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PB-Y Catalina 62-P - Engines Start - Idle - Takeoff


Subdeacon Joe

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One of the great airplanes of WWII, arguably obsolete when the war started, it saw service in every theater and remained in service until the end of the war and after. Long range scouting, air sea rescue, cargo, dropping agents behind enemy lines, anti sub operations and night attack were all done by the PBY. Not bad for one of the slowest (it topped out at around 200 mph in level flight) combat aircraft of the war.

Brazil's airforce flew them in active service well into the 1970's, they were the only plane that could carry enough supplies up the Amazon river.

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My late Uncle Bob was a PBY flight engineer (Coast Guard)... Loved listening to his stories when I was a youngster.... he'd described his station as being "cozy." ^_^

 

Cutaway PBY

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2 regional airlines in Southeast Alaska (Coastal and Ellis Airlines) flew the PBY, the Grumman Goose and Widgeon between small towns before most of them got airports. You land on the water and taxi up a ramp to the terminal or just pull up to the boat dock and unload. It was not uncommon to see one of the crew pop the nose hatch and start fishing while waiting for the next flite. The first Grumman goose to sport turbine engines was fitted in Juneau, Alaska. On the 2nd flite, the pilot neglected to pull up the landing gear. When he landed in the harbor in front of town the plane flipped and sank. Oops!

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What a gorgeous airplane, there is something sexy about the PBY.

:D :D

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They do be slow....!

 

I got to see one at an air show at Naval Air Station Alameda back in the 90's.

 

She was gorgeous.... but when she took off I swear I could almost run as fast~! :lol:

 

Could've eaten a sandwich (with chips!) before she was out of sight. :)

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They would routinely turn the engines off and glide into the attack. In addition to bombs they would drop beer bottles with razor blades in the necks of the bottles. It made a weird noise as it fell and apparently really spooked the Japanese.

 

I've read enough about PBY's and their pilots both in the attack role and in the rescue role to consider many of them more then a little crazy and possessed of serious set of brass............

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My favorite:

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I was privileged to fly the right blister in the CAF Minnesota Wing's PBY over the fourth of July weekend several years ago. We flew from DesMoines to an air show in Springfield Missouri and I actually got a half hour in the right seat. Fun to have KCI air traffic control ask what kind of aircraft you are and then ask again and then ask for details. We flew the airshow for no appearance fee, just a gas fill up. Evidently someone didn't know the PBY has a 2400 gallon tank. From there we flew to Independence Iowa and did the airshow there. On the way back to South Saint Paul Airport we lost the right engine and did a one engine landing at Rochester Minnesota, had to bum a ride to St. Paul to pick up the pilots car so we could drive home to DesMoines. A weekend I will never forget.

In case your wondering you don't walk the engines thru on a PBY you crank them around with the ignition off you can see it in the video.

Bugs

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