This page covers many aspects of AAB, It is where new material is posted periodically.
The format below shows the most current post at the top and oldest at the bottom. Each entry is also posted to its relative page. Don't forget that each star represents another link to additional pages, articles, documents and photos.
About this site...
Over many years, the past employee's, passengers and friends of Antilles Air Boats have told stories and have shared photos of that special time in history.
We hope that this website will give everyone an opportunity to continue to share their stories, photos and comments.
We will share our collection of specific material on aircraft Antilles Air Boats used over the years as well as the many professionals that assisted its passengers to get from island to island.
April 6, 2024
updates
For a number of weeks, the website was off-line, as I reviewed the many pages and images to ensure proper authorization and credit. The website is a not for profit, historical look at Antilles Air Boats and other aviation entities during my 50 plus years in aviation. Most of the photos have been taken by myself and other staff and friends. A number of photos have been taken from the internet with approval from the original photographer. A number of images were taken over 50 years ago and even with research and letters of request, final approval was not forthcoming. My intent is not to infringe on any copyrights but to post photographs with credit given and links where appropriate. If anyone has concerns of any images posted please feel free to contact me.
Also see Photographers Credits
Royal Canadian Air Force
N4762C first flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force as 388 back in May 1944. The RCAF recognized the versatility of the Grumman Goose and took its first aircraft in 1940 and flew a total of 31 aircraft. Aircraft 388, while based in Sea Island, Richmond, B.C. (south of Vancouver) in March 1945, jump theh
N4762C
photo credit Rohivie / Demzizies Collection
chocks while conducting engine runs and ran over a 20ft embankment and overturned into the water. The aircraft was recovered and inspected and formally written-off by RCAF #3 Repair Depot in Jericho Breach, B.C. in July of 1945. Goose serial number B-60 was not finished. Bob Ellis brought it north and after several years of rebuilding, with many parts from other aircraft, N4762C was registered to Alaska Coastal-Ellis Airlines from Juneau, Alaska. In 1969, the aircraft was sold to Antilles Air Boats.
N4762C - Alaska Coastal - Ellis Airlines image approved for posting by the Ketchikan Museum Tongrass Historical Society
Jim Cothron
in G-73 Mallard
at Chalk's.
A story by Jim coming soon.
Goose flying over crew ship lane while departing St. Thomas in 1975
photo from Tom Anusewicz Collection
Isla Grande Airport, San Juan, P.R.
N609SS J-9
photo credit Bill Bailey Collection
Grumman G-73 Mallard J-9 was manufactured in November of 1946 and used as a demonstrator for two years out of Bethpage N.Y.
In November of 1948, J-9 relocated to the west coast with 20th Century Fox to appear in the movie "Slattery's Hurricane". It saw service with Pacific Western Airlines. BC Air Lines, West Coast Air Service in Vancouver, BC before heading south to Chalk's Flying Service in Miami. Frakes Aviation converted J-9 to G-73T (PT-6 turbine conversion) before it arrived at Virgin Island Seaplane Shuttle in 1984.
NC2946 / N2946 / CF-HPU / N123DF / N609SS
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photo from Tom Anusewicz Collection / Alamy license
The VISS Mallards in various state of un-airworthiness looked for an operator that could bring them back to the skies of the VI.
Read more below and at (VISS)
J-9 was charted for a flight to Venezuela were it was listed as damaged beyond repair after being blown ashore while anchored off shore in that South American country. Aircraft was dismantled and reported to have been taken to a "military airport". Presumed rebuilt and still airworthy but not registered. Cancelled from U.S. Civil Aircraft Registry 2012.
Virgin Island Seaplane Shuttle evacuated N690SS along with 2 other Mallard aircraft to Puerto Rico as Hurricane Hugo (Sept. 17, 1989) approached the Virgin Islands. After the storm, VISS operated for about 10 days before it closed its doors due to the severe financial issues.
photo credit Charlie Freehling
PBY
1968 - Christiansted, St. Croix - The PBY landed in STX, and while taxing hit the large drainage pipe flange in the harbor and damaged the hull. This was before the AAB ramp and terminal was completed,
so a crane was brought in to lift the aircraft for repairs.
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The early days of "Mother Goose"
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V.I. Daily News December 28, 1963
It is always nice to find a movie with a former AAB airplane. It is pretty special, when you find it includes scenes from the iconic Ellis Air Lines in Ketchikan, Alaska. N74588 flew the northern skies before it made it to the Caribbean. The movie, "Cry Vengeance" starts and ends with the Goose, which as far as I'm concerned, is the star. Check it out!
at Antilles Air Boats
In the movies...
photo credit Tom Anusewicz
Ellis Air Lines - Ketchikan, Alaska
photo credit Allied Artist Pictures / Warner Bros..
Click on photos above to enlarge
"It started with a Mallard and the story found it's way of connecting others once again."
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The Johnson's
Martin & Osa Johnson and the Sikorsky S-38's
60,000 miles in Africa
N1208 - new slides Wein Air Alaska 1977 and Antilles Air Boats 1978
Newly acquired slide fromt he U.K. - G-73 Mallard N7338 ready to come up the ramp in St. Thomas.
Marijane Sipple wrote a story about Veterans that worked at AAB and it was scheduled to be posted last November, but the website was offline for two months. We do not want to wait until later this year to read
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Peter R. Keating
1928 -1998
Grumman Mallards that flew at AAB.
Peter Keating flew for British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) / British Airways for three decades accumulating over 25,000 flight hours in many different aircraft. Those flights took him to numerous locations around the world and he always had his camera to photograph aircraft along the way.
Thanks to Colin Higgs from "A Flying History" for his assistance
Ron Gillies and the last Atlantic crossing of Southern Cross
1981
Ultan Guilfoyle produced the interview of Ron Gillies on the Sandringham, the airplane that was part of Ron's life for many years.
photo credit Ultan Guilfoyle
Large format post card 9" x 6" by Fritz Henle
The King of Bling
Farouk of Egypt
A Grumman Mallard story that is not about Antilles Air Boat's fleet but with only 59 aircraft built, every G-73 was followed by operators with interest... spare parts anyone.
In 1949, construction numbers J-47 & J-48 were produced and sold to Egypt's Royal Flight (3rd Squadron, Egyptian Air Force) with an extravagant interior fitting for a King. They were part of the Farouk's fleet of personal aircraft until his exile in 1952.
The aircraft (J7 & J8) were transferred to regular service with the Egyptian A.F. until 1966. One was used for parts for the other. It is documented that their fate is unknown.
AAB started operating Mallards in1974 and within a couple of years, started inquiries to the whereabouts of the Egyptian aircraft. I remember we were told that they were in the desert under a lot of sand...somewhere.
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F8
F7
Fred J. Knights and Colin R. Smith's book has more on these 2 aircraft. Awesome reference!
from "The Grumman Amphibians"
Grumman photo by Harold G. Martin via PJ Marson
photo credit unknown via Air Pictorial / The Grumman Amphibians
photo from Tom Anusewicz collection
New slide of visitor with Goose in STT
1968
Another world leader
with an amphibian, back in the day.
s/n 1187 Cuban Navy 1942-1954
Another large format post card 9" x 6" with an inscription by Fritz Henle, that this original was ready for production
Bill Bailey Collection 2023
Christiansted, St. Croix seaplane base - Grumman Mallard N7356
photo taken from departing Grumman Goose
Co-Pilot Jim Flannagan prefight's "Southern Cross" during its trip to Ireland
Shorts S.25 Sandringham
from the Delani Collection
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AAB makes a cameo appearance in 1970 film with Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland and Telly Savalis.
N95467 flew at Amphibian Air Support in Long Beach, CA from1947 to 1949. Many years before it flew at AAB. It still flies today in the Northwest. See more about this Goose.
Catalina Goose and N95467
Remembering
It was just eight years ago on October 21, 2015, that Maureen passed at the age of 95,
It was another October day in 1941 when
"How Green Was My Valley" was released.
Over 50 films, plus television,
publisher, businesswoman
A life well lived... many memories.
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Veterans Drive
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas U.S.V.I.
Cool cards!
The Grumman Albatross SA-16 / G-111
The "Flying Boat" film has been shown in limited theaters this past year but now is available on DVD as well as streaming on Amazon Prime
Check out their website flyingboat.com
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Grumman J2F Duck
photo credit Paul Waikander
The Grumman Duck N3960C flew the skies of the Caribbean between Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands in 1966 to 1974
It was Jack Brown flying the Duck and the aircraft seemed to find itself around AAB Gooses from time to time.
Jack Brown started flying seaplanes at an early age and when WWII arrived, he was ready to fly Grumman's flying boats. Jack started a seaplane training facility in 1963 in
Winter Haven, Florida
which is still training pilots today.
See more about the DUCK and Jack Brown.
N3960C
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Jack Brown
I'm a duck, not a mallard, not a goose... but birds of a feather should flock together.
Virgin Islands Daily News - June 15, 1968
Thank you to Anthony Gagliani for his assistance with N3960C info
New images...
AAB flew the skies of the Caribbean for 17 years, flying over 340,000 fights and nearly 3 million passengers. Even though the last flight was over forty years ago, remembering those days live on. Many people locally as well as from around the world, took that special photo of one of many seaplanes that flew at AAB. Those photos continue to find their way to this website. I have received images from Finland, Japan, Australia, and the list goes on. Scroll down through "About this Site" to find the various photos and maybe a little story that came with it.
S25 Sandringham "Southern Cross" Christiansted, St. Croix
Mid-day... Gooses prepare for departure from STX.
Goose at West End, Tortola
Bill Bailey Collection 2023
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Flock and gaggle...
AAB St. Thomas Seaplane Base - Charlotte Amalie
A busy ramp with 5 Gooses, 1 PBY Cataline and 1 VS-44 Sikorsky sitting on a cradle.
Microsoft Flight Simulator is the longest running PC video games of all time. Hundreds of aircraft and locations available for the user in virtual flight.
AAB Goose N79901 was used for one of the programs. A few images and video posted here as well as other programs using AAB aircraft.
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The U.S. Virgin Islands and Antilles Air Boats have been the backdrop for fashion shoots for years.
In August 2023, the
13th Annual Fashionista was, once again, held in St. Thomas with many events. Sheen Magazine was one of the sponsors, which also held the USVI Beauty Competition at St. Thomas Social. The Goose at Yacht Haven Marina was the back drop for 6 beauties vying for the title.
1976
2023
There were other photo shoots during the AAB years and I will try to post in the future.
47 years earlier, Gentleman's Quarterly Magazine did a fashion shoot with AAB aircraft.
Flip Blair, the second wife of Capt. Charles Blair, was one of the passengers on board the last flight of N8777A on April 5, 1978.
Flip and her friend June Clark shared their story with the The Hour, a Norwalk Connecticut newspaper, in the days that followed the accident.
Read more below.
from Anthony Gagliani
Another N8777A passenger comment...
The Daily News - 3/29/74
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from Anthony Gagliani
Over the years, Antilles Air Boats worked closely with the USVI Department of Labor to offer apprenticeship and training for local residents. Gerald D. Boyce (24 years old) a Vietnam Vet, worked at the AAB sheetmetal repair shop at the Alexander Hamilton Airport.
passed away in 2020 at the age of 70..
Today, Claude Austin at the age of 87, lives in Port St. Lucie, FL
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August 3rd
Brunch with a Beat
The Antilles Air Boats Goose is the backdrop for those that busted out with their best moves at St. Thomas Social at Yacht Haven Marina.
Super Cat in St. Thomas
- San Juan, Puerto Rico
Isla Grande
Aeroplane Magazine - July 2023
Personal Album features Phillip Pain's photos from a 1979/80 visit to Isla Grande Airport in San Juan, PR.
AAB operations in San Juan were adjacent to the Isla Grande Airport and originally next to the Naval Air Station (which included the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station). The location gave AAB another downtown to downtown terminal with ready made seaplane ramps.
Click on above article for additional info
and more about Isla Grande >
photo credit Tom Anusewicz
Thanks to Anthony Gagliani for sending on the Aeroplane Magazine article.
Earlier days...
Pan Am's Ford Trimotor (Tin Goose) flew into Isla Grande back in 1929. Read a story from the
Beaufort News 11/14/29.
The image of Pan Am's Sikorsky S-42 landing in San Juan. circa 1938. Not a photograph but an illustration.. The aircraft on the horizon would have been gigantic. The seas would be to rough to land outside of the mouth of San Juan Harbor. None the less a nice image of S-42 and El Morrow.
Pan Am's Douglas DC-4 flew into Isla Grande during the 1940's into the 50's. In 1952, a Pan Am DC-4 (N88899) had a serious fatal accident shortly after taking off from Isla Grande.
Read more below..
1948 photo of Isla Grande. Recognize the San Juan Terminal lower left with a number of aircraft on the ramp. Pan Am's seaplane terminal today is the Pan Am Pier for cruise ships. The Navy Base in the center of photo with two large hangars, which later house the USCG and AAB.
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1939
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Glenn Arveson
Victor Borge at his residence on another beautiful Christiansted day. The Goose would take-off in view each day. Victor was on the board of directors at AAB. The photo was taken by another resident... Fritz Henle
See more about Victor Borge at "Staff & Friends"
D.C.Nicholas, an aircraft illustrator from Great Britain, drew many aircraft during the 70's.
An Irish Excursion
Capt. Dan Morrison
Dan arrived at AAB in November of 1973 and flew the Goose until the business closed in 1981. The former Air Force pilot enjoyed his years flying between the islands.
The Daily News - 12/14/73
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YOUNG SWIMMERS board a plane Saturday for St. Croix and time trials, sponsored by the V.I. Swimming Foundation at the Olympian Pool. The meet, for middle division swimmers will be followed by other contests in the near future.
N74588 or N74676 or N79914
from Anthony Gagliani
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July 2022
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Newley Acquired Slides
The photo above is Goose N323 ready for boarding at the Christiansted, St. Croix terminal. It is also ready for new paint and check on oil on horizontal stabilizer from left engine. Round engines drank a bit of oil and spit some out along the way.
Slide came from Australia.
The photo below is Sandringham S25 "Excalibur VIII" in Rose Bay, Sidney, Australia before its departure to the USVI in1974.
The b&w photo is the aircraft's first roll into the sea after extensive preparations, when AAB took possession from Ansett. Slide came from Canada.
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R.N. Smith Collection credit (copyright)
Over the years, Antilles Air Boats established a number of post cards depicting some of the iconic seaplanes in its fleet. Fritz Henle of St. Croix was contracted to take the photos. See more post cards at "Timetables, Post Cards and more..."
The Daily News - 6/26/69
from Anthony Gagliani
Curbside landmark for over eight years.
Another eBay find. New old slide of N40R from February 1967 at Pan Am Alley in Christiansted, St. Croix
from Anthony Gagliani
Active duty soldier, Jeff O'Connor sent in a polaroid photo of "Southern Cross" at its dock in Christiansted, St. Croix. Jeff found the photo in the back of the frame of one of his grandmothers paintings.
Thank you for the photo and your service.
David Attenbough in British Guyana with Goose VP-GAD
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from Anthony Gagliani
Short flights in the Harbor...
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The Daily News was the TikTok of the times. Always ready to click
V-227 / N4OR
So many of AAB Gooses flew the skies from coast to coast and from north to south. Goose construction number B-19 flew for only 26 years and only in the southern skies. As V227 with the U.S. Coast Guard at the Miami Air Station and then several years around Ft. Lauderdale before heading to the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Ellis Goose N74676 computer generated images.
Will credit original artist when identified.
Interesting photos.
U.S.C.G. Air Station Miami after the Gooses left in 1954 and started flying the Grumman Albatross
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7
6
7
6
4
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Moiliili, Honolulu, Hawaii
I was the guest speaker at the Pan Am Association - Aloha Chapter's April meeting. PAA's membership is primarily former employees of Pan Am. Charles F. Blair Jr. flew for Pam Am for many years , retiring in 1969. I gave a presentation about Capt. Blair and the AAB website.
above: PAA President, Darlene Laster & Tom Anusewicz
Grumman products were considered so reliable and ruggedly built that the company was often referred to as the "Grumman Iron Works". Good thing for me. Sterling Archer
April 22, 2023 - After six years of posting to the AAB website I thought I would reach a point of where I was getting to the end. I stated it is a work in progress and it certainly is. As time has gone by, more and more people have found the website and share their photos and stories. There is more to come. Stay tuned.
Marijane Sipple sent in a copy of AA Travel Agency News from August 1977 detailing
American Inter-Island operations between STX-STT
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Steve Kerns remembers listening to Lord Melody on the radio in St. Thomas back in 1979. Steve flew for American Inter-Island. He just sent in a Lord Melody tune for posting. Enjoy!
A Grumman Goose that was only 35 years old when it sank of the coast of St, Croix in 1978.
In those 35 years, N74676 flew the skies of Alaska and the Caribbean.
Below is a new photo by Peter F. Peyer from Bill Bailey's collection. Bill has contributed many images of AAB aircraft.
photo credit John Schmidt
A computer generated image of N323 flying at Avalon Air Transport. This aircraft arrived at AAB in 1970.
Anthony Gagliani and his son Jeff visited the Antilles Air Boats display at Yacht Haven Grande in St. Thomas on March 20, 2023. Anthony is an aviation historian and a regular contributor to the AAB website. He is originally from St. Thomas and is back on island visiting family. Thank you for sharing the photos of the GOOSE, Jeff and yourself. See the display board...click
Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
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Suzanne Thorndike
1934 - 2022
As time goes by, I have connected with those family members that continue to tell the stories of their mom, dad or uncle or aunt that worked at Antilles Air Boats. This past month, I connected with Charles F. Blair's grandson, Blair Thorndike. What I found most incredible was that he lives just a mile from my home in Honolulu. His mother, Suzanne was the eldest daughter of Charles & Janice Blair. Suzanne passed away in 2022. I have lived in Honolulu for the past 40 years and I wish I had the opportunity to know her. I will share more about Suzanne
and family soon.
Generations...
Andy Whyte's Print
There is more than one story regarding Andy Whyte's print #209 of 900.
Read about the artist, the print, the signatures and a little more.
N41881
photos by Norm Russell
Groundhog Day
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Will continue to add to Generations
Check out "Excalibur III" and NASM
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Pan Am Alley..."the smallest airport in the world"
Norm Russell served in the Navy during the war in Vietnam and upon discharge found St. Croix to be a great place to start the next chapter. He worked at a local radio station while learning how to fly at Bill Bohlke's V.I. Flight School, after being encouraged by Nick Castruccio
Norm's photos above were taken back in the early 70's of AAB's first seaplane ramp in Christiansted, St. Croix.
"Mac"
Capt. Don McDermott
AAB&VISS
Foxy's Wooden Boat Regatta
By Marijane Sipple
"About this site" is where periodic updates and revisions are posted. Each week or so, I have posted new material , which over the past years have accumulated to hundreds of pages and thousands of images and documents that pushed the data to a point that it needs better management. I am working on various solutions that will allow the continuation of all material to be posted with out compromising the optimum versatility. The "About this Site... page 1 " is the early posts for the first few years of the website. click to continue to view the many post and links.