Goodyear Duck

L'hydravion monomoteur Goodyear Duck de 1944 vu sur Wikipedia.en

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The Goodyear GA-2 Duck was a 1940s [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] three-seat light amphibian built by the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The design team included David Thruston, who later developed several other light seaplanes including: the Colonial Skimmer, Lake Buccaneer, Thruston Teal and Seafire.

Only 19 aircraft were built and these were used as only for testing and as demonstrators.


Design and development

The Goodyear Aircraft Corporation began to design a small and light amphibian before the end of the [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien].

The prototype designated GA-1 first flew in September 1944. It was a cantilever high-wing monoplane with underwing stabilizing floats.

The GA-1 had an all-metal fabric-covered wing, an all-metal single-step hull, and a cruciform tail unit.

It had a retractable tail-wheel, accommodation for two, and a pylon-mounted piston engine with a pusher propeller.

Operational history

After successful testing of the prototype, 18 demonstration aircraft were built.

These differed from the prototype in that they had room for the pilot and two-passengers.

Two versions were built, the GA-2 with a 145 hp (108 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 6A4-145-A3 piston engine, and the GA-2B with a more powerful 165 hp (123 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] 6A4-165-B3 flat-six piston engine.

Although the aircraft were successfully tested and demonstrated, the costs involved in producing the aircraft prevented it being sold at a price that private pilots could afford, and the project was abandoned.

In 1950 a revised four-seat variant the GA-22 Drake was flown followed in 1953 by the GA-22A Drake, only one of each was built.

Variants


GA-1 Duck

Prototype two-seater originally powered by a 107 hp (80 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] piston engine, and later fitted with a 125 hp (93 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] engine, one built.

GA-2 Duck

Demonstration three-seat aircraft with a 145 hp (108 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] engine, 16 built some later modified as GA-2Bs.

GA-2B Duck

Demonstration three-seat aircraft with a 165 hp (123 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] engine, six modified from GA-2s in 1949.

GA-22 Drake

Revised larger variant with four-seats, two built (one as a GA-22A with a revised hull) with the first flight in 1950.

GA-22A Drake

Revised larger variant with four-seats, powered by a 225 hp (167 kW) [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] and converted into a flying boat with a revised hull; first flight in 1953.

GA-22

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Bibliography

• The [Vous devez être inscrit et connecté pour voir ce lien] (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985, pp. 1977–1978.
  
• Trimble, Robert L. "Ducks and Drakes." Air Progress Aviation Review, Volume 6, No. 1, Spring 1982.