Grumman SA-16 Albatross

The Grumman Albatross replaced the RCAF's Canso Aircraft in 1960. The Albatross proved to be just as rugged and adaptable as the old Canso but served for less than a decade. Most ex-RCAF Albatrosses are still flying in foreign lands.
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The Grumman Albatros was bought to continue the amphibious search-and-rescue role of the retiring Consolidated Canso. Albatross 9307, seen here, was delivered in November 1960 and served with 103 Rescue Unit until it was sold back to Grumman in 1971.
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9307 was one of ten G-111 Grumman SA-16B CSR-110 Albatross ( or Albert) Search and Rescue Aircraft flown by the RCAF from November, 1960. 103 Rescue Unit in Greenwood, Nova Scotia received 07 as its first triphibious SAR Aircraft to replace the aging Canso and six months later on 24 May,1962 set an unofficial Canadian endurance record for the Albert using 07 to fly non-stop from Comox, B.C. to Greenwood, Nova Scotia in 16 hours and 32 minutes in order that the crew would be able to be home for the long weekend. Along with the eight other remaining Aircraft of the fleet (02 crashed on 23 April, 1966), 07 was struck off strength on 17 December, 1970 and all were returned to Grumman and subsequently sold to Chile, Mexico, and/or Malaysia. In over a decade of flying, the fleet had accumulated between 5946 and 7498 hours per airframe. This photo was taken over Halifax harbour in December, 1965.
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Ten Albatrosses formed the backbone of search and rescue operations in Canada through the sixties. The Albatross replaced the ancient Canso Aircraft.
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Some statistics on search and rescue in Canada during the early years of the Albatross' service offer an indication as to just how vital a role these 10 Aircraft played. In 1962 97 lives were saved as a direct result of SAR efforts across Canada. In 1963 the number went down to 48 lives, only to jump to 263 lives saved in 1964.

103 Rescue Unit, RCAF Station Greenwood was one of the units flying the "Albert" in the Search and Rescue role during the '60's. A new recruit, or more correctly a mascot, arrived at 103 RU on 21 February, 1964, a 120 pound, 9 month old St. Bernard pup whose official name was "Albert" and who was given the honourary rank of AD2, (Air Dog 2nd class).
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Albatross 303 served with 102 Composite Unit (KU) out of RCAF Station Trenton, Ontario, as well as with 103 KU out of RCAF Station Greenwood, Nova Scotia, and finally with 413 Rescue Squadron out of CFB Summerside, Prince Edward Island. It was struck off strength on 17 December, 1970 along with the other eight surviving members of its fleet, and returned to Grumman. '303 then served in Chile starting in 1971, was returned once again to Grumman and thence made its way to Malaysian service as M35-01. Today it is preserved at the Royal Malaysian Air Force Museum.
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A total of 10 Grumman G-111 "Alberts" were acquired by the RCAF on 5 August, 1960 to replace their remaining Cansos in the Search and Rescue role. The triphibious "Alberts" proved to be just as rugged and adaptable as the venerable Cansos. In 1970 they were replaced by the Buffalo and SAR helicopters, thus causing the CF to be deprived of its last fixed wing amphibians. In their decade of operation the fleet had logged between 5,946 and 7,498 hours per airframe.
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The triphibian Albatross could successfully land on land, water or ice. It demonstrated much better water handling characteristics than the Canso and was often used for open sea landings and takeoffs when the sea state and wind would permit, even to the extent of taking-off using Jet Assisted Taking Off (JATO). When the "Albert" was retired in 1970, the CF was out of the flying boat business for the first time since 1924.
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