Warbird Information Exchange

I came across a video on this PBY today. Video was shot back in 2016. Looks very original just wondering if this PBY got sold, or not. Thanks in advance for any info.

Still at Moses Lake, WA and still owned by the same guy Frederick Petersen with a current CofR. Not sure it was/is actually up for sale - maybe he was just fishing to see what might be offered.

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David Legg
Editor, The Catalina News
The Catalina Society
Author: Consolidated PBY Catalina - The Peacetime Record

He was asking a very strong price for it...especially since it is still a project.
A friend is in the market for a PBY, but the asking price dissuaded him from pursuing that one.


I would love to see it flying, after speaking with the owner a few years sgo, I understand it is perhaps the most authentic potentially airworthy PBY out there. He told me it 'has stuff in it the one at Pensacola doesn't have".
Certainly, a look inside seemed to bear that out.

Money notwithstanding, I'd rather see that flying than spending money trying to restore a gutted, turrettless, blisterless, funny tail ex-waterbomber.

It is a three owner ship: the Navy, they firm that bought it surplus for firefighting but never converted (or even flew?) it, and the current owner.
I also understand it is (maybe?) the last PBY built.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

It was indeed the last Catalina built - a PBY-6A by Consolidated-Vultee at New Orleans. Here is its post-US Navy history ...

....originally intended for the Smithsonian Institution’s NASM collection but not considered ‘representative’ of type so donated by NAS Litchfield Park to Florida Board of Forestry, Florida Forest Service, Tallahassee, FL 06Jan61 with CofR as N9825Z 18Aug61 quoting ‘serial number 235’; conv to waterbomber and Restricted CofA issued 02May63; to Robert P and Claudette R Schlaefli (SLAFCO), Port Orchard, WA 25Apr73; allocated Tanker code ‘158’ but probably not used; ownership changed to The Schlaefli Charitable Remainder Unitrust, Moses Lake, WA 01Jul98; to Frederick C Peterson, Issaquah, WA 08Oct99 with CofR 22Feb00; remained at Moses Lake under restoration to 1945 configuration and extant 2021.

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David Legg
Editor, The Catalina News
The Catalina Society
Author: Consolidated PBY Catalina - The Peacetime Record

Being the last one built in 1945, what would it's paint scheme have looked like? Solid blue?

Nope.

http://forums.thecmp.org/showthread.php?p=1578226

Although, as shown above, it was 'two-tone' when it rolled off the production line, it was definitely dark blue overall by the time it was retired to Lichfield Park, AZ. I have photo evidence of that.

_________________
David Legg
Editor, The Catalina News
The Catalina Society
Author: Consolidated PBY Catalina - The Peacetime Record

This just popped in to my Youtube feed.
Sure has a lot of cool original bits of kit in it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOjE-_c ... ckpeterson

What is important is that it appears no PBY derivative left the factory in an all over blue scheme in WWII. The last scheme applied at the factory was the tri color. Even on the PBN.

I understand it has been sold to a museum for restoration to flight.
Details will be forthcoming in January.
As mentioned previously, this is a very original aircraft as well as the last Catalina built.


---And just to make it clear for those who don't follow the PBY market closely and might be confused with the sale of two similar aircraft in a short period of time from the same geographic area...
This is NOT the aircraft that was sold last month in nearby Ephrata, Washington. That aircraft, the ship used in Always, was sold for a reported $32,000 to the Yanks Museum at Chino.

https://www.yoursourceone.com/columbia_ ... 54e99.html

So, two good pieces of PBY news to end the year.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.

The PBY-6A of topic is BuNo. 64107, CAC c/n 0235.

As for the factory paint job, this may be 64013 or 64103.

Just out of curiosity....
Could anyone post a color photo of a 6A in the (3 color?) factory camouflage scheme it would have worn when delivered?

Like most of us, I'm more familiar with the earlier two-tone scheme.

_________________
Remember the vets, the wonderful planes they flew and their sacrifices for a future many of them did not live to see.