PBY-5A Catalina - Palm Springs Air Museum - Palm Springs, CA
N 33° 49.911 W 116° 30.299
11S E 545803 N 3743622
This C-47 Skytrain is one of many displays at the Palm Springs Air Museum in Palm Springs, CA.
Waymark Code: WMKMRH
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 05/03/2014
Views: 7
Visitors to the
Palm Springs Air Museum might see this aircraft located outside on the tarmac. Near this static aircraft is a placard that reads:
PBY-5A CATALINA
PRIME MANUFACTURER:
Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, San Diego. Also licensed to Boeing - USA / GST - USSR / Royal Aircraft - UK / Vickers - Can. total of 4,000 were manufactured throughout the world. An estimated 30 are still airworthy.
The PBY Catalina was a twin engine aircraft capable of land or sea landings. The system was crewed from 7 to 10 members depending on the model type and could run the gamut of missions as utilized primarily by the United States Navy. The system first flew in 1935 as a prototype for the USN; production models would begin as the PBY-1 in 1936.
OPERATIONAL INFORMATION
Because of their worldwide popularity, there was scarcely a maritime battle in WW II in which they were not involved. The PBY had its vulnerabilities: it was slow, with a maximum speed of 179 mph, and with no crew armor of self-sealing tanks, it was highly vulnerable to anti-aircraft attack. However, it was these weaknesses, coincident with the development of effective radar, and Japanese reliance on night transport, which led to the development of the "Black Cat Squadrons." These crews performed nighttime search and attack missions in their black-painted PBYs. The tactics were spectacularly successful and seriously disrupted the flow of supplies and personnel to Japanese island bases. The Catalinas also proved effective in search and rescue missions, code-named "Dumbo." Small detachments (normally of three PBYs) routinely orbited on stand-by near targeted combat areas. One detachment based in the Solomon islands rescued 161 airmen between January 1 and August 15, 1943., and successes increased steadily as equipment and tactics improved.
ORIGIN OF THE PBY-5A AT PALM SPRINGS AIR MUSEUM
Bu-48426 was the 1788th PBY-5A produced at San Diego. It was assigned to the VP-61 Navy Patrol Squadron as part of Fleet Air Wing 6 in the Aleutian Islands to fly patrols and sea rescue missions.
Clicking this link will open the inventory page for this plane and give its history. This plane is a permanent addition to the Museum.
*NOTE* I was told by volunteer staff that many planes and historical items (like this display) often move around inside the hangers and outside on the tarmac, BUT they always stay within the museum, unless they are part of a visiting exhibition. Waymarkers should keep this in mind when searching for a particular waymark that I or someone else has posted on Waymarking.com. If, by chance, you cannot locate a particular waymark within the museum, please let me know and I'll contact the staff and inquire to its whereabouts. Thanks.