Amphibian Gooney for sale

Air Classics, Nov 2000

At remote Moosehead Lake, Greenville, Maine, a rare version of the famous Douglas Gooney Bird is up for sale. The aircraft is unique because it is fitted with amphibious floats. During the war, the C-47 was modified to take the floats and, according to our records, a number of examples were so modified. At least 200 sets of floats were built but the exact number of aircraft fitted with the units is not known. N 130Q was acquired by Dick anc Max Folsom in 1985 as they wanted to operate a passenger service between Greenville and Boston. However, problems with insurance prevented the service from taking place and the pair began to took for other avenues of operation for the Gooney Bird (which had been built as a C-53 and flew with the 8th AF in Britain. Postwar; the plane was converted to an airliner and flew with Eastern Air Lines). In 1986, Dick discovered a set of Edo floats, purchased them, and moved the floats back to Greenville where they were rebuilt to airworthy condition.

The rebuilt floats and their retractable landing gear were fitted to N 130Q in 1990 and the craft made its first test flight on 4 September 1990. Dick has operated Folsom Air Services since 1946 and has decided to sell the craft, which has not flown since 1997 and needs an engine change.