Goodyear Duck

The Goodyear GA-2 Duck was a 1940s American three-seat light amphibian built by the Goodyear Aircraft Corporation. 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 Second World War. The prototype designated GA-1 first flew in September 1944. It was a cantilever high-wing monoplane with underwing stablizing 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) Franklin 6A4-145-A3 piston engine, and the GA-2B with a more powerful 165 hp (123 kW) Franklin 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 107hp (80 kW) Franklin 4ACG-100-H3 piston engine, and later fitted with a 125 hp (93 kW) Franklin 6A engine, one built.

GA-2 Duck

Demonstration three-seat aircraft with a 145 hp (108 kW) Franklin 6A4-145-A3 engine, 16 built some later modified as GA-2Bs.

GA-2B Duck

Demonstration three-seat aircraft with a 165 hp (123 kW) Franklin 6A4-163-B3 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) Continental E-225-8 and converted into a flying boat with a revised hull; first flight in 1953.

Survivors

The last aircraft built, the GA-22A Duck registered N5516M, is stored by the EAA Air Venture Museum

Similar Aircraft

• Republic RC-3 Seabee
• SIAI-Marchetti FN.333 Riviera
• Trident TR-1 Trigull
• Colonial Skimmer
• Lake Aircraft Amphibian
• Thurston Teal

References

Notes

Bibliography

• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985), 1985, Orbis Publishing, Page 1977 and 1978.
• Trimble, Robert L. "Ducks and Drakes." Air Progress Aviation Review, Volume 6, No. 1, Spring 1982.

See also

Related lists

• List of seaplanes and flying boats

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Goodyear Duck".