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Catalina
16 archive reports
The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is an American flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA-10 and in Canadian service as the Canso, and it later received the NATO reporting name Mop. 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. 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 to disrupt enemy supply lines. With a mind to a potential conflict in the Pacific Ocean, where troops required resupply over great distances, the U.S. Navy invested millions of dollars in the 1930s developing long-range flying boats, which had the advantage of being able to land in any suitable waters. The PBY was the most numerous aircraft of its kind, with around 3,300 examples built. During World War II, PBYs were used in antisubmarine 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 Japan. These patrol aircraft shared combat roles with land-based patrol bombers, while the very-long-range Consolidated LB-30 Liberator and the Consolidated Coronado were pressed into service to increase the all-important logistical 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 floatplane scouts. Several different flying boats were adopted by the Navy, but the PBY was the most widely used and produced. Although the Catalina was slow, Allied forces used the aircraft in a wide variety of roles for which it was never intended. PBYs are remembered for their rescue role, in which they saved the lives of hundreds of aircrew downed over water. Catalina airmen called their aircraft the 'Cat' on combat missions and 'Dumbo' in air-sea rescue service.
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