages, text & pics added, thanks to RFJ.

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