PBY Catalina FOR SALE - WWII All Original - UPDATE 2024

The only complete PBY Catalina walk around in existence. This aircraft is the last PBY serial number. All major components are WWII original - NO reproductions!

[@frederickpeterson3660]

UPDATE 2024 : April 2, 2024 Historic PBY Catalina Finds Home for Restoration SPOKANE, WA. Later this month a rare warbird, PBY-6A N9825Z, will travel to Spokane from Moses Lake by truck using multiple cradles and racks. Reputed to be the last of 3,305 PBYs produced between 1936 and 1945, this amphibious aircraft will be restored to airworthy and seaworthy condition with correct markings by Vintage Aircraft Restorations at Felts Field. The project will span two years, during which restoration shop activities may be viewed by the public. Known for its long-range, amphibious capabilities, the PBY served as a patrol bomber and search/rescue aircraft throughout WWII and afterward. As a seaplane, this PBY has everything a crew of eight requires living aboard: galley with electric stove, food lockers, water tanks, living compartment with four canvas bunks, a toilet, and a life raft with emergency supplies. It can remain airborne for over fifteen hours, sometimes only 100 feet above the surface of the ocean. In WWII, this enabled an early form of stealth reconnaissance and submarine detection. Felts Field was Spokane’s first airport and one of the first in the country. Its lively pilot and restoration community continues vintage aircraft traditions and events. Unique to this PBY is a complete AN/APS-3 Radar System with external Radar Dome (RADOME). The aircraft also features an original eyeball bow turret with two 30 caliber machine guns, original waist blisters with PBY-specific Edgewater mounts for 50 caliber machine guns, and a rotating mount for a 30 caliber tunnel machine gun under the tail. The “office” includes desks, tables and chairs. A mighty GO-9, the largest radio used in WWII aircraft, defines the navigator’s station. The engineer’s position overhead in the parasol has direct views of the engines. When completed, this PBY will be the most original in existence, thanks to the tireless explorations of Rick Peterson during his lifetime. For over twenty years, Rick travelled the world to crash sites and aircraft boneyards. Rick’s relationships with WWII veterans made the difference - leading him to many small personal collections where he acquired some of the rarest PBY parts and components before they disappeared altogether. Susan Peterson shares Rick’s passion and has continued his work to the present day. These treasures will be integrated into the restored aircraft making it a flying museum for display at air shows and military events. Extra parts and components will be made available to other PBY operators.

[@JimJonesKoolaid]

So happy to hear! Too many great military machines of the past are being lost to time and neglect!

[@SergeiMosin]

I would buy her in a heartbeat if I had the cash. There's just something magical about the Catalina that no other aircraft quite manages to emulate.

[@robertschumann9059]

Brother!

[@FusionAero]

Not a straight line on her, looks more like a living creature than a work of human engineering. A perfect globe-spanning motor home for those with the means.

[@agnostic47]

I have a daydream of converting a Catalina into a kind of flying Winnebago and travelling the world in it.

[@FusionAero]

@@agnostic47 I'm sure it's been done, there just isn't much documentation on these projects because the fortunate few who have pulled it off would be very hard to track down. ;-)

[@melvinshelton8448]

@@FusionAero You may be interested to know that the immortal singer Jimmy Buffet actually owns and flies one of these suckers. Apparently, he's a Good Ole Coastal Bama Boy (Is that where they keep Mobile?), unless he's deserted and moved to Miami, or something. Anyway, I read an interview with him someplace, in which his loves for 1) fishing/being out on the ocean, and 2) flying, came up. I mention this because I remember the piece included a picture of him, seated in what I think was the left-hand seat of his own plane...and I think it was a Catalina. From what you said,, you might want to try and look him up if you haven't already done so. I wonder if the Catalina Pilots Club would be of help... Mel Shelton [e-mail]

[@lozinja]

My father was a PBY-5A, who operated in the Pacific theatre of WW2. He was humble and modest about his experiences like so many veteran aircraft but I remember sitting on his ailerons as a kid and him describing letting loose his 50 Cals from his gun blisters on packs of hunter Zero's. "TAKAKAKAKAKAKA!!!" He exclaimed using blanks to recreate the sounds followed by spooling up one of his R1830s to imitate the rising crescendo of a flaming A6M2 howling towards the wet deck and its subsequent watery demise. He was a brave plane and I think about him a lot more as a mature Catalina now, carrying on his legacy as I perform aerial firefighting in the same geographical area, albeit Taiwan. Miss you dad.

[@plumpdog1024]

I don’t think your dad can be a Pby-5A….

[@stalledprojects4717]

Stumbled upon the Catalina museum in Australia was the secret base in. Ww2 on a lake that had long since dried up. Lonely curator was very glad to see us.

[@dviate3242]

Lake Broga. Sometimes dry sometimes full depending on conditions but worth a visit.

[@5hiftyL1v3a]

@@dviate3242 Lake Boga*

[@windowcreek1798]

There is a Catalina sitting in the airport hanger in Gananoque Ontario CANADA. Its been in the hanger since 1965. Very cool indeed.

[@craigdreisbach5956]

My Dad was a pilot of the Catalina. He finished his career at the end of the war at Whidby Island. He never made a big deal of his naval service of 4 years, but I can now see that being ingin command of such a sophisticated aircraft and 8 other crewmen, that he was truly a part of "The Greatest Generation" Thank you so very much. Craig Dreisbach

[@nld-bl5ct]

Has he ever written a book about his time as a pilot and did he continue to fly after his service in the Navy?

[@steveanacorteswa3979]

I live near NAS Whidbey, still cool to see where the Catalinas would taxi up out of the water, they have one at the museum but I have not been in it. Pretty cool plane.

[@justforever96]

LOL, a PBY "sophisticated"? First time Ive ever heard that one! This thing was old and primitive and slow even in 1940. Complicated, yes, sophisticated, no.

[@craigdreisbach5956]

@@nld-bl5ct Yes. After the war he went to Purdue University and got his degree in aeronautical engineering. He taught flying at the University airport thru 1948. He continued to fly the rest of his life, culminating in having 2 planes, a pressurized Beechcraft Baron (Model 58) and a Cessna 206 (single engine) amphibious plane with floats and retractable wheels. He continued to make excellent landings on land and sea in the float plane, having the PBY spirit as a part of his "roots" Sadly, he passed in 2006.

[@nld-bl5ct]

@@craigdreisbach5956 What a wonderful story, too bad he never wrote a book or his memoirs as a Catalina pilot. It must have been exiting having him as your dad. Thank you.

[@richr909]

My name is Major Paul Kirby and I flew that exact airplane many times.

[@csttwentyfirst]

That's awesome

[@stevenrey56]

Was it a "Black Cat" model as a commenter suggests?

[@sgt.gunslinger1532]

@@stevenrey56 what make it a black cat? Is it just painted black or does it have a certain role/ config?

[@CatalinaThePirate]

Holy wow!

[@SpudEater]

Steve Reynolds given the radar on top, the answer is a most definite yes..That’s one of the primary ways you can tell the difference from a normal PBY compared to a black cat and given that fact makes this an incredibly rare aircraft

[@chuckgoode7298]

My Uncle Brack Goode was a radio operator on one, crashed on Iceland December 27, 1942, RIP

[@jodyguilbeaux8225]

they called it the flying gas tank.............no smoking please. but what a cool design.

[@insolentstickleback3266]

Utmost respect! Be proud!

[@jimlincoln1283]

RIP Uncle Brack Goode

[@dado6559]

F

[@chrisdundas6670]

My dad was the radioman on a PBY late in the war. They flew over the Gulf of Mexico looking for U-boats. Thanks for showing me where he was positioned!

[@robertward8035]

Back in 1985, while working at Long Beach Airport, I had the honor to get to know some of the pilots of the Catalina Flying boats that flew out to Catalina Island and was able to accompany them on a number of flights, sitting right up in the co-pilot seat. It was an amazing experiance and I am forever in awe of those flights. Landing in the ocean, taxiing up the island ramp, then turning around and taking off from the sea was inspiring. I will never forget the notes written in pen around the glass tube fuel gauge on the rear of the wall, the history and era of these wonderful aircraft should never be forgotten.

[@blankreg4243]

I remember flying to Catalina in one in about 1974. I was about 12. I remember getting lucky and got to sit in the right seat. Time of my life. I didn’t know it was a PBY. It was just as you described, landing in the water and pulling up that big ramp they had there. I think we took the SS Catalina back. I’m glad you posted that comment.

[@johnwood551]

As a kid in the 50’s I always thought the PBY was the greatest airplane. When I started my flying career I always wanted to buy one . I’m glad to see someone saving these great old planes as original.

[@jimgoldwinger422]

Lived on Kodiak NAS as I grew up. Our duplex was just across the street from the tower. PBYs landed and took off in plain (plane) view 24 hrs a day! Loved watching them as a kid.

[@nickalexander1288]

My pop was a gunner on a ship named Pegasus 2. They flew from the Galapagos isles to Guantanamo bay. His name is Al Alexander from Oakland Cal. and was 17 y.o.. Our thanks to all vets! Bless you all- the Alexanders.

[@ethanbeebe6193]

And she has the Original radio. That is incredible. What I wouldn't give to own that beautiful piece of history.

[@Clannantorc704]

My grandfather was the pilot on a PBY stationed at Kaneohe Bay HI. He would tell me stories about his sorties to go pick up coast watchers in the South Pacific. And about a squadron of Jap Zeros that flew right under him and never paid his aircraft any attention. Talk about a butthole puckering moment! I have his officers uniform, flight wings, flight logs, and Nav. instruments and also his “short snorter”. I truly miss listening to his tale of the Pacific.

[@alimtimm7355]

In august I went into one at the air show and sat in the cockpit. Awesome machine!!!!!

[@johnyted]

This Catalina is a rare gem. Magnificent! I think this PBY should be protected in a museum for the public visitation of the new generations from all over the world. A historical and perfect machine, coveted even today by aviation lovers. This aircraft must be preserved. Nice airplane. A relic. There should be laws to protect this piece of history to avoid what happened to many WWII "rare birds" in California's cemetery that were sold as junk, some with the marks of combat wounds. Today there are only photos. That's what I think. Great doc. Thank you very much. I know it's for sale but it's the video that made me feel even the smell of oil on it.

[@lancesurgeon7614]

Johny Ted - Why don't you buy it and donate it to a museum.

[@barbarahanigan8512]

Johny Ted e

[@mattdyer9544]

Johny Ted Yes, paint it its original colours, keep it flying for the generations to come, and preserve it.

[@mattdyer9544]

Lance Surgeon I would buy it but it is probally way to much.

[@superbmediacontentcreator]

Learn to check your messages before you post if you ever hope to afford the aircraft...

[@cratecruncher6687]

Thanks for the tour! Dad was a radio-navigator in one of these in '42 when he was 19 years old. They didn't have any fancy radar stuff. He triangulated their position using a directional antenna at commercial AM radio stations. He and crew were flying off the Florida coast out of Jacksonville looking for German subs. I never realized how much like a boat these planes really are. I can imagine walking through with bilge water rocking back and forth trying to keep my shoes dry. That engineers station looks ridiculous but I guess it was roomy up there. Dad's office looks pretty swanky compared to that guy.

[@brittharms978]

God bless the PBY!! My grandfather was a aeronautical engineer. He worked for Consolodated in San Diego and designed the blister on the PBY. What a awesome tour, of that beautiful flying boat!!!!

[@SirEpifire]

A lot of thought went into making these. They still served all the way into the 80's. What a fantastic looking craft. Even cooler on the interior!

[@johnfoster535]

Great to see the environs my Dad once inhabited in the South Pacific as a Navy Radioman and Combat Air Gunner. I still have some of the items he flew with, including a special membership card he kept in his wallet for Navy airmen who flew in a PBY across the international dateline ! He also flew in the TBM, TBF, Dauntless and Helldiver. This treasure should be preserved so that future generations can see and understand the confined and deadly spaces our brave fathers flew in when their country needed them....God bless them ALL !!

[@alexnet8943]

🙂🌿🌻🌿🌻🌿🌻🇺🇲🇺🇦👍

[@bigsparky8888]

This is the one aircraft I used to daydream about...to have the funding to travel the World stopping for supplies and finding deserted islands to camp on...wow...Thank you...this is by far the most complete PBY I have ever seen...COOL AIRCRAFT!!!

[@mikestirewalt5193]

As a kid I used to ride on these with Coastal Ellis Airlines in Southeast Alaska, late 50's. They used these and Gooses' on those island routes, scud running into little places like Petersburg and Sitka. Actually, about all they did was scud run since the skies in Southeastern are seldom blue. There's a number of these PBY-5 and 6's flying around, private owners. Airborn yachts for travelling the world. Some too for use as military displays doing the airshow circuit. I saw one on the cover of High Times magazine in the early 70's, sitting on a Columbian lake being loaded with Santa Marta Gold. The long range and amphibious ability make it a favorite for that trade. For a while. There was quite a lot of activity in those days (70's) for these, Convairs, DC-3's & 4's. Even Lodestars. The 70's were a great time for old round engine buffs.

[@billisaacs702]

Fred, thank you for posting this video. I'm a 3D asset creator and have been fascinated by the Catalina for many years. I stumbled on to this in my research in preparation for creatinyg a 3D version of this aircraft, which is by far the prettiest seaplane ever made, military or civilian, in my own humble opinion. They should still make these, honestly. I think they would sell even today in a boutique market. The plane is just so darn good looking.

[@DesertPunks]

Is that model available anywhere?

[@billisaacs702]

@@DesertPunks Haven't worked on it in a little while and it isn't quite ready. I'll post some renders and put the link in here. Note it is NOT a model for 3D printing, although I suppose it can be converted easily enough.

[@DesertPunks]

@@billisaacs702 I was interested in using it for a mod in a simulator, are you planning on releasing it to the public?

[@timharnans]

Yo, done yet?

[@ScoutSniper3124]

That radar dome suggests this was a "Black Cat" PBY specifically for night operations. If so, that would make it a very rare PBY indeed. I'm going to check my lotto numbers, wish me luck. If you have no takers, you might consider loaning it to the U.S. Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola, Florida with the caveat they finish the restoration. They're great at it.

[@dirkdiggler1242]

I put a revell model together of a black cat, it was black and the landing gear retracted. I think I played all the time with it.

[@rewrew897]

*Cod Waw*

[@xXAlphaGamingHDXx]

@Grim Reaper this should stay on the ground and not fly

[@samdesplancke3906]

@@xXAlphaGamingHDXx why seeing old planes fly is really impressive and is worth risk assuming you do it safely

[@xXAlphaGamingHDXx]

@@samdesplancke3906 Its one of the only surviving black cats in original condition. They're only in this condition once

[@michaelbrearley3213]

My father chief petty officer Brearley, flew out of N.A.S. Sand Point, Seattle, and Hickam Air Field N.A.S. Hawaii, for 20 years, he told me their are two flight crews , for patrolling too Hawaii, and Korea, and I remember him telling me , that the flight time was very long in patrolling to Hawaiian, on asw patrols, thanks so much for restoring the airship, maybe I could come over and show the flight logs to ya sometime, I am here at his last duty station of Seattle , WA. Thanks so much Semper Fidelis and Semper Paratus

[@mp330600]

My father was an inspector at the Consolidated Aircraft factory in San Diego prior the WW II. The Catalina's were a very valuable plane in the war. Thanks for showing us yours.

[@donbrown599]

Thanks for the tour. Please give her a great home, and let her be airborne again, she deserves it .A little out of my era, I'm a Vietnam vet, but looking at this video brought a couple tears to my eyes. What a beauty!

[@taproom113]

Thanx for your service and Welcome Home, Bro ... ^v^

[@wwdixiedancekings5042]

My father enlisted right after Pearl Harbor and was a radio operator in the PBY and PB2Y Flying Boats for the duration and after the war. He didn't talk in great detail about enemy action, although I know there was some. It was his era and the highlight of his life and he loved to talk about the planes. How he first saw the P-38 Lightning coming straight down Sunset Blvd. in a supposedly unauthorized publicity stunt, and the great solidarity of purpose throughout the country despite the horrible side of war. I was a young boy when we visited with a pilot he had gotten to know well, Sherrill Oaks, who was a pharmacist in Brownsville, Texas. Making light of it, Poppa told the story of Oaks refusing to bail out after the second dive to try and release a bomb that had hung in the undercarriage. It may have been said before, but as far as I'm concerned it was Oaks who coined the phrase. After the third hair raising dive, this time even further beyond the planes limitations, was successful and they were able to land, he calmly said, "Why in the world, would anyone want to bail out of a perfectly good airplane." And it was a great airplane, for W.T. (Bill) Draper, a farm boy with big intentions from Liberty, a small rural oil town near Houston, Texas. To find himself in places like the Marianas Islands, Saipan and Hong Kong was a grand adventure and thanks to this airplane, over the vast expanses of the Pacific and a real shooting war, he came back. Thanks, Dad.

[@aaronblaylock2092]

Thanks for sharing, great story.

[@jeffkrane88]

That P-38 stunt was flown by future major ace Richard Ira Bong.

[@robertdejong2148]

@@jeffkrane88 See "Kenney's Report" (Lt. General Kenney, SW PAC Commander USA Airforce

[@joedowning4298]

Amazing piece of history. My grandfather was the wireless radio operator on his Catalina in Ceylon (413 Squardon "Tusker").

[@SuperBlaek]

This video has been popping up in my recommendation for years, glad to see it's finally being restored

[@davidw.schuetz3546]

My grandfather was a black cat pilot. Thank you for making this video.

[@Nevernotalone]

She's so beautiful. Chokes me up a little bit just remarking on how complete she is. Simply beautiful

[@thatww2nerd81]

A rare gem considering it has a original RADAR. I wonder whatever happened to it. Interesting to see how it's built more like a ship than a plane. I have flown this aircraft and games and it is interesting to see the inside for a change. I would've love to buy this thing if I had the time and money for the restoration, as well as a pilot license, a airfield and hanger to store her at, and a few buddies to act as the flight engineer and co-pilot.

[@TheKeroady]

Your tour and walk around of this lovely PBY is much appreciated. The lore of these is not lost here.

[@reallyhappenings5597]

The fact that they have drogues (that parachute-type sea anchor) gives insight into how these were intended to be used: fly out to sea, conduct surveillance, touchdown, drift for a while, maybe make some repairs, then take off again for an attack. Never knew they had the ability to camp out.

[@arvadawelder]

A good friend of mine flew p3 and his stories were amazing. To think of what they did in that plane day in day out is amazing. Truly the greatest generation.

[@johannmckraken9399]

My mum worked at Consolidated Aircraft in San Diego starting in 1939 all through the war. Consolidated was about to close the production line down when the British placed a large order for PBY's. She worked exclusively on these planes as an electrician and pipe fitter. She was a small lady just barely 5ft tall and could fit into tight spaces which the Cat had in abundance. Her biggest memory of the Cat was that it was all sharp edges and tight spaces. The PBY is somewhat of an unsung hero for the work it did during the war. Versatile, rugged and with good range it served many countries during and after the war with distinction. While it certainly is no beauty queen I can imagine if you were an aviator who survived a ditching and were bobbing in the sea in some dinghy this must have been a truly beautiful sight. Nice to see there still some flying and even a few actually earning their keep. If I ever win the lotto this will be one of my first purchases.

[@sfbfriend]

@Jay Ferris; Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, I have a thing for boat planes, something about them is beautiful! The China Clipper, Grumman Duck and PBY. Shit all of em...

[@Tomeleck]

It was a British PBY that helped find and sink the Bismarck too.

[@johannmckraken9399]

Thomas Meleck: Absolutely correct and it was also a PBY that spotted the Japanese fleet approaching Midway. The more I've learned about this aircraft over the years the more I've grown to be a fan of it. One book I recommend is "Catalina Over Arctic Oceans" by John French. It's autobiographical and the second half deals with French's time with the PBY serving for the Royal Navy, all in all a good read.

[@agusti92]

Not a beauty queen? I find this plane one of the handsomest!!

[@fredlougee2807]

The parasol wing that Consolidated put on the Catalina and Otto Sikorsky put on all of his flying boats (before he invented the helicopter) was function winning over form. When you take that viewpoint it's only an "ugly duckling" until you really get a good look at it.

[@bonnpoland]

Amazing tour! My grandfather flew a PBY-5A in WW2 in the N. Atlantic. I've recently become obsessed with this plane and hope to visit one in person some day! Thanks!!!

[@javkhlanbaatarkhuu4271]

Beautiful, by far the best inside tour of the Catalina for me.

[@kae4466]

my late dad flew one of these in the south pacific during ww2. he was navigator/radio oporator and ammo handler.

[@Richard-po6fl]

Absolutely beautiful, especially for those who have been picked up in the middle of the ocean by the crews of these beautifully over engineered works of art.

[@larryferguson3387]

Especially the crew of the USS INDIANAPOLIS.

[@diGritz1]

My boss and close personal friend, (R.I.P.), was a flight engineer on a PBY out of Kitsap Navel Base during WWII. I was fortunate to have the privilege of hearing many stories about him, his crew and the PBY. It often gets overshadowed by front line fighters like the Mustangs and Spitfires. Which is too bad because it was an incredible flying machine and if I had the money, I'd take it in a heart beat.

[@onsp1318]

My Grandfather was an RAF Warrant Officer and a navigator mostly in the Catalina during Ww2, conducting Search and Rescue missions off the Irish Coast. Mostly searching for the survivors of sunk Merchant Navy ships, he also occasionally took part in search and destroy missions, searching for Uboats. I've always had a fascination in the design of this aircraft and his stories about long missions. He's 97 years old and I'd love to show him around a surviving catalina.

[@robbieb.4927]

I AGREE WITH "JOHNY TED." God dang I always have had a love for this PBY PLANE when I was a little kid seeing this plane it was made into a forest fire air bombarder and it was based out in Ryan Air Field in Hemet, Ca. back in the early 70's!.

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

The Cat is one of my favorite acft and it's so refreshing to see a Cat with so much of its original equipment. All the Cats seen now have been altered in so many ways and to see this one makes me wish I won the mega-millions. Well I do hope someone that appreciates history buys this beauty.

[@donalddodson7365]

Fantastic. Thank you! One of the first plastic model aircraft kits my Dad and I built together was a PBY. I clearly recalled making the 7 - 8 year old's decision that we would deploy both the wheels and the pontoons, rather than one or the other. Great memories from over 60 years ago.

[@Wildstar40]

1:25 That radar dish looks like it belongs on the original Enterprise NCC-1701.

[@orangecayman520]

LincolnTek *radar

[@secondpsyght1354]

100% in agreement here. Inspiration may just well be "in spirit action". From a metaphysical point of context. Anyways just a thought ;)

[@amramjose]

RADAR = radio detection and ranging.

[@caroltenge5147]

you can see the same fakey radar dish on science fiction theatre...kzbin.info/www/bejne/b3_Tp5yJjsRnbrs

[@hodaka1000]

Maybe the radar on the Enterprise belongs on a Catalina!

[@torjones1701]

What a slice of history! Thanks for sharing this, and keeping history alive for future generations!

[@robertrose1098]

WOW.... . I'm just lost for words. . ..I have always loved the misteque of this aircraft, I have never seen the internals . I was truly on the edge of my seat throughout this video.. asteticly I love the lines, But the story's and knowledge I'm afraid one day could be lost . . . I thank the narrator and owner for this amazing footage . I love this aircraft and would like to know what happened since 2016??? Surely someone would have restored it by now???? Great video guys 10/10

[@michaelashcraft8569]

So glad to see a real PBY, I have read many mission stories about the importance of this unique warbird!

[@Boneidol82]

Thanks so much for this informative post. I can now see were my Grandad would have sat as a radio operator. He served in Guadalcanal with the RNZAF.

[@aww2historian]

Incredible...truly amazing that its still in such working condition. To think that dozens of people at one point in time were using all that equipment, from the MGs to the radar, to the radio and navigation, flying over large water in a place that was truly one of a kind in the pacific.... Awesome!

[@paulstott3444]

Had a fly round in one at Elvington some years ago, really loved it, engine noise at high, couldn't get much better. Unfortunately, 3months later on landing on Southampton water, hit an object, sank with all aboard, including the mayor of Southampton.

[@sledgehammer8130]

If money were no object... the catalina is my all time fav. aircraft. And this will be amazing once it's fully restored! Hope to see that one day..

[@rolandocrisostomo2003]

Dry desert environment tends to save metals. In tropical weather it does the opposite. Beautiful plane, and thank you for the video.

[@waynemcginnis7665]

I have my father's flight logbooks from his time in the Pacific during WWII as a radioman on a PBY5A. He logged approximately 890 flight hours. Like most servicemen of that time, he never spoke much about the things he did. He just went and did his job

[@thomas_bahama]

How many logs did he log on that shitter?

[@user-ev6kv7lf2v]

Can you imagine-- right after ww2 or maybe in the late 1950's--- when they went to surplus--- how many people bought these and then just went through them and GUTTED all of the interior things and just sent it to the dump ???? I wonder how come this one was saved so carefully ? maybe because it was the last SN. ? It looks like it would be an easy restoration-- as those kinds of things go--- may be low hours so the sheet metal is not brittle---- wonder what the wing spar corrosion looks like ? Being around salt water must have been hell on them. They were probably shot down often enough that maybe salt was considered a small hazard....

[@fakshen1973]

There is no such thing as an easy restoration unless you're really wealthy and someone else is doing the work.

[@guitarsrusinc2908]

I love WWII history etc..... this plane deserves to be in a museum not rotting somewhere out in the sun.. not to many of these on display as far as i know in the USA where people can see them and the importance of what they did for our military during the war.... hope someone takes her in and takes great care of her.

[@lucashinch]

My Grandfather Capt. George Revak USN flew those in the South Pacific looking for pilots and potential targets. I have heard many interesting stories regarding Catalinas .

[@drott150]

A combination of a big airplane and a big boat: the ultimate "hole in the water." $$$$$$$$$$$

drott150 so true.. what's the old saying? If it flys, floats or fucks its better to rent it because they are all money holes.

[@wrh61]

John Wayne extremely true statement. I've done all three. After three airplanes I've given up. I rent from now on and almost everything else. As an old A&P mechanic most people don't realize how much money you can throw at these projects and change basically nothing it's a very expensive process to get one of these things flying again.

[@handleismyhandle]

I don't understand how people manage to waste so much money on boats. Living on board and doing your own repairs is about the cheapest living possible, short of moving into a tent or a box.

[@SonsOfLorgar]

Blitherer Masterman then you don't understand the concept of essential maintenance and how each feature and movable part multiplies the nessesary work to maintain safe operation.

[@ADogNamedStay]

@@SonsOfLorgar or you're just a fuck up that makes non complex situations extremely difficult.

[@CorvairScott]

Thanks for making this video! My grandfather flew in a PBY as a navigator before Pearl Harbor water attacked. He always loved them and he got to fly it too.

[@64MDW]

My late family doc flew USN PBY's on anti-sub patrols in the Caribbean during WW2. He had great stories and loved the aircraft.

[@Smokr]

What a beauty! I hope she finds a great home and sees the skies again!

[@lilorbielilorbie2496]

the Jeep that my Dad bought in 1974. the original owner had put a altimeter from a PBY for some unknown reason. i saw a show on tv a few years ago about the PBY,s. they said that when they went to see if they were water tight the tank would be huge. so they figured that if they filled the plane to the water line and it did not leak it would float.before they closed the Navy Base in Long Beach, CA there was a old PBY base at the far west end. it later became the Heally -Tibbits construction yard. these are also the planes that they used to fly stuff from Long Beach to Catalina Island. when i worked in Long Beach we would see them fly over all the time. really a awesome plane imo.

[@sultros]

The amount of work done on this aircraft to restore it back to original form is just stunning. Fred, if you are still out there, how goes the restoration?

[@markblix6880]

My dad was AMM1c Oliver Blix stationed in Dutch Harbor. Loved the PBY.

[@bcabmac]

I love the PBY. What a dream to own/Steward it for survival for future generations. I'll write a check right now.....It would bounce and It wouldn't be fair to do. But the fantasy of writing such a check would be an honor for the purchase at hand. Thank you for sharing this video.

[@mrnull6349]

My great grandfather flew a PBY over the Pacific Ocean during WW2 with the RNZAF Royal New Zealand Air Force but he had died due to cancer and so did his son (My grandfather) My mum would always talk about him whenever i asked and I kind of feel sad that it’s not going to a museum but I hope it’s in good hands.

[@rodneywhitfield5754]

Wow..... wow, while I was a student at Spartan one of my classmates father had a PBY, he would fly it in to Tulsa Int. and let us crawl through it, it was nothing like this, not nearly this complete. Quite the amazing bird!

[@melted_cheetah]

Wow! cool. Did not know they had a lower aft gun. Ultimate flying camper/fishing ride - amphibian with stove, bunks, toilet :) So cool!

[@georgebarnes8163]

Good to see one so close, I always imagined the PBY being a lot bigger.

[@wolfeboronian4795]

A tight fit, but I've been inside the PBY in Sanford, ME. But have never had such a complete tour as presented here. Congratulations on the restoration! Wait! I didn't see the anchor hook! (Given as a prize at post-WWII reunions). My Dad flew a PBY in the SW Pacific during WWII. It got shot down, so they gave him another, and another, and another, and another! Lou Conter, a living survivor of Pearl Harbor's Arizona explosion, was his co-pilot when the last PBY caught fire, and crash-landed in the Pacific. (Fire from defective flares). Entire crew survived a three mile swim to a Japanese-held island. A Papua native-who might have eaten a missionary or two-greeted with, "You talk Jesus-Talk?"

[@lestermiller2717]

What a kool old plane my father flew in one back in WW-2 he was a radio man and he also flew the Grumman TBF/TBM as a radio operator. It is a shame that so many of the planes from WW-2 have been trashed and nothing is left. I would love to have a P-47 Thunder bolt or a P-38 Lightening??? I wonder if there is still some around left in working condition to restore? How would you go about finding them?

[@wolfeboronian4795]

Lester Miller: Forgot to mention that co-pilot Lou Conter still attends Arizona internments of sailors assigned to that battleship. I've sat in an abandoned F4U Corsair located in an airfield near Jacksonville, FL, but it's probably restored by now. The Confederate Air Force has a huge collection--and a new name. There's a PBY being restored at Sanford Airport, Maine. Last I heard, the engines are running!

[@stephenmclendon8723]

FYI: Lightening is shortening(fat)or making less weight on something. Lightning(streak of light in sky) is the word you want.

[@cinnion]

Dad was the flight engineer on a 5A during WWII as a part of the USAAF 4th ERS, Flight D. They were the second, and often forgotten PBY (piloted by Richard Alcorn) which landed for the first night of rescue operations for the Indianapolis, and though he never attended a reunion (even when I offered to take him), he was an honorary member of the Indianapolis Survivors Association. Given things which were coming to light the last few months of his life, as the few remaining crew members finally broke their silence, I suspect that they were in part ashamed that they had not rescued more... I tried for years to get Dad to tell me about that night, and I may have been lucky to have gotten a total of 5 minutes out of him, while I could get hours and hours of stories out of him or any of his crew-mates we visited (his radioman lived about 3 hrs away, and his son and I happened to take the same graduate math class in 84) about the rest of the war or Korea. Given that folks said that up until about that time, he had always been a happy go lucky guy, and definitely was not when he returned home (I probably saw him truly smile less than a dozen times in 40 years), I suspect he suffered from PTSD from that night, where he and his radio man spent the night in a raft, tied off to the plane by a long rope, and heard lots of folks, but could never reach them. While I have always been a fan of fighters (a maternal uncle was a career fighter pilot, and was a former Thunderbird pilot), the PBY has always held a special place in my heart, and I wish I could manage to get a 5A in its WWII configuration, and fly it regularly. I know a major thinking spot for me would be to sit up in the engineer's chair, window open and feet out the window as Dad said he did on numerous occasions, though significantly less after the day he saw a shell peak out its trajectory above the wing struts and barely miss hitting everything. But I definitely feel that any remaining PBYs (or any WWII warbird) should definitely be preserved. Sadly, far too few care about history these days.

[@ScreamingGreenMan]

Douglas Needham thanks for that story, I had an uncle in the Pacific from the beginning to the end, infantry, never spoke one word about what he did or saw until after I had enlisted and been a few places. In hindsight I think he might have experienced a degree of survivor guilt.

[@rhysevans1529]

This is my favourite plane and could only dream of having it

[@garethbliss]

I flew our Catalina “Miss Pickup” for 10 years based out of IWM Duxford England where she continues to reside. A wonderful aircraft to fly and a great bunch of people to work with.

[@idahosagebrush5662]

My dad told me he used to ride in these in WW2 in the Pacific when he was in the Marines. I don't know when or where, or what they were doing, but he finally got shot on Tinian Island just after the Saipan invasion. Like most others, he didn't talk much about those times. He did tell me that the only ones in his outfit that survived were the ones that got wounded bad enough to be sent home.

[@mark2727]

Your PBY radio desk is a GOLD MINE! I wish I could sit there and make some QSO's on those old radio's. I hope you can restore the aircraft to full flight condition with all of the original equipment in working order, and get a Navy Code Key for the Radio op's desk. A rare gem that needs a home in the Commemorative Air Force where we can keep her flying!

[@Strike_Raid]

I have that very same ART-13 sitting on a shelf at home. Bought it at a ham fest in 75 with all tubes but no power supply for 10 bucks, no joke. And just like that one, mine doesn’t have an LFO either. It even has anchor stamps all over it, so may even have come out of a PBY-5 or 6, or PB4Y maybe.

[@madmax2069]

Mark could you just imagine the response you'd get from people when you tell them you're in a PBY.

[@ToddDunning]

Frederick thank you so much for this video. Deserves to be a Discovery Channel episode.

[@TheGearhead222]

My father flew these in the RCAF and said that the Cat was a dream to fly and very forgiving for its pilots. Beautiful plane-John in Texas

[@kenbellchambers4577]

My dad was in the RCAF. He was a machine gunner and wireless operator and a master sergeant serving ibn a Catalina. He used to be on submarine patrol off Vancouver Island, and he shot down Japanese incendiary balloons sent all the way from Japan on the air currents.

[@actiniumanarchy9237]

My favorite aircraft of the war.. man it’s so nice looking and so versatile. Would love to own one, one day. There used to be a Navy seaplane base where I live that closed in the 1990s!! From world war 2 to then, there were a couple PBYs just sitting there! Hope to god they weren’t scrapped

[@rosicroix777]

Great video ! TYVM for giving us a tour of the insides of this iconic piece of WWII history . I think it was great to see it while the restoration was still going on . I wanted to ask if you've finished it & when complete could you please do another video as well as some while in flight including the take off & landing footage . TY again for restoring this aircraft & sharing the video. Wishing you many years of safe & fun flying .

[@user-wz2el3gu8u]

Прекрасно! Спасибо за интересный обзор! Мой отец летал на такой машине с аэродрома Саки ( Крым, СССР) в 1953- 55 г.г. Самолеты были из тех, что поставлялись в СССР по Лендлизу во время войны. 👍

[@rayopezzo4052]

Very nice video and narration, thank you! Just saw two Catalina PBY's being restored at New Smyrna Beach FL municipal airport.

[@P61guy61]

A gem in the rough. Thank you for posting! Hope it is on its way back into the air.

[@robertlafnear4865]

Somebody call Kermit Weeks,... he can make it fly, put it on display and fly it ever so often.

[@dscott130]

every

[@julianpenny4671]

Thankyou Rick for an excellent video tour of this very special aircraft

[@yellowhammer4747]

Thank you sir for taking the time to show everyone this remarkable national treasure!

[@redr1150r]

I grew up on Naval Air Stations and remember them landing at Miramar on cross country flights.

[@agnostic47]

"The only complete PBY Catalina walk around in existence. " Apart from the approximately 50 others, 15 of which are airworthy.

[@FLYANDI]

I believe this is the only one actual Navy complete one - meaning with radar dome, guns, engineering panels and all the internals that the Navy originally ordered. There are plenty of PBY's out there but they are all lacking those parts and have been retro fitted with other parts.

[@Jack-nn6gn]

@@FLYANDI that makes more sense, i was wondering lol, there's like two airworthy ones sitting at an airport 15 minutes from my house

[@uncommonlogic1698]

Agnostic , how original is your PBY ? The owner did not explain clearly enough for a twit to understand, I will try. As delivered to the military means all parts were original parts (same) that were delivered. Aircraft have a log book that lists all the components that have serial numbers ( most every part and system) in order to maintain airworthiness . All parts have a life cycle that must be certified on a regular basis. Many military machines will simply swap components after rebuild to reduce down time, this aircraft did not reach any of the cycle times to be rebuilt. Therefore it's the most original and complete aircraft. Most WW2 aircraft have been Frankensteined from any aircraft to make airworthy, stripped of period and delivered equipment to be used in non military function. Hope it's clear. And good luck with your internet aircraft.

[@garliconionshallot]

@@uncommonlogic1698 buddy, how far up your own ass to you have to be to pretend like thats common knowledge. How about explaining things the way you would in real life because I know damn well you only got the stones to speak like that over the internet lol

[@uncommonlogic1698]

@@garliconionshallot well sir, being negative is a choice, making disparaging remarks is a choice. Knowledge is not common, most refuse to do the work. I believe I touched a nerve with you, since you are uncommonly adept at being rude. The man Who posted the video took many hours to produce this content, spent many years being a caretaker of this plane, only to have someone comment " eh so what, there are plenty of them". Agnostic was being a twat, which you also agree with, I felt it necessary to call a spade a spade. I also explained quite clearly why the " the most original" was probably true and explained clearly how a system that few know makes that statement also most likely to be factual. I appreciated the man sharing history, his love and passion with the world, I appreciate antiques so when someone disparages a noteable thing I take exception. If you can't take it, don't dish it!

[@NVRAMboi]

Very very informative. I had no idea the Catalina had that much interior room. What a great and historic bird. It's like an armed airborne RV with a hull and pontoons.

[@adamskinner5868]

What a joy getting to see around this wonderful plane in such detail, very interesting but as always I'd like 2 see more.

[@seadog915]

Those tubes were also for dropping dye markers to help keep track of something or someone in the water. They didn't have sonabouys then.

[@mrnobody5381]

Needs to be in a museum. Incredible condition.

[@yellowhammer4747]

No get it flying and take kids flying in it!

[@trueweapon2349]

+G FUCKURSELF G FUCKURSELF

[@keithsorrels6903]

Fantastic tour of my very very favorite airplanes. Thanks for keeping it on KZbin.

[@ramabamaboomboom]

Thank you for posting and making the history available to us all.

[@daleeasternbrat816]

The only thing I can say is WOW. I thank you for restoring this amazing aircraft.

[@jaydonturner882]

Dale Eastern brat You're welcome.

[@MrLikeke]

15:56 I consider it amazing that in the WWII era they had developed a HF radar beacon. In fact, some ships had hand held beacons. Quite astonishing. The HF was undetectable by enemy.

[@timlevy1857]

Thanks for sharing & what a great project. Hope a museum picks it up after you finish restoring it.

[@kolloduke3341]

Thank you so very much for your video. it was a real pleasure to watch. I have always liked the look ,but never thought i would get a real tour of the inside of one. great effort FREDERICK P . ..