After being purchased in portugal where it was used for fire bombing, two QANTAS pilots have finally touched down in Darwin in a Catalina that will be fully restored and have an RAAF paint scheme applied. It will then be used as a flying memorial at airshows.
The part that really excites me is that it’s coming to my local a/p for restoration, woooo hoooo.
I plan to get pics for everyone. I’ll keep you all posted!
By: Jorgo - 27th September 2003 at 09:20
and another shot from Wanaka ’96.
By: Ja Worsley - 26th September 2003 at 09:02
Daz: Yeah I heard that there are at least 14 still flying around the world.
Scoot: Mate I personally know how big those buggers arer, my Grandfather after the war used to fly the Qantas ones up to Palm Beach from Rose Bay to clean them, actually what he did was sleep in them and then use the galley to cook himself breakfast the next morning.
Well for those in Australia, the current flight plans are for it to leave Willimstown at 11:00 on sunday and do a couple of circuits over the old RAAF base at Rathmines (that was the main base for the Cats back in WWII0, then a couple of circuits over Rose Bay (Qantas also had a couple of them and this will honour them) and then on down to it’s final place for restoration, Albion Park arriving at approx 15:00.
Got those details straight from the project manager today, he also went on to say that he hopes not to give everyone a buhm stear.
Wombat if you’re still here mate, keep your eays and ears open!
By: DaveM2 - 25th September 2003 at 09:05
Lets Hope..
…We can get it and the N.Z. based Cat flying together at a future Warbirds over Wanaka 😉
Dave
By: DazDaMan - 25th September 2003 at 08:31
Kermit Weeks’ Fantasy of Flight Museum, perhaps??
By: Arabella-Cox - 25th September 2003 at 07:26
Re: Cat comes home!
Originally posted by Ja Worsley
After being purchased in portugal where it was used for fire bombing, two QANTAS pilots have finally touched down in Darwin in a Catalina that will be fully restored and have an RAAF paint scheme applied. It will then be used as a flying memorial at airshows.The part that really excites me is that it’s coming to my local a/p for restoration, woooo hoooo.
I plan to get pics for everyone. I’ll keep you all posted!
Ja- I seen several over the years. Great old plane. Can’t believe they were used as bombers? Talking about flying boats. I go to a Museum here in the states where they fly a restored Sunderland 4-engined flying boat from the UK. Talk about big…..(especially for a WW2 aircraft)
By: DazDaMan - 24th September 2003 at 12:58
Only six flying Cats in the world? I thought there were a few more than that?
By: Chipmunk Carol - 24th September 2003 at 12:55
From today’s issue of the Cairns Post
(c) 2003 Nationwide News Pty Limited
A PIECE of aviation history landed at Cairns airport yesterday afternoon.
A 1947 Catalina aircraft stopped overnight on the final leg of its two-week journey from France.
This morning it will take off for its new home, Wollongong.
Captain Bruce Simpson said it was the only flying Catalina in Australia and one of only six in the world.
He said the Catalina was bought by the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society of Australia and the Seaplanes Pilots Association.
“When we get it to Wollongong, we’ll do a comprehensive restoration process to get it to its war-time configuration,” Capt Simpson said.
The plane, a former water-bomber in Portugal, had been damaged during a test flight in France.
The voyage to Cairns involved stops in cities including Rome, Bombay and Darwin.
Historical Aircraft Restoration Society’s John Brooker said the purchase of the craft was a vision of 78-year-old Philip Delhunty, who served in the Royal Australian Air Force.
He said Mr Delhunty approached sponsors to find a memorial to the RAAF’s Black Cat Squadron
By: Jay.V - 23rd September 2003 at 13:38
H.A.R.S PBY-6A, Bu 46679
For more information on the Historical Aircraft Restoration Society and its Catalina VH-PBZ, see their Web site:
( Support H.A.R.S, by becoming a Member ! )
By: Ja Worsley - 23rd September 2003 at 01:46
Thanks Mike, it’s hard to find the info abot when it’s coming down here, everyone is being tight lipped about it!
Though I can try one other area. I wonder if Flypast will have someone down here or if they want some pics?
By: mike currill - 22nd September 2003 at 08:01
Re: Cat comes home!
Originally posted by Ja Worsley
After being purchased in portugal where it was used for fire bombing, two QANTAS pilots have finally touched down in Darwin in a Catalina that will be fully restored and have an RAAF paint scheme applied. It will then be used as a flying memorial at airshows.The part that really excites me is that it’s coming to my local a/p for restoration, woooo hoooo.
I plan to get pics for everyone. I’ll keep you all posted!
Go for it pal! can’t wait to see the pics
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September 22, 2003 at 4:30 am