jaque cousteau's pby... is it still around??

[tom d. friedman]

i'm pretty sure cousteau's son perished in a pby crash some near 25 years ago, am i correct?? is the pby since restored or written off?? i'd be interested to hear of it's past military service!!

[Steve Nelson]

From Wiki:

Jacques-Yves Cousteau used a PBY-6A (N101CS) as part of his diving expeditions. His second son, Philippe, was killed while attempting a water landing in the Tagus river near Lisbon, Portugal, June 28, 1979. His plane had just been repaired when he took it out for a flight. As he landed, one of the plane's propellers separated, cut through the cockpit and killed the younger Cousteau.

The wreckage may have been recovered and placed in storage according to the registry entry: http://www.warbirdregistry.org/pbyregistry/pby-64071.html

SN

[The Inspector]

I had the 'opportunity' to fly on a 101CS post maintenance when it was at the now gone PAN-AIR @ Lakefront Airport in New Orleans. Philippe was the P.I.C. and, to be very P.C. was not the best big airplane pilot I'd ever ridden with. He did some pretty crude ham handed flying and didn't handle the airplane well or smoothly. I know the PBY is no pylon racer but none of us riding along to check for leaky rivets when he landed in Lake Borgne wanted to go on a second trip. He was consumed with being 'THE STAR' and went around the hanger constantly trying to be noticed and admired, very few of us were even mildly impressed. So it really didn't surprise any of us when we heard he'd stuffed a wave in Portugal with the airplane about 18 months later.

On the other hand, I flew with an Australian in the BIRD INNOVATOR shortly afterwards, and that gentleman knew his airplane and handled it like an extension of his fingertips, I'm sorry I can't recall his name.