The Widgeon
 

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N1188V, S/N 1355.  This Widgeon was piloted by Vince Daly.  It operated into the 50's around Kodiak and was owned by Alaska Airlines.  This picture was taken at Mission Beach, and Vince is kneeling down on the center section of the plane.

N58847, S/N 1339.  Another air service, Kodiak Airways, owned by Bob Hall acquired this Ranger powered widgeon in the early 50’s.  This was his first widgeon, named “Helen” after his wife.  Notice her name under the pilots window, and the Alaska Flag painted on the bow by its designer Benny Benson who worked for Kodiak Airways.  Unfortunately this aircraft had an engine failure on a trip to Chignik in January 1955 And landed in Hook Bay where the surf destroyed the plane.

N68335 S/N 1231.  This was Kodiak Airways second Widgeon.  It was acquired in the early 50’s, but unfortunately crashed on the Karluk runway January 21^st, 1964.  All useable parts were salvaged, but the hull remained there for years until a private party removed it.

N56198 S/N 1397.  This was Kodiak Airways third Widgeon.  It was also acquired in the early 50’s and flew many hours until it crashed on Crown Mountain late March, 1961.  The wreckage was left to the elements until it was salvaged by a private party years later.

N66432 S/N 1323.  This widgeon started out as Kodiak Airways fourth  Ranger powered plane but was badly damaged in a glassy water landing.  It was shipped to California to be rebuilt and re-engined with Lycoming R-680’s.  They also added the “A” style bow. 

N66432 S/N 1323.  432 returned to Kodiak as a Super Widgeon in 1956.  This plane was not a true SCAN Widgeon, but, looked the same.  It was a G-44 with a G-44A bow, and SCAN engines.  It handled badly, had a lot of mechanical problems, so was sold to a private party in 1959 or 60.  It was reported lost in a crash on the coast of Oregon shortly thereafter.  It whereabouts are unknown.

N2770A S/N 1260.  The fifth Widgeon to join the Kodiak Airways fleet was known as the “Easter Egg”.  It was acquired in the mid 50’s and was one of only 25 “Top Door” Widgeons.  It received its name from its wild Lavender and Turquoise paint scheme, and was widely know as the “Easter Egg” Widgeon.  Sometime during the late 50’s or early 60’s it landed “wheels down” in the Kodiak Channel and sunk.  George Pappas rebuilt the plane and installed Continental engines.  It never returned to Kodiak, but continued to fly around Alaska for many years.  Today it is registered as N212ST and is in the National Museum Of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, Florida.

N199VC S/N 1378.  This is Harvey Flying Services first Widgeon. Purchased in the fall of 1958, they flew it only one year before it was sold.  The new owner wrecked it, and George Pappas rebuilt it.  It will reappear in Kodiak as N141R in 1961.

N141R S/N 1378.  Again purchased by Harvey Flying Service in the fall of 1961, it operated a busy schedule until it was sold to Pen Air in 1963.

N141R S/N 1378.  This is how it looked when it flew for Pen Air in Kodiak.  Pen Air closed the Kodiak leg of its operation in February 2000 and 41R went back to Dillingham.  Pen Air operated this aircraft for nearly 40 Years, and it is now privately owned.

N69067 S/N 1338.  This aircraft came to Kodiak in the 1950’s.  It was flown by Paul Hanson for a large fish processing company.  The plane was purchased by Harvey Flying Service and operated successfully until 1966.  It is now privately owned.

N176MS S/N 1324.  Purchased by Harvey Flying Service in 1963, it operated until 1967.  It then went through a series of commercial and private owners.  It has crashed and been rebuilt several times.  During one of these “Rebuilds” it received an “A” style bow.  It looks like a G-44A but it still has its G-44 S/N.  It is now registered as N144GW.

N28676 S/N 1215.  This plane was one of the few sold directly from Grumman to Pan American Airlines on June 6^th, 1941.  It was then sold to Alaska Airlines March 6^th, 1952. Alaska Airlines sold it to United Airmotive, they sold it to Herman Martin November 24^th, 1953..  He sold it to Kodiak Airways June 1^st 1961 for $24,000.  It survived the 1964 earthquake and tidal wave.  Bob Leonard of Kodiak Airways flew it from the downtown seaplane base up to the Kodiak city strip just before the tidal wave struck.  Kodiak Airways later re-engined 676 with the more powerful Continentals.  The plane was badly damaged in a crash on May 2nd 1969.  It was later rebuilt and would fly again in Kodiak as N85U.  It crashed again in the Channel in Kodiak.  It was sold, shipped out, rebuilt again, ended up being confiscated for running drugs from South America to Florida. The current owner acquired it from the government, and it now resides in Florida registered as N37DF.

N28676 S/N 1215.  This picture was taken in front of the Kodiak Airways hangar in the early 1960s.

N28676 S/N 1215. This was taken at the Kodiak Municipal Airport in the Summer of 1964.

N23456 S/N 1270.  This Widgeon has a very interesting history. It was declared war surplus November 4^th, 1946, and sold to Washington Fish & Oyster Co. for $10,000 to service their canneries around Alaska.  It was then NC58832.  Gren Collins purchased it May 27^th 1948 for $12,000.  He used it for about 4 years, and then sold it to Alaska Airlines.  They only used it for a short time, and sold it to Rainy Pass Lodge who changed the N number to N79905.  In 1962 it was sold to Northern Consolidated Airlines who changed the N number to N23456.  April 20th 1964 N23456 became the property of Kodiak Airways.  It was re-powered with the Continental engines, and used on Kodiak Island until the early 70’s when it went to Majuro in the Marshall Islands. It flew around there until 1988 when it was sold to Bill Brunton in the Bahamas.  It made its way back to the U.S. in the 90’s and was owned by Classic Wings Inc. who sold it to Kenny Ashby in Anchorage, Alaska.  It is currently owned by Tod Dickey and is beautifully restored living in Phoenix, Arizona.

N23456 S/N 1270.  This picture was taken in the 70’s before it went to Majuro in the Marshall Islands. It has the more powerful Continental engines.

N91040 S/N 1267.  This Widgeon joined the Kodiak Airways fleet in the summer of 1964.  This was another “Top Door” plane which proved very popular because you could get larger pieces of freight  through the door in the top of the fuselage.  Kodiak Airways also changed the engines to the more powerful Continental fuel injected version which were 260 h.p. compared to the stock engines that were 200 h.p.  It flew for a lot of years around Kodiak, and is now privately owned.

N91040 S/N 1267.  Here it is as a Kodiak Airways “Super Widgeon” as it looked in the 70’s landing at Lilly Lake.

N9311R S/N 1340.  Kodiak Airways bought 11R from Dean Franklin Enterprises in late 64 or 65.  It crashed on 11-20-67 in Sharatin Bay in bad weather, and was  then sold.  It is now restored and privately owned. 

N85U S/N 1215.  This Widgeon was rebuilt at the Kodiak Western hangar at Lilly lake.  It was finished in the spring of 1975.  It retains the hull and serial number of N28676.  This Widgeon was built as a Continental Super Widgeon and flew as a Kodiak Western plane for only 10 months before being wrecked and sunk in the Kodiak channel.  The remains were raised and sold.  The aircraft was rebuilt and is now privately owned.

N85U S/N 1215.  Another shot of 85U taking off from the Channel in Kodiak

N86616 S/N 1442.  This Widgeon joined the Kodiak fleet in the early 70’s.  It was the only McKinnon Super Widgeon that Kodiak Western ever had.  All of the pilots that flew it liked it better than the Continental powered Super Widgeons.  Unfortunately it was wrecked in Karluk in the late 70’s.  It has been salvaged and is in storage in Palmer, Alaska.  The current owner is Grant Stephens.

N86616 S/N 1442.  Here it is taking off from Lilly Lake in Kodiak Western Colors.

N17481 S/N 1360  This plane was brought to Kodiak in September 1977 to be put to work.  This is the only Widgeon left in Kodiak as is flown daily by Steve Harvey doing business as Harvey Flying Service.

N17481 S/N 1360.  Another picture of Steve’s plane landing.  To see more pictures of this Widgeon see www.harveyflyingservice.com.