WORLD WAR 2 IN REVIEW: 12/03/24

The General Aviation PJ was a flying boat produced in the United States in the 1930s as a search-and-rescue aircraft for the Coast Guard. Five were built, with one converted to be a PJ-2 with engines in the other direction. The aircraft would land and take-off on water, but did have some wheels for when it was brought up on land from the water. They were in service until August 1941.

Each of the five aircraft was named for stars. General Aviation was the then-new name for Fokker America, after it was purchased by General Motors; the other designation for this design was the AF-15. It was also called the FLB for Flying Life Boat.

Design

Originally designated FLB (for "Flying Life Boat"), it was a conventional high-wing cantilever monoplane with a flying boat hull and outrigger pontoons mounted on the wings slightly outboard of mid-span. The twin pusher engines were carried in separate nacelles on pylons above the wings. The hull was a monocoque metal structure, and the wing was a wooden structure skinned with plywood. The basic design was based on that of the Fokker F.11, but substantially enlarged (Fokker's American operation was renamed General Aviation after purchase by General Motors in 1930). While not a true amphibian and able to land on dry land, the PJ was equipped with retractable undercarriage that functioned as its own, self-carrying beaching trolley.

Role: Air-sea rescue aircraft

National origin: United States of America

Manufacturer: General Aviation

First flight: 1933

Retired: 1941

Primary user: United States Coast Guard

Number built: 5

Crew: Four - two pilots, navigator, and radio operator

Length: 53 ft 9 in (16.39 m)

Wingspan: 74 ft 2 in (22.61 m)

Height: 15 ft 6 in (4.73 m)

Wing area: 754 sq ft (70.0 m2)

Empty weight: 7,000 lb (3,180 kg)

Gross weight: 11,200 lb (5,090 kg)

Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1340 Wasp , 420 hp (310 kW) each

Maximum speed: 130 mph (208 km/h, 110 kn)

Range: 1,100 mi (1,770 km, 960 nmi)

Service ceiling: 9,000 ft (2,745 m)

Operational History

Five examples were operated by the US Coast Guard during the 1930s, named Antares, Altair, Acrux, Acamar, and Arcturus (hull numbers FLB-51 through FLB-55). In 1933, Antares underwent a major refit that included a redesign of her engine nacelles, converting these to tractor configuration.

They were retired in August 1941.

Aircraft List

PJ-2 CG-51Antares: FLB-51 as it was originally numbered began its life as a PJ-1. It was accepted by the Coast Guard on 16 April 1932. It was christened as Antares on that day by the wife of the then-Commandant, Mrs. F. C. Billard. Its engines were modified from a pusher-type to tractor-type by the Coast Guard in 1933 and it was redesignated as a PJ-2. It was later given the designation V-116. It was initially stationed at Air Station Cape May, New Jersey and later transferred to Air Station Biloxi, Mississippi.

PJ-1 CG-52 Altair: FLB-52 was accepted by the Coast Guard and commissioned in August, 1932. It was christened Altair and launched on that day by Miss Aline Beverly Chalker, daughter of CDR & Mrs. Lloyd Toulmin Chalker, USCG at the General Aviation Manufacturing plant in Dundalk, MD. It was later designated V-112 and was decommissioned in May, 1940.

PJ-1 CG-53 Acrux: FLB-53 was accepted by the Coast Guard and commissioned on 1 September, 1932. It was christened Acrux and launched on that day by the daughter of the Commandant, Miss Jean Hamlet.*** Its designation was later changed to V-113. It was decommissioned in October, 1940

PJ-1 CG-54 Acamar: FLB-54 was accepted by the Coast Guard and commissioned in September, 1932. It was christened Acamar and its designation was later changed to V-114. It was decommissioned and "abandoned" in August 1937.

PJ-1 CG-55 Arcturus: FLB-55 was accepted by the Coast Guard and commissioned in November, 1932. It was christened Arcturus and its designation was later changed to V-115. In 1935 it was stationed at Air Station Miami. It was at one point assigned to Air Station Salem before being transferred to Air Station St. Petersburg, Florida on 11 December 1938. It was decommissioned in August, 1941. It may have then been cut up and burned as scrap.

Variants

PJ-1: original version with pusher engines (five built)

PJ-2: version with tractor engines (one converted)

References

"General Aviation PJ-1, PJ-2 "Flying Lifeboat" (1932)". Coast Guard Aviation History.

Bowers, Peter M. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. Annapolis, Maryland, USA: Naval Institute Press, 1990, p. 495.

Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. p. 417.

"For Coast Guard Service". Flight: 844–45. 24 August 1933.

Billard, Frederick Chamberlayne. "The Commissioning of the New Antares. [ PJ-1 ]" U.S. Coast Guard Magazine (July 1932), p. 16.

"For the Coast Guard's Airfleet." U.S. Coast Guard Magazine (September, 1932), p. 22.

"Admiral's Daughter Names New Boat." U.S. Coast Guard Magazine (October 1932), p. 16.

Fokker 15 FLB (V113) U.S. Coast Guard “Acrux.” Based on the earlier F-11A amphibian design, but much larger, five of this type were built for the USCG authorities by General Aviation Corporation. An identical model, illustrated here, was known as the PJ-1, while the sole tractor version was the PJ-2. The GA.15s were the last of all Fokker types to be built in the USA.

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation (Fokker) PJ-1 Flying Life Boat “Acrux” (USCG s/n V113 {FLB-53 253}) on new airbase ramp at Floyd Bennett Field, N.Y. May 18, 1938.

General Aviation PJ-1 USCG FLB-51.

United States Coast Guard (USCG) Fokker PJ-1 Flying Life Boat (FLB-51) making its take-off run across the water; circa 1932-1941.

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation FLB “Antares” (Fokker Model AF-15, tail no. FLB-51, later designated Fokker PJ-1) on the ground at the top of a boat (seaplane) ramp; May 25, 1932.

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation (Fokker) PJ-1 Flying Life Boat “Acrux” (USCG s/n V113 {FLB-53 253}) piloted by Lt. True Miller, rescuing survivor of the wrecked Travel Air (K. Porter, D. Hendrickson, E. Ahrens, F. Farmer, V. Rasmussen) to the left of the PJ-1. The Travel Air crashed in Jamaica Bay, N.Y. May 18, 1938.

The U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-1 Arcturus (s/n CG-55, later V-115) in flight off Miami, Florida, on 6 December 1934. The aircraft was commissioned in November 1932. In 1934 it was stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Miami. Later, it was assigned to CGAS Salem, Massachusetts, before being transferred to CGAS St. Petersburg, Florida on 11 December 1938. It was decommissioned in August 1941. U.S. Coast Guard planes from the Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Florida, greet the new 165-foot patrol boat USCGC Pandora (WPC-113) upon her arrival at Miami on 6 December 1934. Visible from top to bottom are General Aviation PJ-1 Acamar, Douglas RD-1 Sirius and PJ-1 Arcturus.

A patient in a stretcher is unloaded from the U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-1 Altair (serial CG-52, later V-112), 1930s. This aircraft was commissioned in August 1932 and was decommissioned in May 1940.

The U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-1 Arcturus (serial CG-55, later V-115) on the ramp at Coast Guard Air Station Miami, Florida, 1930s.

The U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-2 Antares (serial CG-51, later V-116) transferring a critically injured seaman from the SS Samuel Q. Brown. In this instance two merchant crewmen sustained serious burns and were evacuated 80 km off the Delaware Capes in early 1933. The transfer was made by small boat using a specially designed stretcher which was placed aboard the aircraft using the forward hatch. The transfer in this case was made in favorable weather conditions, which was often not the case. This PJ-2 was commissioned on 16 April 1932 as a PJ-1. The aircraft was initially stationed at Air Station Cape May, New Jersey and later transferred to Air Station Biloxi, Mississippi. Its engines were modified from a pusher-type to tractor-type by the Coast Guard in 1933 and it was redesignated as a PJ-2.

The U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-1 Antares (serial CG-51, later V-116) leaving the tanker SS Samuel Q. Brown.

View of the hangar and barracks at Coast Guard Air Station Salem circa 1938. A Curtiss SOC-4 Seagull is on the ramp and a General Aviation PJ-1 is in the hangar.

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation (Fokker) PJ-1 Flying Life Boat “Acrux” (USCG s/n V113 {FLB-53 253}).

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation (Fokker) PJ-1 Flying Life Boat, 1932.

The single U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-2 Antares (s/n V-116) parked on a ramp. This aircraft was accepted by the USCG on 16 April 1932 as a PJ-1 (s/n CG-51). Its engines were modified from a pusher-type to tractor-type by the Coast Guard in 1933 and it was redesignated as a PJ-2. It was given the designation V-116 in October 1936. It was initially stationed at Coast Guard Air Station Cape May, New Jersey and later transferred to CGAS Biloxi, Mississippi.

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-2 Antares (s/n V-116).

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-2 Antares (s/n FLB-51 {V-116}).

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-2 Antares (s/n V-116).

U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-1.

General Aviation PJ-1 “Altair” unloading patient at Salem Air Station.

“Altair” being christened at General Aviation Manufacturing Corp., Dundalk, Maryland. Miss Aline Beverly Chalker, daughter of Commander and Mrs. Lloyd T. Chalker, USCG, and Rear Admiral Harry G. Hamlet, Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. August 1932.

The late RADM Norman G. Hall, USCG, pioneer in U.S. Coast Guard aviation, shown here as a CDR, watches a crew working on a PJ-1 (Fokker) seaplane at the water's edge at the Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia, 22 November 1932.

General Muster at Coast Guard Air Station, Miami, Florida, 31 January 1935.

General Aviation PJ-1 USCG.

General Aviation PJ-1 USCG V113.

General Aviation PJ-1 Flying Life Boat (USCG s/n V113 {FLB-53 253}) on beach at Jamaica Bay near Floyd Bennett Field, New York, May 18, 1938.

U.S. Navy servicemen carrying Ken Porter, the pilot of an aircraft that crashed in the waters off of Jamaica Bay, the U.S. Coast Guard General Aviation PJ-1 Flying Life Boat (USCG s/n V113 {FLB-53 253}) on the background just rescued Porter and the others on board, on beach at Jamaica Bay near Floyd Bennett Field, New York, May 18, 1938.

General Aviation PJ-1 USCG.

WORLD WAR 2 IN REVIEW

Viewing Photographs

General Aviation PJ: American Search and Rescue Aircraft