One of the best flying boats ever built and still flown.This is for all those who have served on the Cats and still do.

PBY-5A with the National Museum of Naval Aviation Pensacola,FL.What the guts of a Catalina looks like.


Consolidated PBY-Catalina
General Characteristics

Length--------------------------63 ft 10 in (19.45 m)
Wingspan---------------------104 ft 0 in (31.70 m)
Height--------------------------20 ft 2 in (6.15 m)
Wing Area---------------------1.400 ft (130 m)
Powerplant-------------------2x Pratt and Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radial engines.Each 1.200 hp (895 kw)

Preformance

Max Speed--------------------196 mph (314 km/h)
Cruise Speed----------------125 mph (201 km/h)
Range--------------------------2,520 miles (4,030 km)
Service Ceiling---------------15,800 ft (4,000 m)


PBY-5A on display at the RAAFA Museum at Bull Creek Perth West Australia.

gggggggyigggggg
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was the U. S. Navy's most successful patrol flying boat of the war but naval aviators also used the PBY to attack ships at night, and to search for and rescue people stranded at sea. Following World War II, large seaplanes and flying boats suffered a mass extinction. The war caused a tremendous surge in concrete runway construction around the world, and wartime research and development pushed the range of aircraft beyond the span of the world's oceans. Seaplanes continued for some years to serve special needs but land-based aircraft became more efficient at delivering most goods and services whether commercial or military. Century of flight .com 3:)

At The Botwood Flying boat Museum

N85U

PBY Catalina was the United States Navy designation for an American and Canadian-built flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s. PB stands for Patrol Bomber, with Y being Consolidated Aircraft�s manufacturer identification. It could be equipped with depth charges, bombs, torpedoes, and .50 caliber machine guns and was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. Catalinas served with every branch of the US military and in the air forces and navies of many other nations. In the United States Army Air Forces and later in the USAF Strategic Air Command their designation was the OA-10 while Canadian-built PBYs were known by the nickname Canso. Wikipedia.com

Great find,Will add to list.

The Wigram Catalina is located in the Number 3 Hanger at 43 32 57.09s 172.32 52.21e .

Text Source
CONSOLIDATED CATALINA OA-10A-VI
C/n CV-592, USAAF 44-34081


The RNZAF operated a total of 56 Catalinas between 1943 and 1954. During World War Two they were used in anti-submarine, maritime patrol, transport and air/sea rescue roles. The Catalinas were operated in the South West Pacific by 5 and 6 Squadrons during the war, before returning to Fiji and New Zealand for post war use. Short Sunderland flying boats replaced the Catalinas in 1953-54.

Manufactured under licence in Canada by the Vickers Company at Montreal to a US Air Forces contract, the service career of the aircraft is unknown. The aircraft was purchased from the Foreign Liquidation Commission in Manila in November 1946 by Cathay Pacific. Registered as VR-HDH and operating out of Hong Kong, the aircraft served with Cathay Pacific for two years before being sold to MATCO. Sold in 1962 to Trans Australian Airlines for its service to Papua New Guinea (as VH-SBV) the aircraft made its last flight in January 1966. After languishing at Port Moresby for two years, it was taken to the fire dump at the airfield for crash rescue practice.

In 1975, in a very sorry state, she was recovered by the Museum of Transport and Technology (MOTAT), Auckland. After an agreement between between MOTAT and the Air Force Museum was reached in 1983, the aircraft was transferred to RNZAF Base Auckland where a small team of volunteers made considerable progress on the restoration of the hull. The hull was transferred to Wigram in 1990 and is currently awaiting further restoration work. The aircraft is located in No 3 Hangar at Wigram.

Photos by Norm 27-11-2006 - Jacko you may link to these photos in your placemark if you wish.

Did I mention the Cat at Bod� (Bodo)? It's displayed at the National Norwegian Aviation Museum.Their webpage here . The best images of the plane is on the Norwegian language page though. To see them click on 'Utstillinger' (Exhibitions) in the menu on the left. Then click 'Fly i utstilling' ( Exhibition planes) in the next window and an list of all planes displayed will open.

Thanks NormB,the pics did`nt come out though.