The Alaska Aviation Museum’s Grumman G-21 Goose N789, made its first flight for 16 years following a six-month restoration at the Lake Hood Seaplane Base in Anchorage on 29 May.

Museum volunteer Burke Mees, who used to fly the type commercially, was at the controls.

Originally delivered to the US Navy as JRF-1 BuNo 84807 on 29 November 1944, the amphibian went to the US Fish and Wildlife Service during 1956 and was operated all over the state of Alaska, from the Aleutian Islands to the Arctic Ocean. On 5 September 1960, while on a beach delivering fuel to the research camp at Karluk Lake, the Goose was damaged by an explosion in the cabin. Following temporary repairs N789 was flown back to Anchorage, where a rebuild was undertaken before the aeroplane re-entered service in September 1964. The Goose was gifted to the Alaska Aviation Museum in October 1996.