The Catalina Story (continued)

After completing a conversion course at Rathmines former Qantas pilot Eric Sims delivered the first Catalina to Port Moresby in March 1941. By August 1941 the number of Catalinas in No 11 Squadron in Port Moresby had increased to six.

The PBY Catalina (Figure 15) was quite different from the Short Empire 'C' Class flying boat (Figure 13). The Short Empire 'C' Class flying boat stood high out of the water like a large ferryboat and, having been designed as luxury accommodation for airline passengers, was roomy with much headroom. The flight deck for pilot and aircrew was high above the water. The range of the Short Empire 'C' Class flying boat was somewhat limited.

Figure 15 Consolidated PBY flying boat, Catalina A24-81 of RAAF No 20 Squadron. This framed print was presented to the Frosterley Club by Air Commodore K. R. Blakers, on behalf of the RAAF, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the formation of the RAAF Meteorological Service.

The Catalina rode low in the water with a fuselage like the top of a submarine without the conning tower. The cockpit at the front of the aircraft was close to water level and the wing was held above the fuselage by a slim streamlined vertical column and two wing struts. Whereas the fairly large windows of the Short Empire 'C' Class flying boat permitted a good view from the cabin, the only view from the Catalina was from the cockpit windows up front and the two gunblisters, one on either side of the fuselage, aft of the wing. The Catalina had the tremendous advantage of flight endurance of as much as 20 hours without refuelling.

Eric Sims took me on a brief flight around Port Moresby in the copilot's seat of a Catalina. It was noisy but exciting, especially when Eric allowed me to drive it for a while. I had a longer trip as a passenger on a Short Empire 'C' Class flying boat to a coconut plantation to the south-east of Port Moresby. With its four engines, the Short Empire 'C' Class flying boat took off without trouble. With its two engines, the Catalina, especially with heavy loads of petrol and bombs or mines, often took a run of a kilometre or more before becoming airborne.

Bureau of Meteorology