Gooneybird on floats returns to the air

The world’s only float-equipped Dakota, DC-3A/C-53D N130Q (c/n 11761) based at Greenville (ME) returned to the skies on 14 September 2024. A unique event, as the last time it flew as such was as long ago as 2004.

The idea behind a floatplane version of a Dakota was not a new one, as it had been studied during World War II. After test flying two float equipped C-47s (one of these was XC-47C 42-5671 which made its first flight in July 1942) the EDO company produced 32 sets of floats. However no further C-47s were converted.

The subject of this article was delivered to the USAAF as a ‘standard’ C-53 with serial 41-68834. It continued to fly as a ‘normal’ Skytrooper/Dakota until 1976.

In those days Dick Folson of owner Folson Flying Service thought of converting the C-53 into a floatplane, by adding two enormous amphibious EDO-floats. It took until September 1990 before the plane, registered N130Q, was awarded an Experimental Type Certificate, and it started flying as ‘Moosehead Express’.

After a unknown period, N130Q was refitted with a standard undercarriage and as such made its final flight in September 2012.

After years of inactivity, current owner Rodney Folsom and his friend Danny Pelletier have returned the plane into its former floatplane configuration. It was done in honor of Rodney’s brother, the late Max Folsom.

It had not flown for a period of two decades, and the restoration took a little bit longer than expected. It made its first flight a week after the local Moosehead Lakes 50th International Seaplane Fly-In took place from 5 to 8 September.

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Photo: Moosehead Lakeshore Journal.