The Widgeon
...and other lesser known aircraft
I’ve probably mentioned this before but a few years ago I used to buy pictures on eBay for my writing projects because IWM charge far too much for the use of their pictures in publications. Anyway there was one guy who would sell me lots of Kriegsmarine stuff and any random ones he couldn’t shift and because I don’t do confrontation or have the ability to say “No thanks.” I ended up buying a lot of them. This did lead to having pictures that I could not identify.
Some I’ve used Facebook groups such as “German Admirals 1871-1945”, others by posting them on Twitter and letting the experts tell me. In recent years I’ve used AI - I know, it is evil, but it can scan a picture and tell you what you’re looking at - then go away and double check it. because some times it is hilariously wrong!
That leads me to the above picture I bought and the story of the Grumman Widgeon…
Based on on the Grumman G.21 Goose, the Widgeon was first flown in 1940 and brought into production, mostly for civilian usage, in 1941. The US Coastguard and Navy also took interest in the aircraft and so did the Fleet Air Arm who renamed it the “Gosling”
The technical stats were a single crewman sea plane with two Ranger L-440-5 air cooled engines with 200hp each giving it a top speed of 153 mph and a total range of 920 nautical miles. It could carry either a 200lb bomb or depth-charge. Nothing too exciting but good enough for a patrol craft off mainland America where they would not be faced by German fighters. The British would only use them for patrol and communications as well as a hack which could carry five passengers. The main squadron to be fitted with the Gosling was 700 squadron.
Of course as this is my substack there is a link to U-boats… On 1 August 1942 a US Coastguard Widgeon on patrol out of Houma, ouisiana by Chief Aviation Pilot Henry White, engaged a U-boat on the surface and claimed it sunk. He was awarded the DFC andfor the sinking of U-166.
They did, however disregard the report of the submarine chaser, PC-566 which claimed to have sunk the U-boat two days before after it sank the Robert E, Lee of the Eastern Steam line killing 25 of 407. The PC-566 engaged and depthcharged the U-166 but her Captain was disbelieved by the authorities and removed from Sea Command. It was only wehn they found the wreck of the Robert E. Lee and the U-166 alongside it that they realised that the Widgeon couldn’t have sunk it and PC-566 had.
So what had White sunk?
In short, nothing, however it is believed that he had attacked the U-171 under Kapitanleutnant Günther Pfeffer. Although there was light damage to the vessel the submarine managed to escape and was later sunk by a mine in the Bay of Biscay that October.
The Civilian Air Patrol also claimed a U-boat on 11 July 1942 with Captain Johnny Haggins and Major Farr taking off to look for a U-boat reported by another patrolling aircraft. Farr and Haggins spotted the U-boat just below the surface and tailed it until it came up to periscope depth before attacng. An oil slick was seen on the surface with debris confirming the kill. I’ve had a look on Uboat.net and cannot find a submarine lost on the day, or even that month that matches the Widgeon’s victim.
The Widgeon would continue to serve as a civilian aircraft into the 1950s and the rest of the War career was rather mundane.
Everyday is a school day. I didn’t know the FAA used the Widgeon.