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A Grumman HU-16B Albatross (foreground) is accompanied by two HU-16Cs over Lake Conroe in Texas. The Albatross was designed to meet a U.S. Navy requirement for an amphibious utility aircraft that could also operate from snow and ice with skis. In 1955, Grumman developed an improved variant (16B) with a 16.5-foot increase in wingspan and larger aileron and tail surfaces. A Navy version, the 16C, operated as a search-and-rescue aircraft.
