I think that it is V9312 in my photo. I took that photo in March 2002 and according to the article trumper linked to, V9312 moved to ARCo in December 2003, via Fantasy of Flight. Also, if you compare the photo on V9312’s Warbird Registry page here: http://www.warbirdregistry.org/lizzieregistry/lizzie-v9312.html with mine, I can see some similarities.

I took this photo at Kermit’s Fantasy of Flight in 2002, I guess this was V9312 before ARCo got their hands on it.

IM000827_resize by Jelle Hieminga, on Flickr

Traditionally, ‘coffin corner’ is used to denote the area of the flight envelope where conditions are such that the stall speed and maximum airspeed are very close together, leaving only a small range of airspeed to operate in. Normally this will be at higher altitudes. In this case, going by what has been published about the accident, the aircraft appeared to be operating close to its stall speed and inadvertently crossed that line.

The exhaust stack could be from a B-25 as well…. but I’m not sure. See here: https://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/north-american-b-25-exhaust-short-stack-wwii

What happened to the belt that drives the bomb when it is dropped? Was it pulled away when the arms released the bomb?

Dutch news reports that the Cat has now developed an engine problem. As a new engine isn’t expected to arrive until August 22nd, a commemorative flight planned for August 15th will be cancelled, along with two other planned flights that were to be the last ones for this Cat in The Netherlands.

Ironically the Catalina was the first historic type (or one of the first) to transfer to the Dutch register after new regulations came into force. These allow types that can’t have an EASA type certificate to operate under a special, national, certificate. Before that the Cat carried its former, Canadian registration. Over the years, the aircraft has also inspired several internship projects for university students, looking into composite floor panels and wireless intercom systems for example. I’m happy to know that it’ll go to a good home, but it’s a shame that it will leave The Netherlands. It will also cause a decrease in the number of active seaplanes in this country by 50%.

Cat_EHV_1995 by Jelle Hieminga, on Flickr

Cat_SPL_May1998 by Jelle Hieminga, on Flickr

Interesting conversion! A shame that the classic ‘Cub’ tail has been changed as that would help with recognising it as a Cub conversion.