Grumman Goose PK-AKA en AKB

[g-1reaper]

Heeft iemand info over de beschildering van deze twee machines? Er staat een foto van de AKA in 40 jaar luchtvaart in Indie. Donkere romp, lichte draagvlakken, maar ik zou de kleuren graag willen weten. Lastig om dat te achterhalen, vrees ik...

[grasshopper]

In "Vleugels tegen tropisch blauw" staat de AKA in natural metal finish met wellicht een zwarte registratie. Ik meen wel eens gehoord te hebben dat hij later een blauwe romp had, maar ja, horen zeggen.

[Mindert]

Vo;gens sommige bronnen zijn ze vanwege de Japanse aanval khakigroen geverfd in 1942

[Mindert]

.

[Jos Heyman]

gentlemen

Be carful with the interpretation f photos regarding these four aircraft. Yes, there were two AKAs and two AKBs.
The BPM and NNGPM operated Grumman Goose aircraft before and after the war.
The pre-war fleet included PK-AKA and PK-AKB.
The first PK-AKA was acquired in July 1939. It was leased to the KNILM in November 1941 and was eventually destroyed at Andir on 8 March 1942. PK-AKB, which was acquired in August 1939, was written off at Dobu on 2 February 1942.
It seems these two aircraft had the dark colouring.

After the war two different aircraft were operated as PK-AKA and PK-AKB. Both aircraft were former US Navy aircraft (a JRF-4 and -5 respectively) and they continued service with the BPM until 17 October 1958. It seems these had a metal finish - at least for some time.
They subsequently served with the AURI. One of these was most likely PB-521 that is on display in Kalijati (where it has been incorrectly identified as a Grumman Albatross). As PK-AKA re-appeared on the civilian register in December 1977 as PK-RAM, with the registration PK-LEH also mentioned, it is likely that PB-521 was PK-AKB.

[Stig Jarlevik]

Jos

Interesting details!
I have never heard of any Goose in AURI service before.
PB-521 is quoted as an Albatross G-440 and stored in a Subang hangar in May 1992
Also PK-LEH is unknown to me, do you have more details on that one?

With regard to the colouring of Gooses I would have thought that the basic colour of USN during WW 2 was the dark blue one and that those PK-AKA/AKB would hence have had dark colour upon delivery out of surplus.

Cheers
Stig

[flight]

Another Grumman G-21A Goose which flew for "Mijnbouw Maatschappij Nederlands Nieuw-Guinea" in the periode 1938-1941 was the PK-AES. I've never seen seen a photo of that plane.

[eric7325]

VH-AAZ

VH-AAY

en een mooie site over de Grumman Goose : www.goosecentral.web.officelive.com/default.aspx

[Jos Heyman]

Here is what I got about the pre-war Grumman Gooses:
The BPM and NNGPM operated Grumman Goose aircraft before and after the war.
The pre-war fleet consisted of PK-AER, PK-AES, PK-AKA, PK-AKB and PK-AKR. In addition the registrations PK-AKC and PK-AKD had been reserved for Grumman Goose aircraft but were not taken up.
PK-AER entered service in July 1938 and was previously G-AFCH. It was written off at Sedani on 26 January 1942 although an alternative reference source quotes 26 December 1941 as the date it was destroyed by enemy action at LakeTondano. PK-AES was acquired on 20 June 1939 and was previously registered as VH-AAY. This aircraft was written off on 24 January 1942 at Koepang.
The first PK-AKA was acquired in July 1939. It was leased to the KNILM in November 1941 and was eventually destroyed at Andir on 8 March 1942. PK-AKB, which was acquired in August 1939, was written off at Dobu on 2 February 1942. Finally, PK-AKR, which was previously registered as VH-AAZ was acquired in November 1937 and was later returned to VH-AAZ.
There is also evidence of a Goose captured by the Japanese as Andir.

And here is PK_AES at Andir on 18 Nov 1938, 73 years + 1 day ago

[Andre1967]

Prachtige foto van die PK-AES. Is er iemand die me iets meer over de kleuren kan vertellen waarin deze is geschilderd ? Een kennis van mij wil hem in model na bouwen.