As David points out Flying Boat PBY’s are quite rare with an original / complete PBY-5 existing with the USN Museum and an equally rare PB2B surviving in Australia but a further 4 do exist with the RNZAFM having a Canadian Canso that was converted back to pure Flying Boat post war for use by TAA in PNG, while there is also the composite ex RAAF PBY4/5 at Lake Boga, and now 2 former RAAF PBY5A(M)’s (wartime conversions from Amphibian to pure Flying Boat to extend range and payload for “Black Cat” missions.

While the USN first ordered the PBY into production in the early 1930’s it was due to cease production and be replaced in service until the British Purchasing Commission placed orders for the PBY-5 Flying Boat prior to WW2 for the RAF & RAAF.

Without that RAF order its likely the PBY-5, and the later PBY-5A & -6A Amphibians would never have been built and the type would not have become the most successful / numerous Flying Boat ever built.

So I feel its very relevant to the RAF story and the RAF Museum, and ideally should be put into a Coastal Command scheme.

Equally now that we have 3 former RAAF Hudsons in preservation in Australia I would be pleased to see the RAFM example also put into Coastal Command colours.

I certainly agree that when Museums get staffed and managed by people with no apparent interest in or knowledge of the objects in the collection or the types role in service that very bad preservation outcomes can happen, we have seen a fair share of those in Australia over the years, the UK doesn’t have an exclusive experience of that unfortunately.