Warbird Information Exchange

It would be an especially cool ride from the water.

_________________
.
.
Sure, Charles Lindbergh flew the plane... but Tom Rutledge built the engine!

Visit Django Studios online or Facebook!

Does anyone have the wartime record card, or USN history of Bu 33968 ?

Interestingly Kermit Weeks has sister Bu 33966....

That would be awesome

_________________
Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

Woo, a clipped wing Cat, is it going to Reno?

_________________
Those who possess real knowledge are rare.

Those who can set that knowledge into motion in the physical world are rarer still.

The few who possess real knowledge and can set it into motion of their own hands are the rarest of all.

The only way you could do rides would be water landing rides bc the average joe doesnt know what the heck a PBY is and their main incentive would just be water landings in an old plane. Plus you couldnt (by "couldnt" i mean "couldnt stand to") take it on tour... too slow.

_________________
Taylor Stevenson

The Kiwis offer rides with their Cat, including occasional 'water action'.

Ummm. A Catalina would be a great subject for offering even dry land rides - lets not forget the many veterans and their families memories of maritime operations - certainly the PBY / Cat family was as widely used internationally (more so IIRC) as the B-17 and 24 were. If your mandate is 'education' not maximising revenue for the familiar, turning up with slightly more diverse types such as a PBY is laudable, and an opportunity to show and support the others who didn't fly fighters or bombers.

By allowing a bias towards the familiar, we perpetrate increasing narrowness of memory and history. (If that's a sentence! )

_________________
James K

"Switch on the underwater landing lights"
Emilio Largo, Thunderball.

www.VintageAeroWriter.com

Let me guess a quote from Winston Churchill or Lord Howe?

_________________
"No government ever voluntarily reduces itself in size. Government programs, once launched, never disappear. Actually, a government bureau is the nearest thing to eternal life we'll ever see on this earth!" R.R.

Welcome to the USSA! One Nanny State Under the Messiah, Indivisible with Tyranny, Higher Taxes, Socialism, Radical Environmentalism and a Loss of Income for all. Boy I'm proud to be a part of the USSA, what can I do to raise taxes, oh boy oh boy!

I WANT I WANT! Love the Pig Boat!!!!!!!!

_________________
"According to the map, we've only gone 4 inches."

You would have to sell a whole bunch of rides to pay for the $30k in hull insurance to get it wet.

Any idea if this one has the usual corrosion in the center wing section?

_________________
"Hindsight is usually 20% off!"

Are you saying that the EAA can do it in a Tri-Motor at 80-100MPH and it couldn't be done in a PBY at 120MPH?

(Boy, that must be one fast L-5... )

Several years ago I got the opportunity to fly Jack Erickson's PBY (Tillamook Museum) and I just had to laugh at the comments about it being 'too slow'. Man, you're not kidding. I think flying in the old family Navion was faster. 120kts in a PBY? Yeah...if you're travelling downhill!

Love that airplane, though.

http://aafo.com/library/history/tillamok.htm

_________________
Offer me solutions, offer me alternatives, and I decline......

Doesn't the Air Power Museum in New York offer rides or plan to in their PBY?

_________________
Chris Henry
EAA Aviation Museum Manager

1) They are a LONG way away from it taking to the air again in the first place... go to these links to see shots from over Labor Day weekend...

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2822983 ... 2994hMwmzw

http://rides.webshots.com/photo/2337343 ... 2994MJLkPR

NWM pretty much came to the conclusion that water landings would be disaster for that bird... the hull wasn't in the best shape in the first place and the only way it could do full water ops would be a full replacement and restoration of the hull... otherwise you'd be looking at the next boating hazard in the spot where she stopped.

2) Though it was kicked around, they also have come to a similar outcome that many have when it comes to rides... way too expensive to insure right for the water draw and without that, there isn't much in the way of marketability for the expense. Of course, that's in today's climate that saw most touring groups about 20-30% off last years take. Perhaps a few more years of recovery could change minds... of course, if there is no recovery... well....

_________________
Ryan Keough
Stow, MA

There are 2 problems with PBY, the first is on a water landing, it is easy to cave the nose gear doors in and basically blow the plane apart, that is what happened to the CAF plane as well the firebomber that fuselage that Pima has. The other thing is, if you have to refabric the wing, that is a HUGE job. Most people don't know it but the PBY wing from the spar aft and from tip to tip is fabric. Oh, and it real fun trying to clear a liquid lock on one, ask me how I know............

_________________
Matt Gunsch, A&P, IA, Warbird maint and restorations
Jack, You have Debauched my sloth !!!!!!
We tried voting with the Ballot box, When do we start voting from the Ammo box, and am I allowed only one vote ?
Check out the Ercoupe Discussion Group on facebook

How do you know?

_________________
Magister Aviation
It's all in my book