Grumman Albatross G-111 (HU-16)
Charles Blair purchased 3 Grumman Albatross's with the hopes of having them in service at Antilles Air Boats. One arrived in STX and was parked at the AAB hangar at the airport. It never saw service. One crashed early in the ferrying and the other left in storage.
storage
Restoration
C/N G-218
C/N G-218 SA-16B 51-7168 USAF
(74B) HU-16B
N3385F
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1973-1975 Robert Bean - Tucson, Arizona
1976-1981 Antilles Air Boats - St, Croix, USVI
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1981 Grumman - St. Augustine, FL
converted to G-111
3/1981-82 Flying Boats, Inc./Chalks Int'l. Airlines - Miami, FL
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N122FB
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1982-1996 Flying Boats, Inc. - Miami, Florida
stored Pinal Park, Marana Arizona
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2/24/96-2009 United Capital Corp. - Wilmington, DE
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4/10/12-16 Wildfire Aircraft, LLC - Mesa, AZ
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1/9/17 - Barron Aviation, LLC - Perry, MO
restoration
C/N G-146
Tucson, AZ 1975
photo credit Ger Buskermolen
added to AAB in 1977
SA-16A 51-67
1973 Robert Bean
1977 Antilles Air Boats - USVI
C/N G-210
Tucson, AZ 1975
photo credit Ger Buskermolen
added to AAB in 1977
SA-16B 51-7160
1973 Robert Bean
1977 Antilles Air Boats
3/9/77 -ferry flt. / crashed after take-off
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Bill Mable
Capt. Blair was in discussions with many aircraft manufactures over the years with the hopes that seaplane service would continue in the Virgin Islands and the Caribbean for many years. I will share more of his ideas on subsequent pages.
The Albatross is alive and well and starting again in Australia
