A CAT Even SM Can Love:::::::::

[Dan4th]

PBY Catalina in RAF Service!



There's also a 5-part Documentary I'll
post-up later......

Danf.

[Dougs]

i like these after the one i saw in canada they are kinda ugly but lovable

[Saracenman]

it's a strange ugly though - 'beautifully ugly' i think!

an astonishing machine though - hugely capable, hugely effective! gotta love the Catalina

sm

[Xplumberlives]

it's a strange ugly though - 'beautifully ugly' i think!
an astonishing machine though - hugely capable, hugely effective! gotta love the Catalina
sm

Just like you!

[Saracenman]

I'm strange AND ugly!

[Xplumberlives]

I know!

[Pujgnie]

Can that thing still land/take off on water nowadays..... ? (I'm thinking next years Bournemouth Air Fest here..)

[Saracenman]

a very interesting point actually - got me thinking!

my immediate thought was that there's probably no LEGAL reasons why a Catalina shouldn't operate from water these days, although i suspected that it might be a matter of choice. as the former owner of an amphibious machine, i KNOW just how difficult it is to truly waterproof a vehicle, even one DESIGNED to be operated from/in water - i imagined that this would also apply to aircraft too, making it more difficult (and therefore more expensive!) i also doubt that water is very kind to a Catalina, long term (few machines like water!), especially given the SALT water issue!

i went looking for Catalina pictures on Airliners.net and the most recent picture i could find of a Catalina operating from water in the UK was this Southampton one dated July 24th 1998...



the comment accompanying the picture is as follows...

VP-BPS / P (cn 1997) Operating a spirited "Spash & Dash" for the assembled press to promote the forthcoming "Seawings 2000" Airshow. Sadly, disaster stuck several days later during a similar display, when the aircraft ingested water through the landing gear doors, crashed and sunk killing two of the passengers.

...which makes me think that my initial thoughts may well be right, and potentially additional legal regulations prohibit such activities these days

only an educated guess but i suspect that there are no waterborne Catalinas in the UK now - there are certainly no pictures of any since that 1998 one

sm

[Pujgnie]

Thanks SM.

Here's one from Farnborough last year... no water in sight - not even a puddle

[Dan4th]

As Promised: Catalina Story.....5 Parts:::::::











There Ya GO!!!!

Oh, and I believe there are quite a few still landing
on the H2O as intended!

Dan4th

[Xplumberlives]

Not sure if it is still available, but you could buy a share in the Duxford based Cat for £15000 if my memory serves me correctly, I believe she was still able to operate from puddles!

[Dan4th]

If you're not totally SICK of Catalinas
by now.........



Looks Like FUN!

Danf.

[Saracenman]

finally got around to watching all five parts Danf - amazing! I'd never known just how old the design for the Catalina was until then

incredible aeroplane - the Mosquito of the water me finks

sm

[Sad Sam3]

Some pics here of plane sailings Cat on the water.

http://www.catalinabookings.org/gallery.asp

The latest is last year but I read an article in Flypast at the start of this season talking about water landings in the dutch one and they mentioned plane sailing in that.

Met some of their supporters at Fairford, they seemed really tidy people.

[Saracenman]

some FABULOUS pics there SS - thanks!

so what was the upshot of the water-ops discussion then?

sm

[Mayfly]

the only thing left DT would have loved to have flown before he hung up his flying boots [well he wanted to land on water actually]

[Saracenman]

dust them off then and get on the dog-n-bone!

[Xplumberlives]

the only thing left DT would have loved to have flown before he hung up his flying boots [well he wanted to land on water actually]

I can get him to LAND on WATER, wouldn't need a plane EITHER!

[Mayfly]

would love to but his medical has run out now

[Saracenman]

[Mayfly]

yeah but a £350 a pop for 1 trip I don't think so!!!!

[Saracenman]

[Mayfly]

there again I have just bought myself another car

[Saracenman]

there again I have just bought myself another car

+



=



?

[Mayfly]

pink PINK how very dare you - thats worse than it being a Vauxhall