Consolidated PBY Catalina

The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and

amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and
PBY Catalina
1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It
was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War
II. Catalinas served with every branch of the United States
Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many
other nations. The last military PBYs served until the
1980s. As of 2014, nearly 80 years after its first flight, the
aircraft continues to fly as a waterbomber (or airtanker) in
aerial firefighting operations in some parts of the world.
None remain in military service.
A PBY-5A on patrol, 1942–43
Role Maritime patrol bomber,
search and rescue seaplane
Contents
National origin United States
Design and development
Manufacturer Consolidated Aircraft
Background
Initial development Built by Boeing Canada (PB2B)
Canadian Vickers (PBV)
PBN Nomad
Naval Aircraft Factory (PBN)
Naming
Soviet Gidrosamolet
Operational history Transportnii factory at
Roles in World War II Taganrog (GST)
Anti-submarine warfare
First flight 28 March 1935
Maritime patrol
Night attack and naval interdiction Introduction October 1936, United States
Search and rescue Navy

Early commercial use Retired January 1957 (United States

Post-World War II employment Navy Reserve)
Catalina affair 1982 (Brazilian Air Force)
Primary users United States Navy
Variants
United States Army Air
US Navy
Forces
Mass-produced US Navy variants
Royal Air Force
USAAF
Royal Canadian Air Force
RAF
RCAF Produced 1936–1945

Other users Number built 3,308 (2,661 U.S.-built,[1] 620

Canadian-built, 27 Soviet-
Operators
built)[2]
Surviving aircraft
Unit cost US$90,000 (as of 1935,
Specifications (PBY-5A) $1.68 million today)
See also Variants Bird Innovator
References
 Notes
Citations
Bibliography
Further reading
External links

Design and development

Background

The PBY was originally designed to be a patrol bomber, an aircraft with a long operational range intended to
locate and attack enemy transport ships at sea in order to disrupt enemy supply lines. With a mind to a potential
conflict in the Pacific Ocean, where troops would require resupply over great distances, the U.S. Navy in the
1930s invested millions of dollars in developing long-range flying boats for this purpose. Flying boats had the
advantage of not requiring runways, in effect having the entire ocean available.

Initial development

As American dominance in the Pacific Ocean began to face competition from Japan in the 1930s, the U.S.
Navy contracted Consolidated, Martin and Douglas in October 1933 to build competing prototypes for a patrol
flying boat.[3] Naval doctrine of the 1930s and 1940s used flying boats in a wide variety of roles that today are
handled by multiple special-purpose aircraft. The U.S. Navy had adopted the Consolidated P2Y and Martin
P3M models for this role in 1931, but both aircraft were underpowered and hampered by inadequate range and
limited payloads.

Consolidated and Douglas both delivered single prototypes of their new designs, the XP3Y-1 and XP3D-1,
respectively. Consolidated's XP3Y-1 was an evolution of the XPY-1 design that had originally competed
unsuccessfully for the P3M contract two years earlier and of the XP2Y design that the Navy had authorized
for a limited production run. Although the Douglas aircraft was a good design, the Navy opted for
Consolidated's because the projected cost was only $90,000 per aircraft.

Consolidated's XP3Y-1 design (company Model 28) had a parasol

wing with external bracing struts, mounted on a pylon over the
fuselage. Wingtip stabilizing floats were retractable in flight to form
streamlined wingtips and had been licensed from the Saunders-Roe
company. The two-step hull design was similar to that of the P2Y, but
the Model 28 had a cantilever cruciform tail unit instead of a strut-
braced twin tail. Cleaner aerodynamics gave the Model 28 better
performance than earlier designs. Construction is all-metal, stressed-
skin, of aluminum sheet, except the ailerons and wing trailing edge,
which are fabric covered.[4]
PBY waist gunner mounting port side
The prototype was powered by two 825 hp (615 kW) Pratt & gun blister.
Whitney R-1830-54 Twin Wasp radial engines mounted on the wing's
leading edges. Armament comprised four .30 in (7.6 mm) Browning
AN/M2 machine guns and up to 2,000 lb (910 kg) of bombs.
The XP3Y-1 had its maiden flight on 28 March 1935, after which it was transferred to the U.S. Navy for
service trials. The XP3Y-1 was a significant performance improvement over previous patrol flying boats. The
Navy requested further development in order to bring the aircraft into the category of patrol bomber, and in
October 1935, the prototype was returned to Consolidated for further work, including installation of 900 hp
(670 kW) R-1830-64 engines. For the redesignated XPBY-1, Consolidated introduced redesigned vertical tail
surfaces which resolved a problem with the tail becoming submerged on takeoff, which had made lift-off
impossible under some conditions. The XPBY-1 had its maiden flight on 19 May 1936, during which a record
non-stop distance flight of 3,443 mi (2,992 nmi; 5,541 km) was achieved.

The XPBY-1 was delivered to VP-11F in October 1936. The second squadron to be equipped was VP-12,
which received the first of its aircraft in early 1937. The second production order was placed on 25 July 1936.
Over the next three years, the design was gradually developed further and successive models introduced.

The aircraft eventually bore the name Catalina after Santa Catalina Island, California; the name was coined in
November 1941, as Great Britain ordered their first 30 aircraft.[5]

PBN Nomad

The Naval Aircraft Factory made significant modifications to the PBY design, many of which would have
significantly interrupted deliveries had they been incorporated on the Consolidated production lines.[6] The
new aircraft, officially known as the PBN-1 Nomad, had several differences from the basic PBY. The most
obvious upgrades were to the bow, which was sharpened and extended by two feet, and to the tail, which was
enlarged and featured a new shape. Other improvements included larger fuel tanks, increasing range by 50%,
and stronger wings permitting a 2,000 lb (908 kg) increase in gross takeoff weight. An auxiliary power unit
was installed, along with an improved electrical system, and the weapons were upgraded with continuous-feed
mechanisms.[6]

138 of the 156 PBN-1s produced served with the Soviet Navy, after the NAF transferred ownership via
Project ZEBRA (1944-1945).[7] The remaining 18 were assigned to training units at NAS Whidbey Island
and the Naval Air Facility in Newport, Rhode Island.[8] Later, improvements found in the PBN such as the
larger tail were incorporated into the amphibious PBY-6A.

Naming

The designation "PBY" was determined in accordance with the U.S. Navy aircraft designation system of
1922; PB representing "Patrol Bomber" and Y being the code assigned to Consolidated Aircraft as its
manufacturer. Catalinas built by other manufacturers for the U.S. Navy were designated according to different
manufacturer codes, thus Canadian Vickers-built examples were designated PBV, Boeing Canada examples
PB2B (there already being a Boeing PBB) and Naval Aircraft Factory examples were designated PBN. In
accordance with contemporary British naming practice of naming seaplanes after coastal port towns, Royal
Canadian Air Force examples were named Canso, for the town of that name in Nova Scotia. The Royal Air
Force used the name Catalina and the U.S. Navy adopted this name in 1942.[9] The United States Army Air
Forces and later the United States Air Force used the designation OA-10. U.S. Navy Catalinas used in the
Pacific against the Japanese for night operations were painted black overall; as a result these aircraft were
sometimes referred to locally as "Black Cats".

Operational history

Roles in World War II

The PBY was the most numerous aircraft of its kind, with around
3,300 aircraft built.

During World War II, PBYs were used in anti-submarine warfare,

patrol bombing, convoy escort, search and rescue missions (especially
air-sea rescue), and cargo transport.

The type operated in nearly all operational theatres of World War II.
The Catalina served with distinction and played a prominent and
invaluable role in the war against the Japanese.
A radar-equipped PBY-5A from VP-
These patrol planes shared with land based patrol bombers the combat 6(CG) over Greenland, in 1945.
roles while the very long range Consolidated LB-30 and the
Consolidated Coronado were pressed into service to increase the all
important logistic strategic air lift capability in the vast Pacific theater. The pairings allowed the Catalina to take
on the role of eyes of the fleets at longer ranges than the float plane scouts.

Several different flying boats were adopted by the Navy, but the PBY was the most widely used and
produced.

Although slow and ungainly, Catalinas distinguished themselves in

World War II. Allied forces used them successfully in a wide variety
of roles for which the aircraft was never intended. PBYs are
remembered for their rescue role, in which they saved the lives of
thousands of aircrew downed over water. Catalina airmen called their
aircraft the "Cat" on combat missions and "Dumbo" in air-sea rescue
service.[10]

Anti-submarine warfare

Catalinas were the most extensively used anti-submarine warfare

(ASW) aircraft in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters of World War
II, and were also used in the Indian Ocean, flying from the Seychelles
and from Ceylon. Their duties included escorting convoys to PBY riding at sea anchor.
Murmansk. By 1943, U-boats were well-armed with anti-aircraft guns
and two Victoria Crosses were won by Catalina pilots pressing home
their attacks on U-boats in the face of heavy fire: Flying Officer John Cruickshank of the RAF, in 1944, for
sinking U-347 (although the submarine is now known to have been U-361[11]) and in the same year Flight
Lieutenant David Hornell of the Royal Canadian Air Force (posthumously) against U-1225. Catalinas
destroyed 40 U-boats, but not without losses of their own. A Brazilian Catalina attacked and sank U-199 in
Brazilian waters on 31 July 1943. Later, the aircraft was baptized as "Arará", in memory of the merchant ship
of that name which was sunk by another U-boat.[12]

Maritime patrol

In their role as patrol aircraft, Catalinas participated in some of the most notable naval engagements of World
War II. The aircraft's parasol wing and large waist blisters provided excellent visibility and combined with its
long range and endurance, made it well suited for the task.

A RAF Coastal Command Catalina, with Ensign Leonard B. Smith of the U.S. Navy as copilot, and flying
out of Castle Archdale Flying boat base, Lower Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, located on 26 May 1941, some
690 nmi (1,280 km; 790 mi) northwest of Brest, the German battleship Bismarck, which was attempting to
evade Royal Navy forces as she sought to join other Kriegsmarine
forces in Brest.[note 1][13][14][15][16][17] This sighting eventually led to
the destruction of the German battleship.

On 7 December 1941, before the Japanese amphibious landings on

Kota Bharu, Malaya, their invasion force was approached by a
Catalina flying boat of No. 205 Squadron RAF. The aircraft was shot
down by five Nakajima Ki-27 fighters before it could radio its report
to air headquarters in Singapore.[18] Flying Officer Patrick Bedell,
commanding the Catalina, and his seven crew members became the
first Allied casualties in the war with Japan.[19] A PBY-5A of VP-61 over the Aleutian
Islands in 1943
A flight of Catalinas spotted the Japanese fleet approaching Midway
Island, beginning the Battle of Midway.[20]

A Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Canso flown by Squadron Leader L.J. Birchall foiled Japanese plans to
destroy the Royal Navy's Indian Ocean fleet on 4 April 1942 when it detected the Japanese carrier fleet
approaching Ceylon (Sri Lanka).[21]

Night attack and naval interdiction

During the Battle of Midway four United States Navy PBYs of Patrol
Squadrons 24 and 51 made a night torpedo attack on the Japanese
fleet on the night of June 3–4, 1942, scoring one hit which damaged
the fleet oiler Akebono Maru, the only successful American torpedo
attack in the entire battle.[22]

During the Guadalcanal campaign, some U.S. Navy PBYs were

painted matte black and sent on night bombing, torpedoing, and
strafing missions against Japanese supply vessels and warships,
including conducting interdiction raids on the Tokyo Express. These Squadron Leader Leonard Birchall
PBYs were later called "Black Cats". Subsequently, special aboard a Consolidated Catalina
squadrons of Black Cats were formed, commencing in December before being shot down and captured
1942 with VP-12, with an additional thirteen squadrons coming into near Ceylon by the Japanese
service thereafter. [note 2] Flying slowly at night, dipping to ship mast
height, the Black Cats bombed, strafed, and torpedoed all kinds of
Japanese vessels, sinking or damaging thousands of tons of shipping. The Black Cats also performed
bombing, strafing and harassment regarding land based Japanese installations, as well as conducting
reconnaissance and search and rescue operations. The Black Cat squadrons continued to be active into 1944
with the PB4Y-2 beginning to come in service in greater numbers and replacing the PBYs, the last Black Cat
squadrons returning to the U.S. in early 1945.[23][24]

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) also operated Catalinas as night raiders, with four squadrons Nos.
11, 20, 42, and 43 laying mines from 23 April 1943 until July 1945 in the southwest Pacific deep in Japanese-
held waters, bottling up ports and shipping routes and forcing ships into deeper waters to become targets for
U.S. submarines; they tied up the major strategic ports such as Balikpapan which shipped 80% of Japanese oil
supplies. In late 1944, their mining missions sometimes exceeded 20 hours in duration and were carried out
from as low as 200 ft (61 m) in the dark. Operations included trapping the Japanese fleet in Manila Bay in
assistance of General Douglas MacArthur's landing at Mindoro in the Philippines. Australian Catalinas also
operated out of Jinamoc in the Leyte Gulf, and mined ports on the Chinese coast from Hong Kong to as far
north as Wenchow. Both USN and RAAF Catalinas regularly mounted nuisance night bombing raids on
Japanese bases, with the RAAF claiming the slogan "The First and the Furthest". Targets of these raids
included a major base at Rabaul. RAAF aircrews, like their U.S. Navy counterparts, employed "terror
bombs", ranging from scrap metal and rocks to empty beer bottles with razor blades inserted into the necks, to
produce high-pitched screams as they fell, keeping Japanese soldiers awake and scrambling for cover.[25]
There was a Catalina base on Drimmie Head on the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory.[26]

Search and rescue

Catalinas were employed by every branch of the U.S. military as

rescue aircraft. A PBY piloted by LCDR Adrian Marks (USN)
rescued 56 sailors in high seas from the heavy cruiser Indianapolis
after the ship was sunk during World War II. When there was no more
room inside, the crew tied sailors to the wings. The aircraft could not
fly in this state; instead it acted as a lifeboat, protecting the sailors
from exposure and the risk of shark attack, until rescue ships arrived.
Catalinas continued to function in the search-and-rescue role for
Search and Rescue OA-10 at USAF
decades after the end of the war.
Museum

Early commercial use

Catalinas were also used for commercial air travel. For example, Qantas
Empire Airways flew commercial passengers from Suva to Sydney, a journey
of 2,060 miles (3,320 km), which in 1949 took two days.[27] The longest
commercial flights (in terms of time aloft) ever made in aviation history were
the Qantas flights flown weekly from 29 June 1943 through July 1945 over
the Indian Ocean, dubbed the Double Sunrise. Qantas offered non-stop
service between Perth and Colombo, a distance of 3,592 nmi (4,134 mi;
6,652 km). As the Catalina typically cruised at 110 kn (130 mph; 200 km/h),
this took from 28 to 32 hours and was called the "flight of the double
sunrise", since the passengers saw two sunrises during their non-stop journey.
The flight was made in radio silence because of the possibility of Japanese
attack and had a maximum payload of 1,000 lb (450 kg) or three passengers
plus 143 lb (65 kg) of military and diplomatic mail.[28]

Flight steward Max White at

Post-World War II employment work on board a Qantas
Empire Airways Catalina
An Australian PBY named "Frigate aircraft en route from Suva
Bird II", an ex RAAF aircraft, to Sydney in January 1949
registered VH-ASA, made the first with young passenger
trans-Pacific flight across the South Jennifer Grey
Pacific between Australia and Chile
in 1951 by (Sir) Gordon Taylor,[29]
making numerous stops at islands along the way for refueling, meals,
and overnight sleep of its crew, flown from Sydney to Quintero in
Civilian Catalina, modified for aerial Chile after making initial landfall at Valparaiso via Tahiti and Easter
firefighting, arrives at the Seaplane Island.[30] One of six ordered by the RAAF was used as part of the
Base, NAS Whidbey Island, Oak air route across the Pacific from Sydney to Valparaiso, is in the
Harbor, Washington, 18 September collection of the Museum of Applied Arts ands Sciences in
2009 Sydney.[31]
With the end of the war, all of the flying boat versions of the Catalina were quickly retired from the U.S. Navy,
but the amphibious versions remained in service for some years. The last Catalina in U.S. service was a PBY-
6A operating with a Naval Reserve squadron, which was retired from use on 3 January 1957.[3] The Catalina
subsequently equipped the world's smaller armed services into the late 1960s in fairly substantial numbers.

The U.S. Air Force's Strategic Air Command used Catalinas (designated OA-10s) in service as scout aircraft
from 1946 through 1947.

The Brazilian Air Force flew Catalinas in naval air patrol missions against German submarines starting in
1943. The flying boats also carried out air mail deliveries. In 1948, a transport squadron was formed and
equipped with PBY-5As converted to the role of amphibious transports. The 1st Air Transport Squadron
(ETA-1) was based in the port city of Belem and flew Catalinas and C-47s until 1982. Catalinas were
convenient for supplying military detachments scattered along the Amazon. They reached places that were
otherwise accessible only by helicopters. The ETA-1 insignia was a winged turtle with the motto "Though
slowly, I always get there". Today, the last Brazilian Catalina (a former RCAF one) is displayed at the
Airspace Museum (MUSAL) in Rio de Janeiro.[32]

Jacques-Yves Cousteau used a PBY-6A (N101CS) to support his

diving expeditions. His second son, Philippe, was killed in an
accident in this aircraft that occurred on the Tagus River near Lisbon.
The Catalina nosed over during a high-speed taxi run undertaken to
check the hull for leakage following a water landing. The aircraft
turned upside down, causing the fuselage to break behind the cockpit.
The wing separated from the fuselage and the left engine broke off,
penetrating the captain's side of the cockpit.[33]

Paul Mantz converted an unknown number of surplus Catalinas to A PBY-6A Catalina drops a load of
flying yachts at his Orange County California hangar in the late 1940s water from its bomb-bay doors
and early 1950s.

Steward-Davis converted several Catalinas to their Super Catalina

standard (later known as Super Cat), which replaced the usual
1,200 hp (890 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines with
Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14 engines of 1,700 hp (1,300 kW). A larger,
squared-off rudder was installed to compensate for the increased yaw
which the more powerful engines could generate. The Super Catalina
also had extra cabin windows and other alterations.[34]

Chilean Air Force (FACH) Captain Roberto Parragué, in his PBY

Catalina FACH No. 405 called "Manu-Tara", which means Lucky An OA-10A converted by Steward-
Bird in the Rapanui language, undertook the first flight between Davis Inc to their Super Cat
Easter Island and the continent of South America (from Chile), as standard. It is additionally fitted out
well as the first flight to Tahiti, making him a national hero of France for survey work for Geoterrex Inc
as well as of Chile. The flight was authorized by the Chilean
President in 1951, but a second flight he made in 1957 was not
authorized, and he was dismissed from the Chilean Air Force.

Of the few dozen remaining airworthy Catalinas, the majority are in use as aerial firefighting aircraft. China
Airlines, the official airline of the Republic of China (Taiwan) was founded with two Catalina amphibians.

Platforms are folded out and deployed from Catalinas for use in open ocean fishing and Mahi Mahi tracking in
the Pacific Ocean.
Catalina affair

The Catalina Affair is the name given to a Cold War incident in which a Swedish Air Force Catalina was shot
down by Soviet fighters over the Baltic Sea in June 1952 while investigating the disappearance of a Swedish
Douglas DC-3 (later found to have been shot down by a Soviet fighter while on a signals intelligence mission;
it was found in 2003 and raised 2004–2005).

Variants
An estimated 4,051 Catalinas, Cansos, and GSTs of all versions were
produced between June 1937 and May 1945 for the U.S. Navy, the
United States Army Air Forces, the United States Coast Guard, Allied
nations, and civilian customers.

US Navy
XP3Y-1
Prototype Model 28 flying boat later re-designated Prototype Model 28 flying boat, later
XPBY-1, one built (USN Bureau No. 9459). Later fitted re-designated XPBY-1.
with a 48-foot-diameter (15 m) ring to sweep magnetic
sea mines. A 550 hp Ranger engine drove a generator to
produce a magnetic field.[35]
XPBY-1
Prototype version of the Model 28 for the United States
Navy, a re-engined XP3Y-1 with two 900 hp R-1830-64
engines, one built.
PBY-1 (Model 28-1)
Initial production variant with two 900 hp R-1830-64
A U.S. Army Air Forces OA-10 and
engines, 60 built.
crew.
PBY-2 (Model 28-2)
Equipment changes and improved performance, 50 built.
PBY-3 (Model 28-3)
Powered by two 1,000 hp R-1830-66 engines, 66 built.
PBY-4 (Model 28-4)
Powered by two 1,050 hp R-1830-72 engines, 33 built
(including one initial as a XPBY-4 which later became
the XPBY-5A).
PBY-5 (Model 28-5)
Either two 1,200 hp R-1830-82 or −92 engines and
provision for extra fuel tanks (with partial self-sealing
protection). 683 built (plus one built at New Orleans), Canadian Vickers SA-10A Catalina
some aircraft to the RAF as the Catalina IVA and one to 44-33939 (USN BuNo 67903), USAF
the United States Coast Guard. The PBY-5 was also 4th Rescue Group, Hamilton AFB,
built in the Soviet Union as the GST. California, 1952. Sold in 1958 to
XPBY-5A Cuban Air Force as 191
One PBY-4 converted into an amphibian and first flown
in November 1939.
PBY-5A (Model 28-5A)
Amphibious version of the PBY-5 with two 1,200 hp R-1830-92 engines, first batch (of 124)
had one 0.3in bow gun, the remainder had two bow guns; 803 built including diversions to
the United States Army Air Forces, the RAF (as the Catalina IIIA) and one to the United
States Coast Guard.
PBY-5R
The XPBY-5A converted into a staff transport, with
amphibious gear and nose turret removed and additional
windows added.
PBY-6A
Amphibious version with two 1,200 hp R-1830-92
engines and a taller fin and rudder. Radar scanner fitted
above cockpit and two 0.5 in nose guns; 175 built
including 21 transferred to the Soviet Navy.
PBY-6AG
One PBY-6A used by the United States Coast Guard as Catalina Is of 205 Sqn. RAF
a staff transport. undergoing service in their hangar at
PB2B-1 Seletar, Singapore.
Boeing Canada built PBY-5 for the RAF and RCAF from
1942. 240 built.
PB2B-2
Boeing Canada built version of the PBY-5 but with the
taller fin of the PBN-1. 67 built. Most supplied to the RAF
as the Catalina VI.
PBN-1 Nomad
Naval Aircraft Factory built version of the PBY-5 with
major modification including a 2ft bow extension,
modified hull lines with a modified step, re-designed
wingtip floats and tail surfaces and a revised electrical
system. A total of 155 were built for delivery to the RAF A United States Coast Guard PBY-
as the Catalina V although 138 were Lend-Leased to the 5A at Tern Island in 1953
Soviet Navy as the KM-1

PBV-1A
Canadian Vickers built version of the PBY-5A, 380 built
including 150 to the Royal Canadian Air Force as the
Canso-A and the rest to the USAAF as the OA-10A.

Mass-produced US Navy variants

Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso A

at RIAT, England in 2009. A version
of the PBY-5A Catalina, this aircraft
was built in 1944 for the Royal
Canadian Air Force
 Production period and distinguishing
Model Quantity
features

PBY-1 September 1936 – June 1937 60

Original production model.
PBY-2 May 1937 – February 1938 50
Minor alterations to tail structure, hull
reinforcements.
PBY-3 November 1936 – August 1938 66
Higher power engines.
PBY-4 May 1938 – June 1939 32 Restored Catalina, displayed in IWM
Higher power engines, propeller spinners, acrylic Duxford
glass blisters over waist guns (some later units).
PBY-5 September 1940 – July 1943 684
Higher power engines (using higher octane fuel),
discontinued use of propeller spinners,
standardized waist gun blisters. Self-sealing fuel
tanks introduced during production run.
PBY-5A October 1941 – January 1945 802
Hydraulically actuated, retractable tricycle
landing gear, with main gear design based on
one from the 1920s designed by Leroy
Grumman, for amphibious operation. Introduced
tail gun position, replaced bow single gun
Swedish Air Force Consolidated PBY
position with bow "eyeball" turret equipped with
twin .30 machine guns (some later units), Catalina on display at the Swedish
improved armor, self-sealing fuel tanks.[36] Air Force museum in Linköping,
Sweden
PBY-6A January 1945 – May 1945 175
Incorporated changes from PBN-1,[36] including a
taller vertical tail, increased wing strength for
greater carrying capacity, new electrical system,
standardized "eyeball" turret, and a radome over
cockpit for radar.

USAAF
OA-10 Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force
United States Army Air Forces designation for PBY-5A, PBY-6A
105 built; 58 aircraft survivors re-designated A-10 in
1948.
OA-10A
USAAF designation of Canadian Vickers-built version of the PBV-1A, 230 built. Survivors re-
designated A-10A in 1948. Three additional aircraft from Navy in 1949 as A-10As.
OA-10B
USAAF designation of PBY-6A, 75 built. Re-designated A-10B in 1948.

RAF
Catalina I
Direct purchase aircraft for the Royal Air Force, same as the PBY-5 with six 0.303 in guns
(one in bow, four in waist blisters and one aft of the hull step) and powered by two 1,200 hp
R-1830-S1C3-G engines, 109 built.
Catalina IA
Operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force as the Canso, 14 built.
Catalina IB
Lend-lease PBY-5Bs for the RAF, 225 aircraft built.
Catalina II
Equipment changes, six built.
Catalina IIA
Vickers-Canada built Catalina II for the RAF, 50 built.
Catalina IIIA
Former U.S. Navy PBY-5As used by the RAF on the North Atlantic Ferry Service, 12 aircraft.
These were the only amphibians that saw RAF service.
Catalina IVA
Lend-lease PBY-5s for the RAF, 93 aircraft.
Catalina IVB
Lend-lease PB2B-1s for the RAF, some to the Royal Australian Air Force.
Catalina VI
Lend-lease PB2B-2s for the RAF, some to the RAAF.

RCAF
Canso-A
RCAF designation for PBV-1A

Other users
GST
Soviet-built version of the PBY-5 ("Gydro Samoliot Transportnyi").
Steward-Davis Super Catalina ("Super Cat")
Catalina converted to use 1,700 hp Wright R-2600 Cyclone 14 engines, with enlarged rudder
and other changes.
Avalon Turbo Canso

A proposed turboprop conversion of Canso water bombers, powered by two Rolls-Royce

Dart engines.

Operators

Surviving aircraft

Specifications (PBY-5A)
Data from Encyclopedia of World Air Power,[37] Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II,[36] Handbook of Erection and
Maintenance Instructions for Navy Model PBY-5 and PBY-5A Airplanes,[38] and Quest for Performance.[39]

General characteristics
Crew: 10 (pilot, co-pilot, bow turret gunner, flight engineer, radio operator, navigator, radar
operator, two waist gunners and ventral gunner)
Length: 63 ft 10.875 in (19.47863 m)
Wingspan: 104 ft (32 m)
Height: 21 ft 1 in (6.43 m)
Wing area: 1,400 sq ft (130 m2)
 Aspect ratio: 7.73
Empty weight: 20,910 lb (9,485 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 35,420 lb (16,066 kg)
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0309
Drag area: 43.26 ft2 (4.02 m2)
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp
14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 1,200 hp
(890 kW) each
Propellers: 3-bladed constant-speed propellers
Orthographically projected diagram of
Performance the PBY Catalina.

Maximum speed: 196 mph (315 km/h, 170 kn)

Cruise speed: 125 mph (201 km/h, 109 kn)
Range: 2,520 mi (4,060 km, 2,190 nmi)
Service ceiling: 15,800 ft (4,800 m)
Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
Lift-to-drag: 11.9
Wing loading: 25.3 lb/sq ft (124 kg/m2)

Armament
3x .30 cal (7.62 mm) machine guns (two in nose turret, one in ventral hatch at tail)
2x .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns (one in each waist blister)
4,000 lb (1,814 kg) of bombs or depth charges; torpedo racks were also available

See also
Related development

Consolidated P2Y
Consolidated PB2Y Coronado

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era

Aichi H9A
Blackburn Sydney
Dornier Do 24
Douglas XP3D
Kawanishi H6K
Latécoère 300
Martin PBM Mariner

Related lists

List of aircraft of World War II

List of Consolidated PBY Catalina survivors
List of flying boats
 List of PBY Catalina operators

References

Notes
1. Smith was one of nine American officers assigned to the RAF as special observers.
2. Black Cat squadrons included then designated as VP-11, VP-12, VP-23, VP-24, VP-33, VP-34,
VP-44, VP-52, VP-53, VP-54, VP-71, VP-81, VP-91, and VP-101.

Citations
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web/20190512120802/https://vvsairwar.com/2017/03/07/the-soviet-pby-catalinas-of-wwii/).
VVS AIR WAR - The Soviet Air Forces at War. VVS Warbirds. Archived from the original (http
s://vvsairwar.com/2017/03/07/the-soviet-pby-catalinas-of-wwii/) on 12 May 2019. Retrieved
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3. Cacutt 1989, pp. 187–194.
4. "Catalina Aircraft – Description – Specifications" (http://catalinaflying.org.au/catalina.htm).
catalinaflying.org.au. Retrieved 31 January 2018.
5. Creed 1985, p. 48 (https://archive.org/details/pbycatalinaflyin00cree/page/48).
6. Bridgeman 1946, p. 247.
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Annapolis: United States Naval Institute. pp. 248–249. ISBN 9780870216633.
8. "Naval Aircraft Factory PBN-1 Nomad." (https://archive.is/20120630020939/http://www.aero-we
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12. "O Brasil na WWII: ‘Arará’, o Catalina que destruiu o U-199" (in Portuguese). (http://www.naval.
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Creed, Roscoe. PBY: The Catalina Flying Boat. Annapolis, Maryland: US Naval Institute Press,
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Crocker, Mel. Black Cats and Dumbos: WW II's Fighting PBYs. Huntington Beach, California:
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Freeman, Elmer (1984). Those Navy Guys and Their PBY's: The Aleutian Solution (https://archi
ve.org/details/thosenavyguysthe00free). Spokane, Wash.: Kedging Publishing Co. ISBN 0-
9632463-0-5.
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Further reading
 Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix (2009). Núñez Padin, Jorge Felix (ed.). JRF Goose, PBY Catalina,
PBM Mariner & HU-16 Albatros (https://web.archive.org/web/20160303221549/http://www.fuerz
asaeronavales.com/?product=libro-jrf-goose-pby-catalina-pbm-mariner-hu-16-albatros-serie-ae
ronaval-no25). Serie Aeronaval (in Spanish). 25. Bahía Blanca, Argentina: Fuerzas
Aeronavales. ISBN 9789872055745. Archived from the original (http://www.fuerzasaeronavale
s.com/?product=libro-jrf-goose-pby-catalina-pbm-mariner-hu-16-albatros-serie-aeronaval-no2
5) on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-01-26.

External links
PBY Catalina Foundation (http://media.nola.com/175years/other/ot.1944consolidated.pdf)
(1945) AN 01-5M-3 Handbook of Structural Repair for Navy Models PBY-5, PBY-5A, PBY-6A
Army Model OA-10 Airplanes (http://www.seawings.co.uk/images/manuals/Catalina%20Manua
ls/Handbook%20of%20Structural%20Repair%20Catalina%20PBY%205%20-%20PBY-5A%20
-%20PBY-6A%20&%20OA-10.pdf)
Catalina Aircraft Trust (http://www.catalinaaircrafttrust.com/)
Popular Mechanics, February 1943, "Here Comes The Cats" (https://books.google.com/books?
id=xdYDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA19) very large and detailed article

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