PBY's ...

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

Per request and another one of my favorites, These may be of interest as well to WIXer PBY expert David Legg who I'm sure will already have a 'Leg up' on most of them. ha yah I know that was a poor attempt at humor. :wink:

sources, NMNA archives, SDASM archives

Part 1 of 4

9 images of PBY-5A Catalina activity operating from Runway 'E' at Andrews Lagoon on Adak Island in the Aleutians 1944

5 images of early PBY's during ceremonies celebrating the twenty-fifth anniversary of the opening of the Panama Canal late 1930's

Several interesting LIFE archive images, sorry no data for these guys.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

Part 2 of 4

A Patrol Squadron VP6 ground crewman adjusts the engine of one of the squadrons PBY-5A Catalina's, Greenland 8 January 1944

PBY Catalina of Patrol Squadron VP14 visits Corpus Christi Texas during the late-1930s

PBY-5A Catalina of Patrol Squadron VP6 pictured in the snow in Greenland

PBY-5A Catalina of Patrol Squadron VP6 secured against high winds at Narsarssuak Greenland 8 February 1944

Consolidated PBY Catalina at Dipologon Mindanao

Aleutian Islands in Alaska

Aviation cadets pass in review during graduation ceremonies at NAS Corpus Christi TX

Coast Guard HU-1 Albatross join a PBY Catalina, R4D Skytrain and F6F Hellcats on the flightline at Naval Air Station NAS Corpus Christi Texas 1948-1949

Coast Guard PBY-5A Catalina approaches the liferaft of an injured naval aviator in the Atlantic fifty miles off Naval Air Station NAS Daytona Beach Florida

Consolidated PBY and crew at Air Station Kodiak circa 1943 USCG

ConsolidatedPBY-5ACatalina

Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina Henderson Field 1944

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

Part 3 of 4

Crew of a Patrol Squadron VP6 PBY Catalina pictured in front of their aircraft 20 December 1944

Dave Gershowitz pictured in front of a PBY-5A Catalina during a visit to the LORAN station on the French Frigate Shoals 1953

Fleet Air Service Squadron FASRON 915 pictured plotting a course and working on their PBY during a two-week annual training period at Naval Air Station NAS Norfolk VA

Naval Air Station NAS Norfolk Virginia 1951

Naval Air Station NAS Corpus Christi Texas during 1941

Naval Air Station NAS Norfolk Virginia 1951

Officers pictured in front of a PBY-1 Catalina 1940-1941

OS2U Kingfishers PBY Catalinas and Hall PH flying boats parked at Coast Guard Air Station CGAS Elizabeth City North Carolina 21 March 1942

PBY Catalina's at Naval Air Station NAS Ford Island

PBY Catalina flying boats destined for delivery to Great Britain parked at Coast Guard Air Station CGAS Elizabeth City North Carolina 1941

The escort carrier Thetis Bay CVE90 pictured underway transporting PBY Catalina's August 1944

PBY Catalina flying boat of Patrol Squadron VP12

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

Part 4 of 4

PBY-1 Catalina flying boat of Patrol Squadron VP12

PBY-1 Catalina flying boat of Patrol Squadron VP9

PBY's of Utility Squadron One VP-3

PBY-2 Catalina pictured at low level over the waters surrounding Pensacola Florida during a gunnery training flight

PBY-5 Catalina which was assigned to the Coast Guard pictured supporting the establishment of a LORAN radio-navigation system at Garner Island

Six months after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor this scene taken at Naval Air Station NAS Hampton Roads Virginia

View of survival gear carried on board a PBY Catalina displayed in front of an aircraft of Patrol Squadron VP42

The Inspector · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:25 pm

AHHH yes! Adak, now you know why it's the Summer vacation spot of the 'Chain', maybe they'll build a SANDALS there soon. :lol:

Is that Clipper bow being 'hot refuelled' one of the 'Double Sunrise' aircraft?
I think the 3/4 right front shot of the red/white ASR bird was shot @ LADD Field (last a B-47 base now Fairbanks Intl) not in the Aleutians since they don't be no trees near that size or in those numbers out on the chain. A Blackwater Spruce gets to about 20 feet with a christmas tree sized trunk with growth rings like rice paper after about 30 years of growing in the arctic, throw a chunk in the fire and it burns like rolled newspaper hot and quick.

K5DH · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 1:48 pm

Mark Allen M wrote:

The Cat in this photo has what looks like a postwar civilian "nose job". There are two Avengers in the background. Could these aircraft be civilian airtankers?

Noha307 · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 4:24 pm

Mark Allen M wrote:

Part 1 of 4

Several interesting LIFE archive images, sorry no data for these guys.

Well THAT is a Baltimore class cruiser. Narrrows it down to... ...1 of 14 ships. :roll:

My first guess was that the PBY was sitting on an elevator on an aircraft carrier. However, there are bollards on the deck under the left wing of the plane, which wouldn't be found on an elevator, so I doubt that is the case. In addition, the structure on the far left doesn't seem characteristic of an aircraft carrier. I'm going to propose that the ship in the foreground is possibly a seaplane carrier.

Mark Allen M wrote:

Part 4 of 4

View of survival gear carried on board a PBY Catalina displayed in front of an aircraft of Patrol Squadron VP42

This photo is the most interesting of the bunch to me. I'm kinda curious how bombs and a typewriter are survival equipment though. :lol:

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:10 pm

Noha307 wrote:

Mark Allen M wrote:

Part 1 of 4

Several interesting LIFE archive images, sorry no data for these guys.

Well THAT is a Baltimore class cruiser. Narrrows it down to... ...1 of 14 ships. :roll:

My first guess was that the PBY was sitting on an elevator on an aircraft carrier. However, there are bollards on the deck under the left wing of the plane, which wouldn't be found on an elevator, so I doubt that is the case. In addition, the structure on the far left doesn't seem characteristic of an aircraft carrier. I'm going to propose that the ship in the foreground is possibly a seaplane carrier.

Mark Allen M wrote:

Part 4 of 4

View of survival gear carried on board a PBY Catalina displayed in front of an aircraft of Patrol Squadron VP42

This photo is the most interesting of the bunch to me. I'm kinda curious how bombs and a typewriter are survival equipment though. :lol:

If the items in the lower center are what you are referring to as bombs I believe you have a few thermos type containers and several fire extinguishers.
The typewriter is so you can fill out the multitude of official forms as you float around in the life boat about why you are floating in a lifeboat. :drink3:

51fixer · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:16 pm

My high school machine shop instructor was Lloyd Sallot.
He flew PBYs and PV-1s from the Aleutian area.
What a horrible place to spend an extended visit. He was amazed he survived the flying he did there.
He was a great guy.

shrike · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 6:29 pm

I think he was referring to the float flares right of center, in front of the container marked rations

Speedy · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 9:22 pm

I agree with the Inspector.....my first thought upon seeing the first set of pictures was "Wow....Adak sure hasn't changed much since WWII."

Ah, the joys of the VP Navy!

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7818

So where were these first 4 taken again, we went through this a long while ago if I recall. Alaska or Greenland?

Caption reads: PBY Attu 1943

Aleutian Islands 1943

Consolidated Catalina Mk. IB G-AGFL 'Vega Star' ex FP221 CN 808 (equivalent to PBY-5B), this was discussed in the thread not long ago as well.

Kossal Roads, Palau 1944

NAS Jacksonvillehe 1942

NAS Whidby Is. 1945

PBY-5A in icy waters, being recovered at Woman's Bay, Kodiak, Alaska

PBY-5A location unknown

Solomon Islands 1943

VP-34 Samarai 1944

USS Tangier 1942

Segond Channel Espirito Santo 1942

PBY Catalina's 1940

The Inspector · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:12 pm

Attu Island is at the very Western end of whats called the Near group of the Aleutians @ 52 42'02 x 172 56' it was the last invasion by U.S. forces of U.S. territory in WW2, when we invaded after the goat rope invasion @ Kiska, we discovered that the Japanese had evacuated Attu island by submarines leaving almost everything.

And recently a restored pigboat (buaerno 33968/ex N 84857) was airlifted from Bayview West of Mt. Vernon over to rest on the seaplane ramp @ NAS Whidbey Island as a memorial to all the patrol squadron guys who flew from there. :wink:

makin' boost · **Posted:** Fri Jan 04, 2013 10:51 pm

Why no wing flaps ??

Jeff H · **Joined:** Thu Jan 05, 2012 6:33 pm **Posts:** 140

Some great detail of weathering and various antennas etc in these photos. Platic modellers.....anyone up to the challenge of trying to recreate the tired, battered look of some of these birds?

Cheers,

Jeff :spit

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