Warbird Information Exchange

Hey gang,

I just came across this nice shot of the former NWM (now with American Airpower Museum) PBY-6A Catalina on its ferry flight after not flying for nearly 11 years:



The original source was AvWeb Picture of the Week at:
http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/potw/Pi ... 306-1.html

Taken by Hugh Gwyn-Williams.

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Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

I love that PBY! Definitely the nicest looking Cat out there!

Glad to see its up and flying again.
Maybe she'll make it to Geneso this year, and visit her old home!

Ryan,

That is One SWEET shot of the Catalina ! But it makes me want to ask the one thing that I have wanted to know about Catalina's for years ?

At the nose gun position, on this particular Catalina, it has a rounded bubble. Now In many models I have seen where the nose gun looks like a greenhouse style. When did the different nose gun styles change ??

Paul

That style of bow turret, known as an 'eyeball' turret was introduced on later production PBY-5As from serial 46580 and was installed on all PBY-6As and PB2B-2s produced by Boeing.

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David Legg
Editor, The Catalina News
The Catalina Society
Author: Consolidated PBY Catalina - The Peacetime Record

Very atmospheric shot! if only it was photoshopped into looking aged and yellow, it could be 1944!!

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Cheers,
Peter

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Great pic. I am glad that it is going to a good home. I remember the first iem I ever went to Geneseo. THat was the first plane I saw fly there.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Sooo nice to see this a/c flying again and what a terrific shot. I envy everyone up there looking at that as it was being photographed.

Maybe not the very first a/c I saw as I drove into Geneseo for the first time in 1991, but the first one I remember seeing.

Of course, then they put 5 B17's up in formation, joined by a B24 AND a Lancaster...what an experience.

The Director of Maintenance for Jet Aviation PBI

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"Hindsight is usually 20% off!"

Ryan,
Awesome Cat photo! Thanks for the post and the source info. The crew of PBY@yahoo have been watching N7057C's slow return to airworthy condition for some time. The last couple of years it flew it was pretty raggedy. It flew in for a PBY vets' reunion in the early nineties and several of them looked at the tired old 1830's slobbering all over the hull and refused to fly.
More!

Doug Ratchford 'Canso42'
"the PBY guy" at LSFM.

Remember those great airshows at Geneseo. Man they were great.

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Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

If I recall correctly, the turret was modified to fit 2 x .30 cal MGs vice the earlier with only a single gun.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Hey Ryan,
Great shot. I haven't seen her fly over my house yet.
I seem to remember "B25PBYGUY" mentioned a while ago that he was invloved with that ferry flight. More info please

FYI... photo credit is incorrect. This shot was taken by Ryan Parente from AAM chase plane.

Havent checked in here in a while. I've been busy flying Liberty Belle lately, and for the last 7 days the CL-215. I have some Albatross checks to give in Boulder City, on Mon. then head home.

Yes, that was me in the left seat of the AAPM Cat, and Jim Vocell in the right on that ferry flight. It may have been Ryan K. that I shared many of the details of the flight shortly after it transpired. The AAPM will do some restorative work and re-engine the airplane. Len Boyd spearheaded the maintenance necessary for the ferry. Ryan Parente flew formation in an O-2 with us and must have snapped that photo. Jim and I froze up there! But, I fully expected an engine malfunction, so we needed glide/drift down capability and the cloud cover over the Southern Tier of NY and PA precluded a lower desirable altitude. I climbed to 10.5 for VFR cloud clearance with Centers' blessing for that magnetic course. Ryan K has most of the details.

Hopefully, at some point I will be able to train Jim for a type rating check, possibly using the Fighter Factory (FF) Cat. I am scheduled to have the FF Cat at Reading. The AAPM folks are great and I suggest a visit to thier facility if you're in that area.

Regards,
Bob

Great shot- One of my all time favorite warbirds and along with Fuddy Duddy one of the first I saw in the air where it belongs.

Any word on how long it will take to get her back into shape, what the problems are that they are working on, and what the future plans are for flying her.

Steve S