THE COLONIAL SKIMMER
AND LAKE LA-4 STORY

Colonial Aircraft Corporation

In December 1946 a group of five engineering and shop friends from the Long Island-based aircraft manufacturers Grumman Aircraft Corporation and Republic Aviation Corporation, formed Colonial Aircraft Corporation to design and build a single-engine pusher amphibian flying boat in their spare time.

The two leading people of this group were David B. Thurston and Herbert P. Lindblad, former classmates at Guggenheim School of Aeronautics.  As an engineer with Grumman, Thurston had just witnessed that Grumman terminated all their personal airplane projects, including the G-65 Tadpole amphibian.  Lindblad, working with Republic, was about to see that Republic would end the production of their Seabee amphibian, after just over a thousand had been produced - at great loss.  The expected booming post war personal airplane market never emerged, and both Grumman and Republic decided to turn their attention back to what they knew better; making military aircraft.  Thurston and Lindblad, however, believed there still was a market for personal single engine amphibians.

Colonial Aircraft people ca. 1956
Photo: © Dave Thurston (via A. Halland)

Colonial Aircraft established their offices at 23 East Rogue's Path, Huntington Station, New York, and Dave Thurston became the president of the company.

The first Colonial amphibian design was given the model designation C-1 Skimmer.  The C-1 Skimmer had a slight resemblance to the Grumman G-65 Tadpole, suggesting that Thurston had been inspired from his work on the Grumman design.  However, Thurston is anxious to point out that Colonial Aircraft did not acquire any design drawings or design data for the G-65 from Grumman, as some reporters have implied.  According to Thurston, all G-65 drawings and design data were destroyed by Grumman, and the single prototype was disassembled.  On the C-1 the engine was mounted on an engine pylon, while on the G-65 the engine was of an embedded design.  Actually, the Grumman G-65 Tadpole had more in common with the Republic Seabee than the Colonial Skimmer.  However, some design features of the Grumman Tadpole were used on the C-1 Skimmer, including the wing float design and also a similar wheels retraction mechanism.

The prototype under contruction in 1947.

Photo: ©  Howard Levy via John Staber

The C-1 Skimmer protype was originally powered by a Lycoming 0-235C-1 of 115 hp take off power, mounted on an engine pylon located on rear top of the cabin/fuselage, driving an Aeromatic pusher propeller.  The prototype C-1 Skimmer, registered N6595K, was first flown on 17 July 1948.

Several years of development followed.  There were many design changes between 1948 and 1955.  Soon the O-235C-1 engine was replaced by a 125 hp Lycoming O-290-D engine, mounted on a modified engine pylon.  At 25 hours the prototype had a number structural changes installed.  The low turtleback (under the propeller area) was changed to strengthen the rear fuselage.   The air rudder no longer protruded below the fuselage to act as water rudder.  Instead a new conventional retractable water rudder was installed.  

At The Babylon Seaplane Base on Long Island, NY, in 1950 . At this point the engine has been changed to the 0-290 and the pylon changed.  The fuselage top has been raised to give extra strength, the rudder has been modified and a real water rudder has been installed.

Photo: © Howard Levy via John Staber

During final development before production started in 1955, the 125 hp engine was replaced by a Lycoming O-320-A2B 150 hp engine on an improved engine pylon.  At this point the floats were lengthened, and the pylon trailing edge modified to the production type.   The taller tail, longer rudder, etc. were installed late in the testing.  Two side-by-side seats were installed in front, with a third optional seat mounted sideways in rear.  On 19 September 1955 the Model C-1 Skimmer was approved by the FAA, and issued Approved Type Certificate No: 1A13.

In January 1955 Thurston resigned from Grumman to pursue Colonial Aircraft Corporation on a full-time basis.   Colonial Aircraft Corporation moved from New York to Sanford, Maine, to start manufacture and marketing of the model C-1 Skimmer amphibian.  Colonial Aircraft would also undertake Department of Defense development and production contracts.

A total of 23  C-1 Skimmers were built, serial numbers: 1-14, 16-20, 22-25.  

During 1957 the C-1 Skimmer was improved and developed into Model C-2 Skimmer IV.  An 180 hp engine was installed, the cockpit was redesigned to accommodate four seats (giving the "IV" designation), the horizontal tail surfaces were redesigned for added area, the wing floats were modified, and structural improvements were made to the engine pylon and the wings for increased gross weight.  The C-2 Skimmer was approved on 24 December 1957, under ATC # 1A13.

Only 20 Model C-2 Skimmer IVs were built; serial numbers 115, 121 (later converted to LA-4P, the prototype LA-4, and retained its 121 serial number)  126-143.  

Colonial C-2 Skimmer IV

During 1958 total employment at Colonial reached more than 275 people.  

Lake Aircraft

The following article appeared in the November 2, 1959 issue of Aviation Week:

And there we have the beginning of Lake Aircraft.  David Thurston decided to leave the company to pursue other interests and Herbert Lindblad stayed on with Colonial Aircraft Corporation to build amphibians for Lake Aircraft.

Jack F. Strayer was a Colonial distributor and a former Grumman test pilot.  Strayer formed Lake Aircraft and developed the Skimmer into Lake model LA-4 by increasing wing span by 4 feet, each aileron lengthened by 1 foot, 17 inches were added to the bow, rear wing-to-fuselage attachment was revised, gross weight was increased, and stretching the fuselage by 2 feet.

The aircraft converted to the Lake LA-4P (prototype) was Colonial Skimmer C-2, serial number 121, N261B, the 21^st airplane built. The wings were extended by 2 feet each (including 1 foot more aileron) making the wingspan 38 feet.  The nose was extended by about 17 inches allowing for complete enclosure of the nose gear opening when the gear was retracted.  The water rudder operating handle was now on the floor between the two front seats forward of the trim selector.  The circuit breaker panel was moved from the left sidewall (as on the C-2 Skimmer) to under the pilots instrument panel.  Engine power remained at 180 horsepower.

The serial numbers were again raised by 100, making the first production LA-4 number 244. To make it even more confusing, the first two LA-4s did not get the extended nose and were designated LA-4A. N numbers were changed to a new series, making these two planes, N1001L (s/n 244) and N1002L (s/n 245).  From this point on things ran more or less in sequence, although things were not as simple as they seemed, especially in the financing department. 

Production stopped after about 24 Lake Amphibians were sold and during 1962 none were built, while the financing was again rearranged. At this point a John Dalton appears, forms a new company known as Consolidated Aeronautics, which now owns the type certificate, and in March 1963 Herbert Lindblad formed Aerofab, Inc. which was under contract with Consolidated Aeronautics to build the amphibians.  Dalton had made a connection with Merlin L.“Al” Alson to sell the planes.  His organization was Lake Aircraft, a division of Consolidated Aeronautics.  However, it is not that simple.  Alson’s other business was Aeromarine Development Corporation, under which all Lakes were registered and sold new.  They were located at a little sod field just south of Elkhart, Indiana.  Alson successfully marketed the Brantly Helicopter before he took on the Lake Amphibian.

To quote Mr. Lindblad, “The financial and organizational convolutions of the following years would fill volumes, but they are not pertinent here.”

Slowly, but surely the amphibians were sold to individuals and dealers.  Some were exported as far away as Australia, Japan, Korea, Ireland, Sweden, Africa, and the Phillipines.  Alson remained in the northern Indiana area until 1969 when he moved the operation to the Houston, Texas area at David Wayne Hooks Memorial Airport.  It was a superb general aviation airport, with two blacktop runways and a 2500 foot long by 75 foot wide water filled trench, affectionately known as “the ditch”.  The situation allowed for sales and training year-round without having to travel any distance, and Houston was expanding rapidly.

Unfortunately, it was overshadowed by the “Buccaneer” and only one was produced. For a short time both the 180 and the 200 horsepower Lakes were produced and finally only 200s.  Until this point about 185 Lake LA-4-180s were produced. Amazingly, they sold for only $29,950.00, retail.

The l970s were good years for both Aerofab and Lake Aircraft.  Because of the installation of the 200 horsepower Lycoming, the Lake became a true 4 place amphibian and the performance increase was noteworthy.  Gross weight was increased to 2600 pounds and with the advent of 14 more gallons of fuel carried in the wing floats, it was increased 90 more pounds providing that the 90 pounds was that particular fuel. For the first time ever there was a backlog of orders which became severe when Armand Rivard of Laconia, New Hampshire decided to become a dealer in l973.  He was by far the most successful dealer for Lake Amphibians, offering sales, training, and maintenance at his Laconia facility. 

In l979 he bought Lake Aircraft from “Al” Alson, and the type certificate from Consolidated Aeronautics (renamed it REVO) and moved the operation from Houston to the now-booming Kissimmee, Florida, an area teeming with fresh water lakes and tourist attractions.  Sales started slowing down during the early 1980s but Armand countered by making a design change.  Enter the Lake Buccaneer EP in 1981.  EP stands for extended propeller or extra performance, depending on whom you are talking to. The standing joke among Lake employees was that we finally had a Lake that performed like the brochures said it did.  Lots of details were attended to, such as a better fitting entry hatch, nicer interior, hull strakes, to name a few.  The propeller shaft was extended 6 inches and the rear engine cowl enclosed, with augmenter tubes for the exhaust.  Wing fillets were added as standard equipment, along with a cargo door for easier loading.  Speed increased, stall speed lowered, noise level reduced; all making the EP the best Buccaneer so far.  The last serial number is believed to be 1116 (N6545A).  In 1985 Armand bought Aerofab when Herbert Lindblad retired.

Also in the works at this time was what Lake and Skimmer owners for years had been begging for - more horsepower.  Namely, 250 horsepower, along with an extended fuselage and two more seats, making the newly named Renegade a six place amphibian. The designation is LA250 and the serial numbers begin again at one. The extension to the fuselage deepened the “vee” of the hull making it capable of landing and taking off in much rougher water than previous Lakes.  Deliveries started at the end of l983 and continue to this day.  Not to be idle for long, in l987 Lake delivered the first 270 Turbocharged model, the Seafury, and finally the Seawolf designed with NATO hard point mountings under the wings,  among other things, and mainly sold to governments for patrol and the like. Also in l987 Lake opened up a new facility in Renton, Washington in order to service the growing number of Lake Amphibians in the area and spur new interest in the Pacific Northwest.  It was shut down several years later to cut overhead expenses.

All this does not come without cost. For many reasons, the economy being just one, the cost of a fully equipped Seawolf 270T reached approximately $745,000 by the end of 2000, the Millennium Edition Renegade, $499,990.  Needless to say, very few airplanes were manufactured in the last few years.  Aerofab, Inc. has been operating with a skeleton crew and Armand’s complete company was up for sale.

In the Fall of 2002 a buyer was found;  Wadi Rahim, a native of Bangladesh, who has been active in aviation in this country for many years. Lake Aircraft is now called Sun Lake Aircraft. Aerofab, Inc. is owned by ManAero (a new FAA approved company that bought the assets of AeroFab) and the type certificates and STCs are owned by yet another new company called Global Amphibians.  There is yet another company involved; LanShe Aerospace. LanShe Aerospace LLC is owned by Mihar LLC, a Florida corporation owned by Mr. Rahim. Global Amphibians, which owns the type design will license LanShe Aerospace to manufacture the amphibians. At about the same time Mr. Rahim’s LanShe Aerospace company bought Micco Aircraft (manufacturers of the aerobatic Micco SP-26) which is located in Fort Pierce, Florida.

It was decided, since the old Aerofab plant in Sanford, Maine had seen better days, to move the Lake manufacturing to the modern factory at Fort Pierce and the move was made in 2003.  The Kissimmee office was also moved.  The latest brochures for the 2004 Renegade 2 and the Seafury have just been released with prices at $449,000 and $749,000, respectively.  The amphibians sport an impressive array of equipment including the latest “state of the art” avionics.

The Lake Amphibian flies on...56 years later.

Updated: 2003-10-08

Copyright  © 2003 John H. Staber & Steinar Saevdal

E-mail: Steinar Saevdal
E-mail: John H. Staber