A PBY for PAM

Russ Matthews · **Posted:** Fri Jul 29, 2016 11:47 pm

Let me start off by saying I am not employed by or associated with the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor in any way. I'm just a big fan (and occasional visitor) who can't shake the thought that ...

.. this place NEEDS a Catalina on display!

I mean the museum is actually located on a WWII battlefield. In fact, the first bomb dropped by the Japanese during the Pearl Harbor attack exploded on Ramp 4 at the southern end of Ford Island, among the PBYs of VP-22. If any place should have a Catalina on exhibit, it's here.

So, I propose a little thought experiment. Let's see if the WIX community can identify a good Consolidated Catalina candidate for preservation at PAM.

For the purposes of this exercise, we'll assume that transportation can be donated and whatever restoration/refurbishment is needed will be handled once the plane is in Hawaii. Our (self appointed) job is just to figure out what potential airframes might be available out there. And since we (or, at least, I) don't really work for PAM, let's try and spend as little of the museum's hypothetical money as possible. The less expensive, the better ... or, in an ideal world, the bird could be donated.

What say you? Any ideas?

Perhaps there's one at your local airport? Or you once glimpsed a forlorn looking Cat in some far flung hidden corner of the globe? Who knows? Maybe someone will write in to say "Hey dumb dumb, PAM is already getting a PBY from XYZ!" and that would be cool too.

David Legg · **Joined:** Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:07 pm **Posts:** 334

See item four of attached link ...

http://www.catalina.org.uk/2016/06/16/w ... june-2016/

Russ Matthews · **Posted:** Sat Jul 30, 2016 1:52 pm

Awesome.

It just goes to show that if you want to know something about Catalinas, ask the editor of The Catalina News.

David Legg in "The Catalina News" wrote:

... after many years languishing at Ocana in Spain its [PBY-5A EC-FMC] future now seems assured! On January 20th [2016] it was assigned the US civil registration N24VP and on February 10th a Certificate of Registration was issued to John T Sterling of Bandon, Oregon. The really good news is that it will be restored to airworthy condition and flown to the USA. Once there, it may well spend some time at the Pacific Aviation Museum at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii where John Sterling is a Board member and original founder of the museum efforts on Ford Island. What an appropriate destination and a dream come true for the collection no doubt. John also intends using the Catalina to celebrate various Pacific theatre 75th anniversaries as they arise in the next few years.

As David says, Ford Island is a most appropriate destination for this historic Cat and a dream come true for the PAM collection. What a great outcome for the plane and collector as well. Bravo to Mr. Sterling for his efforts in helping create a special museum and saving such a worthy aircraft. I'll be interested to watch his plans for the upcoming 75th anniversary commemorations unfold and hope to see his PBY on my next visit to Hawaii.

Thanks for posting the info, David (and for not calling me "dumb dumb."

)

David Legg · **Joined:** Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:07 pm **Posts:** 334

Currently, N24VP is still in Spain and there is no set date for the delivery flight to the USA yet. His team still has work to do on it. I got the impression from corresponding with John Sterling that Hawaii would not necessarily be the Catalina's permanent home and that he intended travelling around the USA with it. First thing is to get it to the 'States.

JohnB · **Posted:** Mon Aug 01, 2016 3:40 pm

If money is an issue...and it usually is...too bad they didn't get the recently wrecked PBY that was split in two after a botched recovery attempt.
I understand it's going on display in the Gulf Coast along side a warship, but I would have done well in Hawaii as well.
No sense turning a flier into a static just for a museum piece in a corrosive environment.

David Legg · **Joined:** Sun Dec 31, 2006 1:07 pm **Posts:** 334

JohnB - I don't speak for N24VP's owner in any way but I do not think there is any suggestion that once the Catalina reaches the USA it will be "a flier (turned) into a static just for a museum piece in a corrosive environment" as you say. As I understand it, it will spend time in Hawaii but will also fly around the USA. And as for the wrecked PBY-6A in Alabama you refer to, if you look at http://www.catalina.org.uk/2016/06/16/w ... june-2016/ (the same link I mentioned earlier) you will see it is rather more than "split in two".

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