It was the Army that first recognized the potential of the Sikorsky Helicopter. The YR-4A could not carry much more than the pilot and one other person. However the HNS-1, the Navy designation for the R4 was built to train pilots. Operational missions would be handled by later aircraft that were coming up on the … Read more
The Coast Guard acquired 27 Martin PBM-3 during the first half of 1943. In late 1944, the service acquired the first group of 41 PBM-5 models and the additional PBM-5s were delivered in the last half of 1945. The last of the PBM-3s were retired from service July 1, 1946. By May of 1947 there were only … Read more
Beginning in March 1942 the Coast Guard received the first of 76 Kingfishers; The Kingfishers were modified for Coast Guard use and were designated OS2U-3s. Their primary purpose was to provide the Coast Guard’s early anti-submarine efforts along the coastlines of the United States. Area patrols were flown and air cover for merchant convoys was provided.
The first PBY obtained by the Coast Guard, V189, was purchased from the Navy in the spring of 1941. It was specially outfitted at Air Station San Francisco with a nine-lens-camera for mapping coastal regions around the country. While the arrangement worked well in the lower 48, after two mapping trips to Alaska the camera was transferred to a newer PBY-5A (PBY BuNo 08055), an amphibian, making it more versatile in the extreme environment of Alaska.
The Navy developed the N3N as a training aircraft in 1934. The Coast Guard acquired four of the trainers from the Navy beginning in December, 1940 by trading four Grumman JF-2 “Ducks.” The primary reason for the trade was an effort by the Coast Guard to expedite pilot training, which was expanding during this time in anticipation of war.
Grumman developed the G-21 Goose as a civilian transport aircraft designed to meet the needs of wealthy business organizations. It was put on the market in 1937. The Navy began acquiring the G-26 version in 1938 and designated them as JRF, Seven G-39 design aircraft designated JRF-2, were built to Coast Guard specifications, and were purchased by the Coast Guard in 1939 and 1940.
The Coast Guard contracted for seven modified Hall PH-1 flying boats. This type of amphibian aircraft was originally developed for the Navy as a patrol aircraft. The upgraded flying boats purchased by the Coast Guard and delivered in 1938 had more powerful engines as well as more specialized equipment and capabilities for search and rescue duties.
The SOC was the last of the “Curtiss biplanes in operational service” with the U.S. Navy and was designed for use as a scout aircraft for battleships and cruisers–capable of catapult operation and landing at sea. The Coast Guard acquired the final three produced by Curtiss in 1938 and these were designated as SOC-4s. They were assigned the Coast Guard call numbers V171, V172, and V173.
The Coast Guard purchased three Waco cabin model EQC-6 biplanes for use with the newly commissioned Treasury Class cutters as observation craft. They were fitted with floats for cutter duty. The J2F proved superior because it was an amphibian. They entered service in March, 1937 and were given Coast Guard numbers of: CG-157, 158 and 159. They were transferred to the Air Patrol Detachment at El Paso Texas. V-157 and V-158 crashed. V159 was withdrawn from service in 1939.
The Coast Guard purchased two Fairchild J2K-1s and two J2K-2s in 1936. Two, V160 and V161, were assigned to Air Station St. Petersburg and the other two, V162 and V163, were assigned to Air Station Charleston. Three of the four were lost due to crashes.
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