PBY 1951

14/3/1951 Catalina flying boat leaving for Pacific flight to South America. Captain Taylor was in charge of the flight. Picture by Lye. Neg/no C 593- 63 The Courier-Mail Photo Archive.

[The Inspector]

Too bad we can't see a registration #, that's a straight boat with a P2B2 (Boeing of Canada) or -6 turret thats been sheeted over

[JDK]

Too bad we can't see a registration #, that's a straight boat with a P2B2 (Boeing of Canada) or -6 turret thats been sheeted over

Who needs to see the reggo? It's Capt Taylor's Frigate Bird II.

Currently preserved in the Powerhouse Museum, Sydney.

http://www.powerhousemuseum.com/collect ... irn=207900

Start here. PG Taylor was one of the few pioneers of the 30s to survive then and W.W.II, and held a significant number of records, and remarkable examples of skill and bravery, but was more interested in route proving than publicity. One of the unrecognised greats.

http://www.adb.online.anu.edu.au/biogs/A120204b.htm

[Mark_Pilkington]

.
The aircraft is a famous trailblazer in Australia, Frigate Bird II - VH-ASA, the former A24-385/JX630, it was flown by Australian pioneer pilot PG Taylor in the first south pacific crossing from Australia to South America in 1951. Taylor has flown on a number of historic flights to NZ pre-WW2 with Kingsford Smith in the Southern Cross, and flew the pre-war PBY "GUBA" from Australia to England to develop mail runs, utilised during WW2.

The nose turret glazing was smashed during the flight and sheeted over to allow the flight to continue.

VH-ASA is a rare PB2B-2 Flying Boat Catalina, the last example surviving in the world, and is preserved and on display in the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney, Australia.




Regards

Mark Pilkington

[Mark_Pilkington]

Sorry James, seems I was drafting my reply, and searching for a postable pic of her while you were posting yours.

smiles
Mark Pilkington

[JDK]

Sorry James, seems I was drafting my reply, and searching for a postable pic of her while you were posting yours.

All good stuff though, thanks for your contribution Mark!

BTW, your link is bust.

[Mark_Pilkington]

?
The linked photo of the cat is showing,

or do you mean the AARG website which is down atm, I suspect the power outages in Melbourne may have taken the server out and their help desk is " busy serving other customers"

smiles

Mark Pilkington

[Dave Hadfield]

He wrote a fabulous book.

Wasn't he the man who took oil out of one dead engine in CKS's trimotor, and transferred it to the other, by hand, IN FLIGHT? Over the Tasman Sea?

Astounding.

Dave

[The Inspector]

GEEEZ! Take it easy willya? I'm sorry I'm not up to 100% on South of the Equator pig boats. I was surprized to find out A) it still exists in it's original form-
And B) it's a Boeing of Canada P2B2 which makes it really an oddity because it has survived, not much call for straight boats after the war, and BoCan didn't build a great number of them to begin with.
Thanx for the info but come back on the RPM's a bit will ya?

[JDK]

Hey, I din't choose the handle 'the Inspector'. We thought you had all the answers...

Wasn't he the man who took oil out of one dead engine in CKS's trimotor, and transferred it to the other, by hand, IN FLIGHT? Over the Tasman Sea?

That's the chap.

[DB2]

The book is called "The Sky Beyond". I have an original paperback copy that I have read several times over the years. Well worth finding a copy.

[The Inspector]

Well, you're wrong! In my experience you run as fast as you can to get away from the person who claims to know it all, that's the person who is going to get you killed! Operating inside the "I know everything about everything' bubble is the equal to the old 'here, hold my beer and watch this' How many folks have been killed by a FKIA?
A good Inspector will look at the presented item, check documentation and drawings, utilize the OHM,IPL, or SRM to ascertain things are done correctly then either accept or reject the item, if the item is rejected he/she will then document the discrepancies and submit that information to Engineering to make a final 'yea' or 'nay'.
Would you fly with someone in a complex aircraft who had the check list and emergency procedures committed to memory? (I've worked with and for people I wouldn't trust to steer a tricycle without an accident) want to see how good your memory is? try to remember the steps required in doing CPR off the top of your knob, perhaps seeking wise council when I'm not sure or have doubts is part of what's kept me out of a very small room for periods of 10 years with someone named 'Bubba" who figures you are worth two packs of Marlboros.
Like my signature line states, and I don't see any burning sandwiches-
Mom raised ugly kids, not stupid ones!

[JDK]

We live and learn. However I think my tedious lecture was more on the vintage aviation theme...

Just funnin', son, just funnin'

Point remains that PG Taylor was a successful survivor with an incredible record from the pioneer era of route-proving - who should be better remembered, and more widely known. As DB and Dave H said, he wrote a good book (or two - I have 'Call to the Winds' by him in the 'to read' pile).

James the Mudgely.

[The Inspector]

and thank you for the information, I may have read or heard about his exploits years and years ago, but somehow it didn't stick in the compost heap of information inside my head