Built in 1943 and joined the US Navy as a J4F-2, 32973. Transferred to the US Coast Guard in 1946. Further transferred in 1950 to the US Dept of the Interior - Fish and Wildlife Service as N725 following civil conversion. Reworked as Super Widgeon N79906 by Sea Airmotive at Anchorage AK in 1957. Served in Alaska with Cordova Airlines 1959-68, with Kenai Floatplane Serviice 1968-1985, then with private owners, finally at Wasilla 1997-2003. Exported to Canada in 2003 as C-FBCP. Re-registered in Michigan as N10BQ in 2023.

On approach over Anchorage's Lake Spenard, heading to touch down on Lake Hood. Brought on charge by the US Navy in 1944 as a Grumman J4F-2, 37750. Sold as surplus in 1946, becoming civil conversion NC64435. Re-stated as N64435 in 1950. Re-registered as N111W in 1956. Then in 1957 converted by McKinnon Enterprises of Sandy, Oregon to McKinnon Super Widgeon N75222. Moved to Alaska in 1973. Re-registered as N45CA in 1976 and then N45PV in 2005.

Parked at Anchorage's Alaska Aviation Heritage Museum beside Lake Hood. Brought on charge by the US Navy in 1943 as a Grumman J4F-2, 32975. Sold as surplus in 1946. After civil conversion by the Aviation Maintenance Corp at Van Nuys, CA registered NC66645. Became N66645 in 1950. After passing through the hands of a number of owners in Michigan, Illinois, Indiana, Louisiana, New York, Maryland and Pennsylvania, moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 1973. Re-registered as N645DH in 2000.

Originally delivered to Endicott-Johnson Corporation, a large New York State shoe manufacturer in 1946 registered NC86601, later N86601. The aircraft was converted to a McKinnon Super Widgeon circa 1954. Acquired by Oregon based tug boat builder Umpqua River Navigation Company in 1962, it was registered N414U. It has been registered to several private owners since 1968.

C6-EAU, a very appropriate registration for a beauty of hydroplane Former US Navy 32957, taken on charge on 25 April 1943, this Widgeon received two Lycoming GO-480B1B engines in April 1956 after being sold on the civilian market as N9591H and CF-HEN. It spent some time in Central America, returned to the US and was sold to the Bahamas in 2014. A Bahamian flag can be seen on the right, attached to the wing. Apparently, the aircraft was for sale during Air Venture 2016, when this picture was taken...

Delivered to the US Navy as J4F-2 Bu32976 on 21 Sep 1943. Transferred to Edo Aircraft Corp in Jan 1947 for hull development work. Went through several hull designs, of which this was the last one. The converted Widgeon was nicknamed "Petulant Porpoise" in early 1948, and loaned to NACA (later NASA) from 28 Feb 1950 until 8 Jun 1953. Effective 15 Dec 1952 the US Navy consistently used the non-standard type designation E-175 for this aircraft. Struck off charge 8 Feb 1956 (total time 975 hours) and stored at Norfolk NAS, VA. Delivered to the National Air Museum (Smithsonian) on 15 Sep 1960, but kept in storage. To the Fighter Aircraft Museum on 14 Feb 1977, and again kept in storage. Loaned to the Pima Air Museum in 1987.

Last reported in 2019 undergoing a long-term restoration to flight in the Avspecs hangar at Ardmore.

The aircraft is a Franklin Gander conversion with 260hp IO-470 Continental engines. It spent many years in Alaska as N28676 & N85U where it was wrecked/sunk several times. It has a modified nose cap, G-44A bow, no 2nd step aft, McKinnon retractable floats and a fairing behind the main wheel wells. It was re-registered N144SL in October 2018 and sold to a new owner in New Zealand and was last noted dismantled at Ardmore Airport, North Island, awaiting restoration in March 2022. (Credit: Bill O Bailey for much of the above).

This aircraft had been upgraded with 295hp GO-480 Lycoming engines, reversible pitch props and a water rudder, and at one time held the FIA world speed record for it's weight class amphibian over a set distance. On 12th May 1998 it was badly damaged when it landed on a hard runway at Cleveland Hopkins International Airport, OH., with it's undercarriage retracted. It is said to have since been repaired and is still current on the USCAR, but the latest online photo that I could find was dated 2012.

Operated by A. Tirkkonen. Ex Bu.37737, FP464, SE-APO. Crashed 28 June 1968 at Malmi Airport (EFHF). The aircraft was heavily overloaded, stalled and crashed during the takeoff. Photo from: Rafael Olin / Society of Swedish Literature in Finland, SLS