Grumman G-44 Widgeon
Grumman · United States · first flew 1940 · light aircraft
The Grumman G-44 Widgeon is a small twin-engine amphibious flying boat, a scaled-down companion to the Grumman Goose, used for private, utility, and wartime patrol and training roles. Post-war examples became popular personal amphibians.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | 9.47 m fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Small amphibian flying boat with a parasol high wing
- Twin radial or opposed engines over a boat hull
- Retractable main gear and fixed wingtip floats
A high-wing amphibian notably smaller than the Goose, with a short planing hull, fixed wingtip floats, and twin engines mounted on a pylon above the wing. The rounded hull nose and high parasol wing are characteristic.
Specifications
- The Grumman G-44 Widgeon has a length of 9.47 m (31 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 12.19 m (40 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 248 km/h (154 mph).
- Typical crew: 2 pilots + up to 3 passengers.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
Grumman developed the Widgeon in 1940 to provide a smaller and more affordable amphibian than the Goose. The USAAF, US Navy, and US Coast Guard operated it during the war as a light utility and patrol aircraft (J4F designation for the Navy). SCAN in France built 40 licence copies with Mathis engines. Post-war, the Widgeon found favour as a personal amphibian for private owners and fishing camps.
Variants
G-44 (civil), G-44A (civil improved), J4F-1 and J4F-2 (US Navy), OA-14 (USAAF), SCAN-30 (French). Many post-war conversions replaced the radials with Lycoming opposed engines.
Where you'll see it
Used by the US Navy, US Coast Guard, and several Allied naval forces in WWII; post-war survivors operated as private amphibians across North America and the Caribbean.
Related aircraft
- Grumman XF5F Skyrocket
- Grumman XP-50
- F6F Hellcat
- Grumman F3F-3
- Airspeed AS.39 Fleet Shadower
- Beriev KOR-2
- Curtiss-Wright CW-22
- Fairchild F-24W-40
AircraftIQ — the aircraft field guide: 5,024 recognition guides, live overhead identification, works offline.