Come fly aboard a PBY (Catalina)

Beautiful pictures:-) You were lucky with the weather.
Check out my youtube channel :maxholste

JJ.

Fantastic shots Tim!
My Grandad (my Mum’s Dad) flew Cats with 190/210 Sqn and we dream of flying a sortie like you did!
I shall try and contact them about it!:)

Thanks BR – at least I have my dreams..;)

Now another airframe querry for Tim… was the FE position accessible?.. as in any pics from the pylon windows?? Just curious regarding the view from that location amidst the thunder.

JJ

The few you’ve got is blockt by 2 big wacking engines. The noise is incredable. But wel worth it.

Herman

In our… I mean your dreams contrailjj! :p

Stunning shots, I really like the light in number 7. You can post non-airshow shots on this forum. Thank you Consul – I want a go now. 😀

Thanks BR – at least I have my dreams..;)

Now another airframe querry for Tim… was the FE position accessible?.. as in any pics from the pylon windows?? Just curious regarding the view from that location amidst the thunder.

JJ

Thanks, that pretty much clears that one up! 🙂

Commenting on the reference to the controls in the original Catalina flight engineer’s position in the pylon, the throttles were ONLY in the cockpit and NOT in the pylon. The flight engineer did have various engine controls including fire extinguishers, revs and boost indicators,fuel balance and main tank cocks, fuelpumps, fuel tanks contents indicators and fuel flowmeters. He also had controls for mixture, oil Ts & Ps and contents, cowl gill controls as well as float operating mechanisms. The pilots and engineer did indeed communicate via a signalling box that, in the cockpit, was mounted on the elevator control yoke and, in the pylon, on the forward bulkhead in front of the engineer. No airworthy Catalinas still have this arrangement with all engine, fuel, oil and float management being carried out from the flightdeck.

As these aren’t airshow photos I’m posting this on the historic forum – hope that’s OK.

Yes of course, that’s ok. Wonderful pictures. Have to take a ride myself in the Catalina in the near future.

I have some pictures that I would like to share sooner or later on this forum. I have the same problem that I don’t know where to place them. Webmasters, isn’t it possible to:
– make an extra page for non airshow pictures?
– change the name of the Airshow Photos page into something that makes it clear that all sorts of aviation pictures are welcome?

Fantastic stuff Tim! You really took advantage of this rare flight with some great shots and weren’t you lucky with the weather? I like the way the Dutch roundel is painted inside the float strut! You would have thought they would have painted it further inboard!!

Thanks Adrian,

Yes very lucky – the crew reckoned it was one of the best days weather-wise all season and opted to practice a full-stop landing on water which is very rarely done due to the cost implications of wear from water splash onto the props and use of full power etc. I was VERY fortunate.

Thank you to everyone for their complimentary remarks about the photos – I’m glad I was able to at least give you a flavour of what it was like.

Here’s a slightly different view to show the markings.

Tim

Fantastic stuff Tim! You really took advantage of this rare flight with some great shots and weren’t you lucky with the weather? I like the way the Dutch roundel is painted inside the float strut! You would have thought they would have painted it further inboard!!

I do wish he’d stop singing:) .
I’d love to fly in one, about the only place I wouldn’t want to be for long is the flight engineers position up in the pylon between the engines. A position which I don’t think is used in modern operations (though I may be wrong.)

I was also under the impression that the original USN PBY’s had engineer operated engine controls,using a telegraph(lights??) system to relay orders from the Captain… silly idea:rolleyes:

Thanks for those Tim – fabulous.

Was suprised looking at image 4 (working down from top) that the Cat was in the water (the splash and go?) but the tip float was still retracted.

Roger Smith.

In ‘North Atlantic Cat’ by Don McVicar he describes that when the Ferry crews had to coax overweight Cats into the air for transatlantic delivery flights they might retract the floats on the take off run to cut down drag and give a slight increase in lift.
All of don’s books are really interesting reading!!!

On original marks of PBY weren’t the throttles in the flight-engineer’s position…with none in the cockpit?

No to my knowledge…
Maybe on the early (pre-PBY) Consolidated flying boats….but I don’t recall ever having seen a photo of the flight deck.
Seems it would be a bit risky, there would be a lag in the time the captain gave an order and the throttles were moved. Not to mention the inability to make fine corrections based on control feedback.

I guess it depends how much they wanted to mimic a ship…where the captain stood there and someone manned the helm while someone else worked the throttles.

On original marks of PBY weren’t the throttles in the flight-engineer’s position…with none in the cockpit?

Ouch.

…about the only place I wouldn’t want to be for long is the flight engineers position up in the pylon between the engines. A position which I don’t think is used in modern operations (though I may be wrong.)

On original marks of PBY weren’t the throttles in the flight-engineer’s position…with none in the cockpit?

stunning pics from an amazing aircraft, thanks Tim – lucky man!… now, on to totally impertinent issues – who is Esther, is she single, and when can I meet her?

😀 JJ

In our… I mean your dreams contrailjj! :p

Stunning shots, I really like the light in number 7. You can post non-airshow shots on this forum. Thank you Consul – I want a go now. 😀

Roger

Yes I was surprised too – but on splash and go at higher speed I guess it allows manoeuvrability to turn the aircraft slightly on the water surface which is experienced too.
Tim

Its commen practice, as when you are at higher speed you do not have the risk on flipping to one side.

Herman

Fantastic images. There’s something about pic 5 that could almost be a wartime image – you could just imagine a U-boat down there, somewhere….

Is that a…..

“Uboat on the water,4 miles,2 O,clock…Prepare depth charges…TALLY HO!!!!!!”:rolleyes:
Fantabulous pics…..Made my sucky week a whole lot better.Thank you…:D

Thanks for those Tim – fabulous.

Was suprised looking at image 4 (working down from top) that the Cat was in the water (the splash and go?) but the tip float was still retracted.

Roger Smith.

Roger

Yes I was surprised too – but on splash and go at higher speed I guess it allows manoeuvrability to turn the aircraft slightly on the water surface which is experienced too.
Tim

I do wish he’d stop singing:) .
I’d love to fly in one, about the only place I wouldn’t want to be for long is the flight engineers position up in the pylon between the engines. A position which I don’t think is used in modern operations (though I may be wrong.)

Mike
Your wish is my command – here’s a pic of that shows that general area in the aircraft, sadly I don’t have a shot looking up into the specific position. I agree it must have been claustrophobic and deafening up there.

Tim