An Oldie Coincidence ?

[John Heaton]

Yesterday - I finished a book Called "The BlackCats" which was the story of the use of Australian PBY -5 Catalinas

and with the American Cats -Minelaying around the South Pacific in WW2 

 

and today - I spotted  this new vid out today - https://youtu.be/CbWRu8nAzdc - a freebie download and my pension

just loves freebies and nostalgia for this old warbird - (There used to be a few sitting there at Essendon in the 70s)

caused a very Kwik D/L

 

and here she is at My Gold Coast A/P getting ready for a flight tomorrow along the Broadwater 9Except she's not black and 

there's around 19 liveries

 

The Catalina  is also historical  in the history of Qantas - because they took over the war surplus for there infant overseas airline

I hope someone does a livery

 

There remains a Catalina in the Qantas Museum in Longreach - Catalina: Restored 'flying boat' takes pride of place at Qantas Founders Museum in Longreach - ABC News

 

Edited August 19, 2022 by John Heaton

[wain71]

great shots John, such an unusual looking plane for sure...

[John Heaton]

11 minutes ago, wain71 said:

great shots John, such an unusual looking plane for sure...

Not if you were a survivor from the US warship  - Indianapolis - in the shark infested  Pacific ocean after she was

or the Admiral commanding the Jap Carrier fleet approaching MIDWAY

Edited August 19, 2022 by John Heaton

[wain71]

what did this plane do back in the day? was it solely used for rescue at sea? how many could it carry? I can imagine if you are in the sea and you see a rescue plan / chopper of any kind it must be a massive feeling of relief...

[John Heaton]

21 minutes ago, wain71 said:

what did this plane do back in the day? was it solely used for rescue at sea? how many could it carry? I can imagine if you are in the sea and you see a rescue plan / chopper of any kind it must be a massive feeling of relief...

Consolidated PBY Catalina - Wikipedia

 

apart from the minelaying operations I mention above - wartime Cat flights were from Perth tp Ceylon (SRI LANCA) and this became

Qantas first overseas service at war end

[BradB]

Now that’s what I call a real floater , thanks for the back story John . 

[Jack Sawyer]

Sweet!  

[Rodger Pettichord]

Wartime PBYs flew under two names -- "Cat" when flying combat and "Dumbo" when flying passengers or cargo or dispatches. As combat planes, they laid mines, did long-range surveillance, dropped torpedoes, and attacked surface ships. The Japanese feared them for good reason. The Cat kill-rate was very good. 

[Ken Q]

5 hours ago, Rodger Pettichord said:

Wartime PBYs flew under two names -- "Cat" when flying combat and "Dumbo" when flying passengers or cargo or dispatches. As combat planes, they laid mines, did long-range surveillance, dropped torpedoes, and attacked surface ships. The Japanese feared them for good reason. The Cat kill-rate was very good. 

All very true, but there's more.  In the Atlantic theater they did ASW patrols, largely covering the East Coast of the US, and cover for the convoys on the western part of the convoy route to Europe.  By the beginning of the War they were considered obsolete, but since it's what we had they were put to work, and proved to be versatile and tough.  Though slow, there were a number of jobs they could do very well.

 

Ken

 

P.S. The museum I mentioned in my "Meaningless Topic" post is restoring one, hopefully to flyable condition.

 

[TerribleT]

My first CFI, from whom I received in Rabaul TPNG 1956-58 my first solo, Restricted and Open PPL, piloted Cats for the RAAF during WWII from bases in Northern Australia, Papua, New Guinea, Dutch New Guinea and Borneo as the war progressed Northwards towards Japan.  Most of his missions were at night in the black livery either laying mines or doing clandestine supply runs or personnel deliveries/pickups for coastwatchers and other behind the lines operatives.  Only told stories about it on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day - riveting stuff.

The QANTAS Catalinas ran services throughout coastal and island areas of Papua New Guinea and right down the Solomons chain as far as Honiara right up until the early 1970s after being taken over by TAA Sunbird Services.  Very sparsely equipped and very noisy but the water takeoffs and landings were amazing as were the very remote islands to be visited and it was such a kick to land in harbours/bays near regional airports where we often traveled in non-amphibious aircraft.

I also had the experience of long hot low level flights in those Catalinas over a two week period in the early 1960s searching for the never found Michael Rockefeller - I was in a blister with high powered tripod mounted Naval binoculars, copious sunburn cream, ear protectors and large eskies of bottled water. We got paid very well in $US by the Rockefeller family.

Amazing aircraft that I truly missed when they disappeared from TPNG haven't seen one since.

 

[Rodger Pettichord]

A thing I've noticed is that the wartime PBY pilots were of a type--very cool, calm, capable, and courageous. My first wife's father was a PBY guy in the Pacific War, and I worshipped the man. Later, when I was working with the military, I met a few others, all of that same caliber. A unique group of fine men.

[John Heaton]

Following the above -- just curious - anybody else downloaded it ??

[Rodger Pettichord]

37 minutes ago, John Heaton said:

Following the above -- just curious - anybody else downloaded it ??

John, I assume you're referring to the PBY freeware video? Yes, I watched it. Very nice model. I still fly P3D4 and use the old upgraded AlphaSim PBY. It is not so sophisticated as this MSFS 2020 version but still enjoyable.

[John Heaton]

3 hours ago, Rodger Pettichord said:

John, I assume you're referring to the PBY freeware video? Yes, I watched it. Very nice model. I still fly P3D4 and use the old upgraded AlphaSim PBY. It is not so sophisticated as this MSFS 2020 version but still enjoyable.

No Rodger - I meant the aircraft Down Load for the MSFS sim

[John Heaton]

On 8/20/2022 at 10:35 AM, TerribleT said:

My first CFI, from whom I received in Rabaul TPNG 1956-58 my first solo, Restricted and Open PPL, piloted Cats for the RAAF during WWII from bases in Northern Australia, Papua, New Guinea, Dutch New Guinea and Borneo as the war progressed Northwards towards Japan.  Most of his missions were at night in the black livery either laying mines or doing clandestine supply runs or personnel deliveries/pickups for coastwatchers and other behind the lines operatives.  Only told stories about it on ANZAC Day and Remembrance Day - riveting stuff.

 

The book I mentioned Originally was the subject of your friend

Maybe you would like to get it from the GC library

https://catalogue.goldcoast.qld.gov.au/iii/encore/record/C__Rb1653644__SBlack Cats__Orightresult__U__X6?lang=eng&suite=def

[adambar]

Thanks for the HU there John, nice freeware. 

[John Heaton]

Just for further interest - this is a url for U tube full of interesting anecdotes on the RAAF Cats

RAAF Catalinas - YouTube