Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina
Flying boat PBY-5A Catalina will arrive at LEGENDY NEBES! This unique WWII seaplane will return to Hradec Kralove after 16 years and will be one of the biggest highlights of the 2024 edition.
This flying masterpiece is the brainchild of Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet in Buffalo. The company produced a number of flying boats from the 1920s and 1930s. The most successful model, however, was the PBY Catalina, which was used extensively by the Allies during World War II. The twin-engine Catalina is particularly unique for its ability to land on both water and land. The aircraft was primarily used by the U.S. Navy, but found use in several countries. The crew consists of 7 to 8 members. The first prototype flew in 1935 and series production began in 1936.
The Catalina has been used for a variety of operations, most often in anti-submarine warfare, coast guard, night attacks, maritime operations, search and rescue, and even commercial flights. After World War II, it was used by smaller armed forces until the late 1960s. Interestingly, the Catalina was also used for civilian services such as scheduled passenger flights in Alaska and the Caribbean, for geophysical surveys, and most importantly, for firefighting for the U.S. Forest Service, where it lasted until recently. In all, approximately 4,000 Catalina aircraft were produced between 1936 and 1945. Today, several dozen of these remain in airworthy condition, most of them used for firefighting.
The PBY-5A Catalina, which will be presented at LEGENDY NEBES, is designated G-PBYA and was originally delivered to the Royal Canadian Air Force as the Canso A amphibious version, equivalent to the US Navy PBY-5A. It entered service on 27 October 1943 and operated in British Columbia on anti-submarine patrols, and was converted to a cargo aircraft after the war and later used for firefighting. In the 1990s it was transferred to Catalina Aero Services for conversion to a tourist aircraft, but the project was not successful. It was eventually purchased by Plane Sailing Air Displays in 2004 and became a major participant in air shows in Europe. G-PBYA is now operated by Plane Sailing Air Displays Limited, supported by Catalina Aircraft Limited and group of shareholders.
Pilot: Jeffrey Boyling
Specification
| Characteristic: | Characteristic: | ||
| Manufacturer: | Canadian Vickers Cartierville | Powerplant: | 2x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 |
| Crew: | 8 | Engine thrust: | 2x 1 200 hp / 895 kW |
| Wingspan: | 31,7 m | Service ceiling: | 4 000 m |
| Length: | 19,46 m | Range: | 4 030 km |
| Height: | 6,15 m | Maximum speed: | 314 km/h |
| Wing area: | 130 m2 | Cruising speed: | 201 km/h |
| Empty Weight: | 9 485 kg | Rate of climb: | 5,1 m/s |
| Max. Take-off Weight: | 16 066 kg | Fuel capacity: | 5 315 kg |
