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Latest Catalina Society News
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By David Legg
Published: 1 May, 2007
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In this latest round-up, I have added in a couple of extra items about Catalina relics and associated artefacts at the end. Perhaps the latter can become a more regular feature? But first an update on whole Catalinas around the world... Former Canso A C-FCRR, now in a plain white colour scheme, being worked on in the open at Orly earlier this year.
Photo: Alain MaireIn France, C-FCRR continues to reside at Orly, Paris. Although ‘RR has not flown now for some years, it has been very well looked after and hangared so remains in very good condition. My contact Alain Maire gave me an update at the end of last year and advised that, at that time, the freshly overhauled propellers had just been received back from San Antonio Propellers in Texas where they had been subject to some really splendid work. The owners also have a new -92 engine from Sun Air Parts in California. Some instruments are being overhauled at Otto Instruments, also in California whilst the radios, whilst not being replaced, are being worked on at a repair ship in the South of France. Carburettor, oil and hydraulic hoses and control surface cables have been renewed and the elevators and rudder had to be removed to allow for the repair of the tailcone and the rudder and elevator bearings have been replaced. At the same time, some attention has been given to the fabric and doping on the elevators and all control surfaces will be re-covered before the airframe is repainted. Some corrosion has been rectified and a broken shaft on the input wheel in the aileron trim box had to be replaced. On the port side, the aileron bellcrank bearing also had top be renewed. Currently, the airframe is a basic white colour scheme overall, the previous Air France colours having been removed. By March this year, the new port engine had been installed but ongoing work was somewhat restricted as the Orly hangarage has had to be vacated prior to demolition!
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By David Legg
Published: 1 February, 2007
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There is still no shortage of news to bring you on the world of surviving Catalinas – indeed, as I put together the items for this latest review, even I was surprised at how much was going on! PBY-6A N85U in action in Washington State during September 2006 There has been some further movement involving two North American PBYs that featured in our last review in September 2006. Firstly, ‘OA-10A’ C-GFFC has been on the move. This had spent some considerable time in storage with the fire fighting company SLAFCO at Moses Lake in Washington State. As reported in September, it had been flown up to Red Deer, Alberta after acquisition by Buffalo Airways although, at present, I do not know the transit date. On October 31st last year, it was cancelled from the Canadian register upon sale to the USA although no US marks or its new owner are yet known. Prior to cancellation, it was ferried to a new home at Sanford, Maine where it will be restored for new owner Jim Knowles. Part of the project will be to re-install blisters and bow turret although the latter is a long-term goal at present. Just after arrival at Sanford, it was hangared and temporarily decked out in Halloween-style trappings at the end of October for the enjoyment of the new owners and their families! The designation OA-10A above is in inverted commas as there is real doubt about this normally quoted identity. It is officially registered with the construction number ‘013’ which is not a ‘real’ Catalina c/n and is usually also quoted as CV-483 which was a Canadian Vickers-built USAAF OA-10A, serial 44-33972, reportedly scrapped. It seems likely that some ‘creative paperwork’ by a post-war conversion company was responsible for the confused pedigree of this Cat and the real identity may never be known!
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By David Legg
Published: 20 October, 2006
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There is still plenty going on in the world of surviving Catalinas to report in our regular round-up of news. This latest offering has been adapted from the September 2006 edition of The Catalina News.  Fabulous shot of G-PBYA operating from Lake Geneva in October 2006
Christian Bechir Our own Plane Sailing Catalina G-PBYA finished the 2006 air show season with a week-long visit to Geneva in Switzerland during the first week of October. It was booked to star in the static aircraft park at the Geneva Classics exhibition held at the Palexpo exhibition centre adjacent to Geneva’s airport. Although the exhibition was primarily for classic automobiles, the discerning visitors and press were very interested indeed in our beautiful Catalina and there was a constant stream of admirers, not least because it was the only aircraft present to have a support crew in attendance to meet and greet the public throughout the press day and three day show.
The other reason for such interest was that the Cat performed four water landings on Lake Geneva during the run up to the exhibition, the first time that a flying boat had landed on the lake since 1948! The crew were treated like conquering heroes and a great time was had by all! A full report will be included in the January 2007 edition of The Catalina News.
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By David Legg
Published: 5 May, 2006
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I have been writing about Catalinas for a long time now but I never cease to be amazed at the continuing activity in the world of Catalina ‘survivors’. This section of the Catalina Society website features news about Cat’ happenings around the globe and readers are invited to submit their own updates and photographs to the author at david@catalina.org.uk
 Plane Sailing's first Catalina, VP-BPS, now at Weston in Dublin as seen this Spring
Photo: Sandy BenziesPerhaps the most significant event for members of the Catalina Society is the move of Plane Sailing’s old aircraft, PBY-5A Super Catalina VP-BPS, from its home of some years at Lee-on-the Solent in Hampshire to Weston airfield in Dublin, Eire.
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By David Legg
Published: 1 April, 2004
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 Photo: David LeggAfter a long wait, Plane Sailing’s ‘new’ Catalina C-FNJF finally arrived at its new home at Duxford in Cambridgeshire on Tuesday 30th March. The lengthy delivery flight had commenced a few weeks before from Nanaimo on Vancouver Island in British Columbia and routed down through Washington State and California then across the USA and up the eastern seeboard before reaching St John’s, Newfoundland. From there, the delivery flight routed to Duxford via Shannon.
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By David Legg
Published: 21 April, 2006
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 PH-PBY prepares to fly at Valkenburg this summer prior to its repaint
Photo: Ruud LeeuwIn Europe, the big news is that the Dutch PBY-5A PH-PBY has flown at last after a long period on the ground. This aircraft last flew in May 1999 and had previously visited the UK, notably Duxford on a couple of occasions for the Flying Legends show. Work had been steadily progressing at the Dutch Naval Air Station at Valkenburg, due to close in the not too distant future and underwent engine runs and taxi trials for the first time on July 3rd.
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Hi,
Re: Catalina Field
I imagined there was a crash in the second part of the field behind the house. If you walk down the hill from a clump of trees/bushes there's a mini dell (where the crop doesn't grow well) which could have been caused by an impact. I guess there would be records of something that significant.