Colonial C-1 "Skimmer"
Model Airplane News Cover Art for October, 1950
by Jo Kotula
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The Colonial Model C-1 Skimmer is a American small single-engined amphibian flying boat. It was one of a group of very similar aircraft designed by David Thurston, who was also affiliated with the Republic Seabee, the Goodyear Duck, and the Grumman Tadpole. Many of the larger companies had decided that the market for personal amphibians was too small to make a profit, but Thurston and a group of friends still believed that a well-designed amphibian would sell, and formed the Colonial Aircraft Company in 1946.

  

Colonial C-1 "Skimmer"
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The resulting design was an all-metal shoulder-wing cantilever monoplane with a single-step hull and stabilizing floats fitted under each wing. A retractable tricycle landing gear allows land operation. The Avco Lycoming engine with a pusher propeller is pylon-mounted above and aft of the enclosed cockpit. The cabin had side-by-side seating for a pilot and passenger with room behind for another passenger. The prototype first flew on 17 July 1948. 23 of these aircraft were built.

An improved four-seat variant was the "C-2 Skimmer IV" which through a succession of companies became the Lake Buccaneer.

In addition to the cover of Model Airplane News, this airplane was also featured in the WINGS "Friend or Foe" trading card series of the early 1950s

Trading card representation of the Colonial C-1 "Skimmer"
Click Here to see all 200 cards in the series
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Click Here for more information about the Colonial C-1 "Skimmer".

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