Aircraft N3459C Data

1. - 37825 was its original US Navy Bureau of Aeronautics serial or "Bu." number; its actual Grumman manufacturer's serial or "construction" number was B-78. Check the model G-21A type certificate (ATC-654) - the only valid Grumman serials are from 1001 to 1200 and from B-1 to B-145.

2. - Built by Grumman as a USN model JRF-5 s/n B-78.

3. - Per TC 4A24 Section I, the "real" McKinnon model G-21C aircraft had four 340 hp Lycoming GSO-480-B2D6 supercharged piston engines. The aircraft that were later improperly identified as G-21C 'Hybrid' twin-turboprop conversions were supposedly converted simulataneously per TC 4A24 Section I and STC SA1320WE (for the turbines.) STC SA1320WE was never installed on N3459C (G-21C s/n 1202.)

4. - Converted from 1944 Grumman model JRF-5 s/n B-78, N3459C was the second 4-engine model G-21C completed by McKinnon, it was issued a new certificate of airworthiness on August 7, 1959 and a new registration on August 21, 1959.

McKinnon G-21C s/n 1202 was converted in 1959 from a 1944 ex-USN and ex-USCG Grumman model JRF-5 (ms/n B-78, USN BuNo. 37825, and USCG s/n 7825.) It was initially registered as N5623V and then re-registered as N3459C after it was bought by McKinnon and the conversion into a 4-engine G-21C was started. McKinnon initially sold it to Everbrite Electric Sign Co. of Milwaukee, WI but in 1967, he bought it back, spent a few months refurbishing it, and then sold it to the government of East Pakistan where it was registered as AP-AUY and used as a sort of Air Force One. After the civil war in 1971, East Pakistan became Bangladesh and the airplane became S2-AAD. It remained there, albeit essentially abandoned and derelict after about 1980. It was reported to have finally been scrapped just this past year (2011)