Re: "Gooney birds"

[(Kim Sterelny)]

>The posting about "storm birds" reminded me of questions I was once asked
>about the origin of the term "gooney bird".  I seem to recall it being used
>to describe an aeroplane (? during WW II, ? the DC3, ? a seaplane), while
>also referring to a bird (? Booby, ? Albatross).
>Can anyone shed any light on either of these uses of the term?
>Richard
>
>From:  Dr Richard Nowotny
>             Melbourne, Australia
>             Tel. (w) 61-3-9214.1420
>             <>

In WWII, a Gooney bird was a Dakota, which was the military transport
equivalent of the DC3. But why it was called that, beats me

Kim Sterelny
Philosophy
Victoria University of Wellington
PO Box 600, Wellington
New Zealand



phone: 64/(0)4/4721-000
Fax: 64/(0)4/495-5130