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WIX has played a major role in supporting to two seperate CAT projects I have been involved in.
CATALINA PBY-5A - A24-88
http://aarg.com.au/Catalina2.htm
The first was / is the pursuit of parts for the restoration of Australia's last true RAAF Black Cat A24-88 at the Australian National Aviation Museum, through providing leads for parts such as turrets, and the beaching gear.
Although in poor and incomplete condition, it is one of only 4 former RAAF PBY's surviving, the others being the composite PBY-5 A24-46 formerly at Whale world, the composite PBY-5 A24-30 at Lake Boga, and A24-385 the last surviving PB2B flying boat. There are also 4 post war foreign aircraft in Australia consisting of a former USN PBY-5A displayed at Bull Creek, a former RCAF Canso presented as a RAAF PBY-5A at the RAAF Museum, and two Flying PBY-6A former USN CATs are registed in Australia, VH-PBZ of HARS and VH-CAT still to arrive from Portugal, both representing RAAF Black Cats.
A25-88 is the last surviving RAAF PBY-5A of 46 purchased, although it is one of the 29 that were modified back to flying boat configuration during the war through removal of its amphibious undercarriage to maximise range and payload for the mining operations of the Black Cats. I assume the new PBY-5A's were more heavily armed (50 cals in the Eyeball nose turrets) and were in better condition and with more powerful engines etc as compared to the already in service PBY-5 Flying Boats, and that this was the reason for the complex modifications back to flying boat status? and their use by the Black Cat squadrons.
It is also the last surviving RAAF "Black Cat' and perhaps the last surviving "Black Cat" of the Pacific War theatre?
It has documented combat service as a RAAF "Black Cat" including:
Served with 42 Squadron as “ RK-A” from August 1944 through to July 1945 in the South West Pacific operations as a “Black Cat” on sea mining missions.
Missions up to December 1944 included:
Mining Banga Straits
Mining Tiworo Straits
Mining Wowomi Straits
Mining Makassar Harbour
Mining Pare Pare Bay
Mining Balabac Straits
Mining Brunei Bay
Mining Sandakan
It most famous mission was to take part in the longest Black Cat Mining Mission of the War, to mine Manila Harbour in December 1944 to bottle up the Japanese Fleet ahead of the landings in the Philippines by General McArthur.
In particular WIX introduced me to Gary Austin who located the Beaching Gear and other available parts to support A24-88's eventual restoration.
CATALINA PBY-5A "SEA BITCH" - N68756 "A24-367"
That introduction to Gary Austin also allowed us (though we had never met, and only knew each other through our online interaction on WIX ) to combine our efforts in the saving of PBY-5A "SeaBitch" which was of real risk of being scrapped - the only three bidders for the aircraft were myself and two scrappies, and they had devoured the two DC-3's by the time Gary arrived at Brownsville the next week with the payment cheque and to explore removal of the Cat from the site.
In fact it is true to say that WIX itself played a major and pivotal role in that outcome not only in introducing myself to Gary through the earlier thread searching for PBY beaching gear, and knowledge of each other through other posts, but also through its promotion of the issue via the various threads relating to"SeaBitch" itself, the first on the rumour that it had already been scrapped and then later the second on the advice that it still existed and was up for auction, and then following the auction and Gary's hopes that it would be saved.
"SeaBitch" is now saved and under planning for return to Australia, and eventual static restoration and display in a private collection. A far better outcome than pots and pans, and WIX is directly responsible for that outcome, and that outcome is a true measure and testimony of the value of WIX to the preservation movement and community.
Regards
Mark Pilkington
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As I don't tend to hit the 'new post' button that often, and generally stick to the 'reply' button, I think this is what he means. Here goes anyway.
