Warbird Information Exchange

One of our local EAA spies snapped this pic of a "new" Warbird that's been frequenting KHUF in Terre Haute. Rumor has it that it is based at KBMG, Bloomington, Indiana. Seems the operator just got his type rating. Next up, the owner. Future plans for aircraft use: round the world trip!




More info and better pictures to follow!

I am waiting with baited breath!

Is that Charlie Clemments old Black Cat?

Eric

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The air resounds from the Rolls-Royce roar!
To an enemy the warning is dire: here only eagles soar,
and the last thing he'll see is a mirrored Spitfire!

To quote the Kool-Aid man...


OH YEAH!!!!!

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-Al Sauer
http://www.flickr.com/photos/spookythecat

Don't think it's Charlie's N287 as the one in the photo clearly has P&Ws and (I think) PBY-5A type rudder whereas N287 has Cyclones and the much bigger Steward-Davis style rudder. The picture shows that the blisters have frames rather than being one-piece perspex and it looks as if there is a bow turret so my guess is that it is N9521C from Jerry Yagen's place in Virginia but +ve id will have to wait until clearer photos are posted.

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

I was told it was the one that was under restoration at Hawkins & Powers, I don't recall the identity.

Ah! Excellent news. If that is the case (and the profile in the photo fits) then ignore my reference to N9521C above. It will in fact be N206M, the fomer RCAF Canso A 9750 built by Consolidated as c/n 427. Its full pedigree is 9750, CF-DIL, C-FDIL, EC-313, EC-FRG, N314CF, N206M. Can any member provide details of when it first flew after its lengthy restoration at H&P's place and the date that it left.

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

Last I knew, charlie's PBY went to south america.

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Long Live the N3N-3 "The Last US Military Bi-Plane" 1940-1959
Badmouthing Stearmans on WIX since 2005

Hint: Rumor also has it that the aircraft in question recently arrived to the Midwest from Greybull, Wyoming.

Another hint: Operator suggests that the aircraft in question may be the oldest flying of it's type on the planet. You guys can probably square that rumor away.

Also, I heard a sigh of relief recently when 100LL dropped a buck a gallon in our area. That saves the guys about $1750 a full load! WHOA!

Speaking of Catalinas wasn't there one with genuine RCAF combat history that the Canadian Warplane Heritage was trying to acquire a few years back? In my memory the aircraft had been used by someone who was awarded a DFC or better?

BTW Is this type of post considered O.K. where I deviate from the original subject or should I have started a completely new thread?

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"I can't understand it, I cut it twice and it's still too short!" Robert F. Dupre' 1923-2010 Go With God.

I think it's ok. Just let us know when your kneecaps have healed.

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It was a good idea, it just didn't work.

In answer to John's question about the CWH, many years ago they were very keen to acquire a former Boeing built Canso A C-FCRR which had latterly been in the fire fighting fleet of Avalon Aviation and was in storage at Parry Sound, Ontario after the company ceased operations. They particularly wanted it because it was the very aircraft (as RCAF 9767) that had been used in the successful attack on the U-boat U-342 on 17/4/1944 south-west of Iceland. The U-boat was destroyed and the captain of 9767, F/O T C Cooke, was awarded the DFC as was fellow crew member Eric Wiskin. The CWH therefore felt that the heritage of this aircraft made it an appropriate acquisition for them but, in the event, it was sold to a private owner and flown to France where it remains in storage at Orly, Paris in very good condition but unflown since c2000. It is still on the Canadian register. During its time in Europe, it has made two very long distance flights, one to East and Central Africa and one to South America.

The CWH eventually acquired another Canso A, the former RCAF 9754, which as CF-PQL/C-FPQL had flown as a water bomber for years with the Province of Quebec. It now flies with the CWH as '9754/P, the aircraft in which Flt L David Hornell earned his posthumous VC and not to be confused with a UK based Catalina that flew in the same colours up until the late-1990s (VP-BPS).

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

Wow, a Boeing built PBY... that's a rare one. It doesn't seem there are many around at all. If I had the money I would want to track down one of 'em for my museum (Canadian Museum of Flight) because the factory where the Boeing ones were built was right on Sea Island (Vancouver Airport, BC).

Add the fact it was successful in destroying a U-boat, and blamo... that's pretty awesome.

Cheers,

David

Without wishing to stray away from the original subject (!) but to refer to David's comments above about Boeing built Catalinas, to my knowledge there are three survivors that can be positively identified as Boeing of Canada-built examples, namely...

C-FCRR (Canso A) as mentioned above
FAB 6527 in Rio de Janeiro (ex-RCAF Canso A 9752)
VH-ASA in Sydney, Australia (a PB2B-2 ex-RAAF A24-385)

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

Matt;
Welcome to WIX!
I just noticed this post on page 4. I've been away for a few days!
Love the "Cat"!
Got to fly one once. Very cool.
How's the "Rocket" flying?
Blue skies,
Jerry
"Airdale 1"

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"Always remember that, when you enter the ocean or the forest, you are no longer at the top of the food chain."