Warbird Information Exchange

Hello all! I am interested in the Landing and takeoff roll of the PBY in water and land. Any help hear would be a great bit. Also any of you know if the ventril tunnel hatch that some of the PBYs were converted to for cargo/passanger loading can open in water or as it looks is to close to the water line?

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“No arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of the free men and woman.” –Ronald Reagan 40th President USA.

but in water wouldn't that be a landing splash?

sorry just couldn't resist.

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Jeff

Yes a splash, but then a roll. Why have different terms, for everything.

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“No arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of the free men and woman.” –Ronald Reagan 40th President USA.

You REALLY don't want to roll a flying boat, do you.

Have a look at www.pprune.org.uk forums - av hist & nostalgia where there's a thread by Chuck Ellsworth, PBY / Cat guru. Or look him up at: http://www.pbyflighttraining.com/

Cheers / Salut

James K[/i]

Well I have some time in flying PBY's so I must say first that every airplane is a little different as the firebombers that I used to fly got off pretty quick empty, the executive conversions were longer runs and aft CG and the full tankers were at times exciting. Figure that the PBY's safe airfield allows an accelerate and stop margin so for a heavy airframe with hours fuels you are right at 4000' as a minimum. Now the PBY will get off the ground way early if you let her, I think my first takeoff I somehow found myself airborne at 55 KIAS and 600', but that was training....Figure she will fly off a 2500' strip with ease, but no safety margin, if you are light. We flew off a 2800' one night.... On the water she needs a mautical mile to accelerate and abort, or a mile and a half to lose an engine after 87 kias and continue. This is all assuming that we are dealing with a relativly stock PBY, 1830-92's and the like. A Super Cat has higher performance and will differ markedly, but to what degree I do not know.

JOE

Thanks Joe. That really helps in trying to plan things. Now all I need is time to write

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“No arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of the free men and woman.” –Ronald Reagan 40th President USA.

Two things I couldnt resist saying,
An Albatross pilot once told me he did not buy a catalina because
"they took off at 90, the cruised at 90 and they landed at 90"

He also loved being asked what kind of airplanes he flew,
His answer was always...
"I fly Boats"


I still dont understand how you land on water
If you land on land, Wouldnt you water on water?

The PBY and Albatross are two very different aircraft. The Albatross is just awesome, great cockpit, lots of room, reversing propellers and a sturdy aircraft with great parts support and economy (relative I guess). The PBY flies in a strange way, yaws and rattles, shakes and vibrates. Its drafty, noisy and generally has a lot of messy stuff down in all of the places where things go when they are dropped. A reworked Albatross will look new, a PBY just is temporarily clean. That said, a PBY is like no other plane, and will always have a look and a feel all her own. There is something very classy about a P boat, and very special. The great thing is that both exist seperately, as they should. When you are looking out of the blister at 90 Kts, 50' off the water, you wish the journey would take longer anyway....

True the PBY is a thing all its own! But wy even try to compare it to the Grumman Alabatross? The G-64 has to be concervitive about 20s or more of time watching the PBY fly. The Albatross dose have a better market, it is a bit harder to find people who want to sell the PBY.

The PBY can get into trouble with that 104' wing span! The Catalina has pritty good room itself. As said the blister views are to die for Why would you want to take them off

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“No arsenal or no weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of the free men and woman.” –Ronald Reagan 40th President USA.