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One of the most successful flying-boats to serve extensively throughout World War II and the most numerous flying-boat in aviation history, the Consolidated Model 28, designed by Isaac Laddon, originated from a US Navy requirement of late 1933. The prototype XP3Y-1, developed from the PY-1/P2Y and flown for the first time on 28 March 1935, introduced some distinctive features. Most important was the parasol wing constructed on the basis of a cantilever wing requiring no supporting structures, although in fact two small-section struts were mounted between wing and hull on each side. This deletion of the multitudinous struts and bracing wires - seemingly inseparable from flying-boat design until then - offered an immediate improvement in performance. Another new feature was the introduction of stabilising floats which retracted in flight to form the wingtips. Initial trials of the prototype left little doubt that the Navy was about to acquire a significant aircraft. PBY-1 began to enter squadron service in 1937 and by mid-1938 14 squadrons were operational.
Initial export aircraft went to Russia, where the type was built subsequently in large numbers under the designation GST. The RAF acquired a single example for evaluation in 1939 and almost immediately ordered a batch of 50, the first of many to serve with Coastal Command. The name Catalina (adopted first by the RAF) was used later by the USN for the various versions which entered service. The type was also to serve with the RAAF, RCAF, RNZAF and the air arm of the Dutch East Indies. Production as a pure flying-boat ended with the PBY-4, for the last of these was converted to an amphibian with retractable tricycle-type landing gear, under the designation XPBY-5A. Subsequent aircraft had this as standard. Used widely throughout World War II, many amphibious Catalinas remained in service for air-sea rescue for some years after the end of the war.
| CREW | 6-9 |
| ENGINE | 2 x P+W "Twin Wasp", 880kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 14700-16066 kg | 32408 - 35420 lb |
| Empty weight | 9485 kg | 20911 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 30.5 m | 100 ft 1 in |
| Length | 19.5 m | 63 ft 12 in |
| Height | 18.3 m | 60 ft 0 in |
| Wing area | 130.0 m2 | 1399.31 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 275 km/h | 171 mph |
| Cruise speed | 250 km/h | 155 mph |
| Ceiling | 4500 m | 14750 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 4100 km | 2548 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 5 machine-guns, 1800kg of bombs |
| Jock Williams, williamsB25(@)aol.com, 07.04.2009 In Canada we called her the Canso -and in the late 1990s I was lucky enough to check out in the Canso with the Canadian Warplane Heritage -a marvellous flying museum in Hamilton, Ontario Canada -under the tutelage of the famous Vern Schille.
The Canso didn't do anything fast -but it did everything well. It seems to me it took off, climbed, cruised, glided and landed at 70 knots! Well -in truth it cruised a little faster -but not much!
On the water there was about a 4 knot spread between disaster and success -you tried to touch down at 70. If you were 73 the nose would be low and you might collapse the nosewheel doors and sink! If you were 67 you would touch down too nose high, the nose would "slam" -and you would collapse the nosewheel doors and sink!
Once you got used to it though -you could trim it for 70 and carry out a series of touch and goes simply by easing forward on the throttles to take off and reducing them gently to touch down. If you kept the wings level you could do this forever -or until you ran out of lake! My personal best was 13 touch and goes in a straight line heading across Lake Simcoe.And it didn't sink once!
We didn't fly the Warplane Heritage Canso off the water -insurance was way too expensive -but Enterprise Air of Oshawa had one they operated in France -and it had the required insurance coverage.So when it was in Canada for maintenance we took advantage of the opportunity.
If you want a real thrill -sit in one of the side gun blisters for water touch and goes! It is unforgetable!
Jock Williams | | David Cash, dcash(@)discover-net.net, 17.03.2009 One or two of these were converted to airliners and used by a small airline in Alaska. My dad had pictures of one that he rode on in the early 1960's. | | Phil Turner, pturner5(@)kc.rr.com, 14.07.2008 You may want to edit the "Height" section of the specification shown on the PBY Catalina.
I don't think that the Height was 18.3 meters/60 feet.
According to my source, PBY The Catalina Flying Boat, Roscoe Creed, Naval Institute Press, 2nd ed., 1987; the Height is shown at 20 feet 2 inches for the PBY-5A version |
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