Albatross salah satu jenis seaplane / flying boat produksi Grumman merupakan pengembangan desain dari Grumman Mallard dimana fungsi Albatross digunakan dalam misi SAR.
Walaupun secara fisik bentuk keduanya mirip tetapi perbedaan terletak pada sudut lambung Albatross yang lebih tajam sehingga mampu mendarat di laut yang 'ganas'
Sejarah Operasional
Mayoritas unit Albatross yang ada digunakan oleh AU Amerika Serikat terutama oleh divisi Penyelamatan UDara dan mendapat kode designasi SA-16. USAF menggunakan SA-16 secara masif di Korea untuk misi SAR tempur, dimana ia mendapatkan reputasi sebagai pesawat tangguh dan laik melaut. Selanjutnya varian HU-16B (versi sayap lebar SA-16) digunakan oleh U.S. Air Force's Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Service dan terlihat berperan dalam misi SAR tempur selama Perang Vietnam. Sebagai tambahan, sejumlah kecil Grup Komando Garda Nasional Udara dilengkapi dengan HU-16 untuk misi infiltrasi & ekstraksi pasukan khusus dari 1956 - 1971
Angkatan Laut Amerika Serikat juga menggunakan HU-16D Albatross sebagai pesawat SAR yang dioperasikan dari pangkalan AL, baik dalam negeri maupun luar negeri. Pesawat ini juga digunakan sebagai pesawat pendukung operasional di seluruh dunia dan untuk misi "skunk runs" dari bekas pangkalan udara AL Agana, Guam selama Perang Vietnam.
Menjalani misi Goodwill Flight juga umum dilakukan di area Trust Territory di kepulauan pasifik pada awal tahun 1970. Pendaratan dan lepas landas di laut menggunakan JATO juga sering digunakan oleh HU-16 milik AL AS dari lokasi semisal NAS Agana - Guam, Guantanamo Bay - Kuba, NAS Barbers Point - Hawaii, dan NAS Pensacola - Florida, diantara lokasi-lokasi lainnnya.
HU-16 juga dioperasikan oleh U.S. Coast Guard sebagai pesawat patroli jarak jauh dan misi SAR sebelum digantikan oleh HU-25 Guardian dan HC-130 Hercules. Penerbangan terakhir HU-16 pada 13 Agustus 1976 ketika pesawat tersebut dikirimkan ke Naval Aviation Museum di NAS Pensacola.
General characteristics
* Crew: 4-6
* Capacity: 10 passengers
* Length: 62 ft 10 in (19.16 m)
* Wingspan: 96 ft 8 in (29.47 m)
* Height: 25 ft 10 in (7.88 m)
* Wing area: 1035 ft²[7] (96.2 m²)
* Empty weight: 22,883 lb (10,401 kg)
* Loaded weight: 30,353 lb (13,797 kg)
* Max takeoff weight: 37,500 lb (17,045 kg)
* Powerplant: 2× Wright R-1820-76 Cyclone 9 nine-cylinder single-row air-cooled radial engine, 1,425 hp (1,063 kW) each
* Fuel Capacity: 675 US Gallons (2,550 L) internally, plus 400 US Gal (1,512 L) in wingtip floats plus two 300 US Gallon (1,135 L) drop tanks
Performance
* Maximum speed: 205 knots (236 mph, 380 km/h)
* Cruise speed: 108 knots (124 mph, 200 km/h)
* Stall speed: 64 knots (74 mph, 119 km/h)
* Range: 2,478 nmi (2,850 mi, 4,589 km)
* Service ceiling: 21,500 ft (6,550 m)
* Rate of climb: 1,450 ft/min (7.4 m/s)
Survivors
* HU-16B, AF Serial No. 51-5282, at the National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. This was USAF's last operational HU-16. On 4 July 1973 it established a world record for twin-engine amphibians when it reached 32,883 feet. Two weeks later it was flown to the Air Force Museum. [5]
* HU-16B, AF Serial No. 51-7176, was at the Pate Museum of Transportation in Cresson, Texas. It is being disassembled and moved to Coast Guard Air Station Clearwater in Clearwater, Florida where it is to be restored.
* HU-16E, AF Serial No. 51-7251, at Dyess Linear Air Park, Dyess AFB, Texas
* HU-16C, US Navy Albatross displaying NAS Alameda and designation number 1911, assigned to USS Carl Vinson. Currently located on the north end of the field at Charles M. Schulz – Sonoma County Airport in reportably flyable condition.
* Jimmy Buffett's Hemisphere Dancer, now the centerpiece of Universal Studios' Margaritaville Cafe in Orlando, Florida.
* Restored US Navy UF-1/HU-16C, Navy Bureau Number (BuNo) 131906, originally built June 1953
* Swimwear manufacturer Billabong operates a well-equipped Albatross for surf touring.
* Quiksilver also operates a similarly-equipped Albatross for surf touring.
* Several private owners have Albatrosses equipped with sleeping quarters which can be used as an airborne recreational vehicle (sleep-aboard), either at an airport or on the water.
* HU-16B Albatross, AF Serial No. 51-7163, at Castle Air Museum adjacent to the (former Castle AFB, Atwater, California
* Two HU-16Bs of the Hellenic Air Force are on display at Dekelia (Tatoi) Air Base, north of Athens.
* HU-16E of the United States Navy (BuNo 141266) and an HU-16E of the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG 7236) at the National Museum of Naval Aviation at NAS Pensacola, Florida. These aircraft were the last operational HU-16s in their respective services.
* HU-16A, AF Serial No. 51-0022 at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona.
* HU-16E, USCG 7250, at CGAS Cape Cod at Otis Air National Guard Base, Massachusetts.
* HU-16E, USCG 1293, March Field Air Museum, March ARB, California
* HU-16B, AF Serial No. 51-1280, adjacent to the 58th Special Operations Wing compound at Kirtland AFB, New Mexico.
* HU-16E, USCG 7247, at CGAS Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
* HU-16B, N44HQ, owned and operated by Row 44 and equipped with in-flight WiFi as a test and marketing tool.
* SHU-16B, in Chilean Air Force colors as part of the static exhibition at the Museo Aeronáutico in Santiago de Chile
* HU-16B at Warfield Air National Guard Base, in Baltimore, Maryland.
* HU-16 of the Republic of China Air Force at Chung Cheng Aviation Museum, Taipei, Taiwan
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sumber : wikipedia
PS : sori kalo ada salah terjemahan :Peace: