I’ve been trying to find information on a single engine float or seaplane from World War II. It had a huge pontoon that was blended to the fuselage. I believe it was a low wing monoplane with a multiple person crew. It was so ugly, it was cool. it was so big it had a hatch in the fillet area between the fuselage and the pontoon.
Anybody no what aircraft I’m talking about and if there are any 1:48 scale models available.
I’m pretty sure it’s not the Grumman J2F or the Kingfisher.
The J2F was a biplane, while the OS2U had the float seperate from the fuselage. I believe what you are thinking about is an amphibian which was built late in the war by Columbia Aircraft. Don’t remember the designator, but only a few were built and was never used operationally.
You might be referring to the Curtiss S03C Seamew. It certainly fits the description of an ugly float plane. Czech Model has it kitted in 1/48, but it’s a tough build.
Went and dug out Grumman JF Duck Mini by Squadron. Perhaps what you are thinking of is the XJL-1. Columbia took over manufacture of the JF series (J2F-6) in 1943. In addition, at the same time, Grumman, Columbia and the Navy decided to design and build a replacement aircraft for the J2F-6 known as the JL-1. Mounting a 1350 hp Wright R-1820-56 in a fuselage which retained the JF/J2F design features, (albeit somewhat larger) it had squared off tail surfaces, a mid fuselage mounted single wing, retractable trycycle landing gear and carried a crew of two w/4 passengers carried 4 passengers in a compartment in the aft end of the float (entered thru a hatch just aft of the port wing). Only two were built and one flown (1946). Placed in storage and sold as surplus in 1959 (N42505 and N42507). Nobody seems to know what eventually became of them.
Thanks for the replies folks. My memory is fuzzy [%-)] about this plane so I’m not sure if we’ve found it yet.
I am sure it is not the Kingfisher or the Curtiss SC-1 Seahawk or S03C Seamew and I’m pretty sure it’s not the XJ-1 (from the pix on the link given by Cardshark).
Maybe it is the 5/6 Duck, but I’d swear it was a monoplane. I remember seeing it in an episode of the Baa Baa Black Sheep TV show from the 70’s. Does anyone know if there is any kind of link out there on the web which has info on the aircraft used in the show?
How’s about a PBY Catalina ? I seem to recall one from the Show, but it’s been years since I watched it. Monogram had one in 1/48 but it’s OOP. Academy makes a pretty nice one in 1/72. Another possibility is the Grumman JRF Goose. Czech Model also has this one in 1/48. These are both multi-engine rather than single, but we’ve covered the single engines I can think of.
Wish I would’ve known it was the Duck. That’s more common than any of those wierd floatplanes we mentioned…The only kit of it I’ve seen is the Special Hobby J2F in 1/48…Squadron doesn’t have it, I saw it at my LHS.
