Bob Hope, a Catalina and a NSW town in WW2

[Liberator]

Bob Hope landed in NSW in WW2 in a US Catalina at Laurieton... http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2012 ... I.facebook

[CoastieJohn]

Pretty good clip. I noticed the name on the side of the PBY was Spare Gear.

[wendovertom]

pretty good stuff - I wonder what happened the PBY?

Tom P.

[CoastieJohn]

Ya....I was kinda wondering the same thing.

[tom d. friedman]

my dad's rifle company patrol walked into a bob hope u.s.o. show after a 2 day jungle patrol on the dutch side of new guinea!!

[David Legg]

pretty good stuff - I wonder what happened the PBY? Tom P.

There is an excellent illustrated booklet written by Mitch McKay that tells the story of Bob Hope's un-planned arrival in a Catalina at Laurieton. Details may be found at http://www.pmheritage.com.au/books.html
Highly recommended!

The Catalina concerned was a US Navy PBY-5A, BuNo 08032 and, after post-war time on the US and French registers, it ended up in the Far East as B-819 and was destroyed on the ground in Indonesia by an AURI attack, 13May58.

[CoastieJohn]

pretty good stuff - I wonder what happened the PBY? Tom P.

There is an excellent illustrated booklet written by Mitch McKay that tells the story of Bob Hope's un-planned arrival in a Catalina at Laurieton. Details may be found at http://www.pmheritage.com.au/books.html
Highly recommended!

The Catalina concerned was a US Navy PBY-5A, BuNo 08032 and, after post-war time on the US and French registers, it ended up in the Far East as B-819 and was destroyed on the ground in Indonesia by an AURI attack, 13May58.

Good stuff....thanks!!

[PBY1]

Greetings from Australia.

My name is Mitch McKay and I'm the author of It's Not Hollywood But... which details the story of Bob Hope's landing in the Camden Haven River at Laurieton, Australia in August 1944. He had been flying to Sydney in the Catalina after entertaining troops in the South Pacific when it encountered mechanical problems.

Other entertainers on board were Jerry Colonna, Frances Langford, Tony Romano, Hope’s writer Barney Dean and Patty Thomas.

The book not only tells of my search for Patty, the last surviving member of that troupe of entertainers, but also the search for the crew and the aircraft.

A copy of my publication can be purchased from my website on www.pmheritage.com.au.

The Catalina was Bu Aer 08032 but after the war it also had other identities such as NC49692, B-819 Air Asia and F-BDRN or TRAPAS.

The book shows the aircraft, which during the war went by the name Spare Gear, destroyed in Indonesia - it's final mission, and includes an account from the son of the pilot who flew it on that fateful day.

Hope this help.

Regards
Mitch