Grumman Gosling on Lake Hood

Grumman G-44 Widgeon on Lake Hood

WW2 era Grumman G-44 Widgeon, otherwise know as the Gosling, baby brother to the Grumman Goose. The Gosling could carry five people, the Goose could carry ten. Only about 300 were made of each, not like the tens of thousands of fighter aircraft that were produced during the war.

But where's Lake Hood? Seems like I ought to know, we've got Hood River (river and town) and Mt. Hood an hour east of Portland, but no Lake Hood. Seattle maybe? Nope - Anchorage Alaska. It's a tiny little lake right in the middle of town and totally taken up with seaplanes.


Welcome to Lake Hood (LHD)
Federal Aviation Administration
They mention two IFR (Instrument Flight Rating) airports nearby, that would be Ted Stevens International, the commercial airport, and Elmendorf Air Force Base. Looking around I find there are also a whole bunch of smaller airstrips in Anchorage. Place might be the airport capital of the world.


Anchorage Airports