The Plane of Lake Austin

[CorsairFreak]

I have been working on a 1/48 scale PBY and progress has been moving steadily along. It is at a significant step. For unknown reasons, this step is commoly refered to as "Lake Austin's PBY"

[retroaviation]

LMAO!!!

Thank you for the laugh. I was sure needing it today, and that did the trick.

Gary

[daveymac82c]

Can you tell me the story of "Lake Austin's PBY"? Is it some sort of boat made from the fuselage of a PBY?

I'd love to see pictures and hear the full story.

Cheers,

David

[Russ Matthews]

Can you tell me the story of "Lake Austin's PBY"? Is it some sort of boat made from the fuselage of a PBY?

I'd love to see pictures and hear the full story.

Cheers,

David

It's a reference to a "rescue mission" mounted by some of WIX's own -- check out this thread for more of the story plus pictures (which may look somehow familiar)...

http://warbirdinformationexchange.org/p ... sc&start=0

[daveymac82c]

Oh right... now I get it.

I've followed that story for a while.

Thanks for filling me in. I didn't realize that the story had a name.

-David

[Jack Cook]

It's just a big decoy for hunting season.

[Tulio]

Mea culpa : )

Saludos,


Tulio

[Mark_Pilkington]

.
WARNING --- WARNING ----- WARNING ------

--- FLASH FLOODS AT LAKE AUSTIN!!!!!

(Gary left the garden house on over night)

regards

Mark Pilkington



(our Museum's Catalina Fuselage A24-88 during its time as a Houseboat on the Murray River in Australia.)

http://aarg.com.au/Catalina.htm

[retroaviation]

For it to rain that much here in Midland, it would take one of those rains of "Biblical" porportions. Let's just put it this way...if it rained enough here to fill that little pond of mine up, Noah would be knocking on my door to see if I had any lumber he could borrow for a little project of his.


Oh, and to get that PBY in Lake Austin to float like that would take a similar "Biblical" act.
Gary

[daveymac82c]

I've got a hilarious picture of a PBY converted to a house boat, but it appears to be an amphib.

I'm at work, but I'll post it here when I get home.

Darn, I'm addicted to this message board.

Cheers,

David

[daveymac82c]

Now that I'm back from work here's that picture I was talkin' about.

Here's something that might make a strong man weep...or maybe laugh.

To be honest, I don't know much about it, other than I can tell it's part PBY. How much of it is actually left, I don't really know.

It's a mean thing to do to a Cat, though. But here it is:

Cheers,

David

[retroaviation]

You're right...that's a mean thing to do to a Cat, but you gotta admit, it's pretty clever. Looks like pretty fair workmanship as well.

Gary

[Tulio]

Hey, Gary!

You should start franchising "Lake Austin's"!!!

There is already a copycat in Oz; I am sure we will soon see more photos of other Lake Austin's in far away locations.

Just think about it: Franchising means $$$, T-shirts, mugs, bumper stickers, calendars, personal appearances, autographs, the National Enquirer, t.v. talk-shows, and then a movie about you and Lake Austin . . . who would play your role? Hmmmm... : )


Saludos,


Tulio

[Jack Cook]

You should start franchising "Lake Austin's"!!!

Sounds grear until you get to the fish fry.

[Mark_Pilkington]

The Sexy cabin cruiser with inbuilt beaching gear is "Henrietta" a former Ansett Airlines of Australia post war airliner, VH-BRI, that was purchased to service the holiday island market in Queensland.

PBY-5A, Construction Number 1735, a former lansaire modification ex N10018, it was registered in Australia as VH-BRI in 1959, and sank at its moorings at Hayman Island after a heavy landing in July 1962, it was salvaged and modified into "Henrietta" with most of the aircraft superstructure removed and a boat cabin constructed on the basic hull which retained the amphibian undercarriage, it still survives today in the same configuration in Queensland.

At least 5 other Catalina's were converted into Houseboats on Australia's inland river system including the PBY-5A (M) A24-88 in the earlier photograph above, with many also having their superstructure removed to either have new boat cabins or simply to be used as barges, most operated on the Murray River.

Two examples understood to be still in service on the river are shown below, the second being "PaddleCat" an extensive modification into a side wheel paddleboat.

Photos via links to Rudd de Leeuw's website at

http://www.ruudleeuw.com/search113.htm

regards

Mark Pilkington












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