WW2-Era Catalina Flying Boat Low & Loud

[@jaywinters2483]

Thank you for not ruining it with music

[@Aljester]

this is one of the most beautiful planes ever built... lovely lines, especially the bow

[@johnnym.wright7644]

And this one the most impressive of the flying boats when it comes to eye appeal

[@npsit1]

Those engines sound amazing.

[@brendondesbarres1023]

Thar's because they were usually Prat & Whitney 1830/s & yes they do indeed sound awesome!!

[@AdstarAPAD]

Has anyone ever thought of producing these aircraft again.. The design seems to be good enough.. With modern materials and modern engines there could be a market for these..

[@MrOlgrumpy]

ShinMaiwa build a maritime patrol/rescue 4 RR turboprop,$15M,

[@Jacob-sy5xm]

Just like the turbo prop dc3/c47

[@frbe0101]

Flyboats fit a very nitch market and as it turns out there are more fly boats in aircraft graveyard then operating, if more are needed it is cheaper to restore them from the yard then manufacture new ones. Not until we can 3D print whole planes or something would the cost to manufacture new designs be less then restoring planes in the yard.

[@jrcrawford4]

@AdstarAPAD I was thinking the same thing.

[@balsumfractus]

As romantic as this idea sounds, there is simply no market for a long range patrol flying boat. If it were re-purposed into a different role, ( say fishing expeditions) there are existing aircraft that can do the job more efficiently, and less expensively. I love the Cat, and appreciate every effort made to keep these old planes flying.......

[@yourhandlehere1]

It doesn't matter how old the design is, if it works it works. My car is 49 years old and been a daily driver all it's life.

[@johnorford7317]

True enough - I still use my father's tools, some 80 years old. I suppose the more complex the machine the less easy it is to keep it working.

[@g.a.c.4139]

Yes, I agree with your statement! And also keep those vintage cars on the road! My daily driver is 90 this year.

[@waterheaterservices]

My 1966 Cadillac is not all that great and may not last another 55 years.

[@CykoNL]

she's one of, likely the most beautiful aircraft I have ever seen, having seen one up close several times she has always amazed me how beautiful she is. she (ph-pby) used to give passenger rides and still attends a lot of airshows in the Netherlands.

[@anngrimshaw2762]

The_Logs t

[@nzsaltflatsracer8054]

What a beautiful piece of flying history, 32hrs in the air is bloody mind boggling. I remember there was one based out of Christchurch in the late 70's when I left home & the original clipped wing Spitfire was on the pole.

[@omepeet2006]

The one in CHCH is that the one in the Airforce museum? Cos' I seem to recall there was a Cat's fuselage in Hangar 3

[@longgone9869]

So beautiful!!!

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Thank you!!

[@jeffwalther3935]

As I watched the pristine Catalina, I realized what it was in design that the Catalina and Dakota have that made them perform so well - their wingspans are about 15-20% longer than other aircraft with fuselage that length. That feature explains their peerless aviation efficiency, e.g., range, low stall speed, carrying capacity, stability, adaptability, economy, durability, . . . The delightful feature coincides with the coincidence of missions of both these birds. Unexpectedly however it does gives them both a distinctive appearance or very attractive grace that is somehow unique to them alone.

[@bazza945]

Have flown in both. Last Dak flight was in '68.

[@jeffwalther3935]

@Ray Merlin Fascinating, and yes, viable breakthrough using off-the-shelf, priceless yet available now, hard-found Osprey tilt rotor capability AND MODIFIED to allow water landings like a Catalina helicopter, dart in and out, up and down toward an objective or beach or ship, at night and bad weather, rescue too, instantly come and go from anywhere to anywhere allowing full cruise of over 350 mph and deploy 2 dozen US Marines land, sea, air and any combination thereof, anywhere any time, in time and on time without runways 24/7/365; a helicopter version of an F-35 with air superiority weapons and tactics? Could be a new use of the helicopter altogether as such We also need a hybrid combination that allows speed and range of a Catalina to mostly save the need for carriers and numerous or insecure land bases, . . .

[@jeffwalther3935]

@Ray Merlin Quite right on all your challenging chokepoints which need to be overcome to make it work. Here, however, such speculation MUST include how a more amphibious V/STOL helo-hybrid would be used in combat. If the advantages aren't markedly better to justify the gargantuan development and deployment costs, such a craft may not have a mission. If ANY substantial resources are devoted inefficiently, that can damage the war effort and has to be avoided with super sobriety. What we'd like to see and what works has to be distinguished and exclusively chosen with great care for wartime and warfare. Its got to really work out as intended or such engineering escapades create a deathtrap, are even an everlasting everpresent temptation and distractions that amount to an asset for the enemy.

[@jeffwalther3935]

@Ray Merlin Yes that's all feasible and desirable. I was most interested in your movable propeller vs entire engine nacelle idea as in current Ospreys. But 24 hrs flight time caught my attention too. No Osprey mission reasonably requires such time aloft nor range, upon reflection. I'm not familiar with such performance for twin engines, except in birds especially designed and necessarily, reasonably equipped for llooonnng range; Heavy aircraft. Catalinas have extraordinary range by design, but their payload and stores had to be correspondingly light too to be seaworthy, I think. General Troop carriers vs marine assault team/invasion aircraft are 2 different roles that necessarily then require different types of aircraft to work, realistically. For example, that's why Hughes heavy lift Hercules was BIG and not small as Ospreys but in many hundreds of aircraft instead of 3 or 4, big as apartment complexes. I think it would require greatly increasing the fuel capacity which, in turn, limits payloads and speed. This, in turn, requires increasing EVERYTHING in the overall Osprey size/design to accommodate these increased demands requiring a yet unimaginable design here, and anywhere, quite yet. Thanks for sharing a "reasoning trail" with me for a piece on a topic of mutual concern, (American warwinning).

[@jeffwalther3935]

@Ray Merlin Further thoughts on BIGGER Ospreys WITH your moveable BIG propellers - Yes, quite IMAGINABLY combine 4-6 so-modified super-sized or even coupled, twin-supported combination of modern turboprops with heavy-lift AND seaworthiness AND with a dozen of these monsters by 1940, (somehow) Dunkirk or 1950 and Chosin (Korea) Reservoir Mass Evacuations woulda been entirely different, a shocking and awesome 24-hr mission, entirely made through advanced warwinning maritime airborne, as required by battlefield conditions and just temporarily absolutely secured airspace, . . .

[@sonythan]

I think this is one of the most beautifull plane in WW2

[@DunedinMultimedia2]

Beautiful plane, excellent video!

[@lordbrucelondonuk7304]

Simply Beautiful

[@ibrahimsued4906]

Had great reputation here in Brazil, specially in the amazonic region

[@jcarnna1113]

My Dad piloted PBY's in Brazil, over 1000 flight hours during WWII '43-'44. He then trained the fledgling Brazilian air force in them, (one of 8 US pilots to do so) and received his certification as a Brazilian air force member- Cert now hanging on my wall. His squadron mate Dick Rowland sank U 662 off of Brazil in '43

[@fubarmodelyard1392]

always liked the cat. she's a well designed beauty

[@sam8alex12]

The Cat put on a super display, THANK YOU

[@TheAeroAvatar]

She's a thing of beauty :)

[@finntastique3891]

Back in the old days, they built machines that still work, such as this one and the Douglas DC-3.

[@omepeet2006]

Could this be due to the P&W Twin Wasps?

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

I swear to god someone needs to build new versions of the PBY for civilian use. I'm sure there is some use still for the old design. Throw in new materials, avionics and systems, and it would be a little faster, still have very good gas mileage and able to land in places most planes can't land on

[@georgebarnes8163]

Indeed, the larger Short Sunderland served in both military and civil roles, no reason why the Catalina could not do the same.

[@DaveGIS123]

Viking is taking orders for the latest version of the venerable Canadair CL-215, the CL-515. It's a turboprop-powered flying boat which can act as both a transport and a water bomber and, unlike the Catalina, it has flaps!

[@Quetzalcoatl_Feathered_Serpent]

​@@DaveGIS123 lol. Trust me the only reason I would want it is for travel to tour and to explore. Many US citizens in the modern era have lost the interest and imagination of flight. I grew up around aircraft so always had a love for them. The US needs to get people interested in aircraft. More importantly needs to get the public desire to own affordable aircraft. With a couple of us wanting the bigger planes like the Canadair or the PBY. Oh yes I love the Canadair flying boats, If i could get one I would outright, just expect it wearing US army colors WW2 era. :P

[@doughertybob2803]

Just the beautiful sound of those engines! 🎶🎶🎶🎶

[@robertwoodroffe123]

With special speed tuned turboprop!

[@slantsix6344]

These are so cool! My father a WW2 Vet said that these were littered all over the place during the battle of Okinawa 1945 due to a severe storm/hurricane that hit the island.

[@gasmonkey1000]

She is beauty! Always loved the look of the Catalina ever since I played Heroes of the Pacific.

[@madpetrolhead]

Beautiful aircraft, love the catalina's, haven't seen it in Napier for quite sometime.

[@omepeet2006]

If all goes well she'll be in Wanaka this Easter.

[@DeanGelsinger-wq9lr]

Now that is how a video is filmed perfectly

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Thanks for that!

[@rosecaulfield9459]

I wish I could get one for Christmas.

[@rivco5008]

It was a Catalina that made the first sighting of the approaching Japanese fleet at Midway. Also, and I'm not certain of this, a Catalina found the Bismarck after the Royal Navy lost contact with that battleship when it was trying to reach France...

[@bjofuruh]

I think, maybe it was the CREW on board these Catalinas that spotted the enemy, not the plane itself... he, he, he.

[@haraldschevik5213]

Oooooww Beautiful!!!

[@peacefulwarrior4078]

my dad was the chief pilot in WWII on a pby5a ,and wear his naval pilots wings with pride!!!

[@BigRedPower59]

My father was a WWII veteran who served aboard the USS Chandeleur (AV-10) whose job it was to maintain these aircraft.

[@kim621100]

Captain Quint talked about the Catalina saving them in the Pacific in the movie Jaws.

[@MrOlgrumpy]

In the '80s there was one working out of Kalgoorlie,taking off first thing and winging out to the east.It had a long "mad "probe out the tail,I think it was doing mineral prospecting.

[@edoniszk1615]

Was living in Carnarvon in late 70's and saw Cats flying up and down the coast and inland dragging a Magnetometer,used to identify mineralisation on the ground was always enthralled when they landed at Carnarvon airport where i worked withe Met.Bureau and managed toget a look in although could never manage to talk them into going for a flight...one of my great memories.

[@bazza945]

Late 90s, I had two 20min flights in one day. No water landings. Wonderful view from the port side blister.

[@jeffwalther3935]

I could write pages of praise for the Catalina and everything and everybody who had a thing to do with this aircraft. It is as much as the amphibious version of my favorite aircraft of all - the DC-3 Dakota. But in appearance, maritime use, history, take-off and landing, it is more than the sum of these things. These 2 unseeming aircraft, similarly legendary by sheer, peerless aviation merit are as mysteriously attractive and wonderful to all, I think, as beautiful Catalina island and the feminine namesake of both of them.

[@BelloBudo007]

What a lovely airship. My Dad, ex RAAF, used to talk about them often & fondly.

[@richardmcginnis5344]

if i was a millioniare this would be my camper

[@UTubeGlennAR]

:( Sady, in these modern times, U would most likely need to be much more than a millionaire to own this as your RV..... :(

[@Wildstar40]

I think I could make it work with eight hundred million dollars.

[@Geebax2]

A small number of them, bought surplus after WW2, were stripped of their wings and tail section and used as house boats on the Murray River in Victoria/NSW Australia.

[@danielmcnamara3444]

Beautiful aircraft. I would love to own one.

[@g.a.c.4139]

About 20 years ago I saw a Cat RV at an air show & fly-in. Amazing stuff! Yeah, I would have one also, if not for the pesky money.

[@pokkrongsoontharasudth8853]

Beautiful seaplane

[@jimnrel]

P/W cant beat the sound of the round grumpy radials..

[@tony2682]

My FIRST Airfix Model I Built as an 8yr old..plenty of glue needed and help from dad.

[@Latsaaben]

Magnificent!

[@markturner2512]

My father, Flight Sargent Errol “Charlie” Turner, RNZAF 20 Squadron, was saved by an American PBY in 1945 off Jacquinot Bay (south coast of New Britain, Solomon Islands) after his Corsair F4U was shot down by a Japanese anti-aircraft battery hidden in the hills behind Jacquinot Bay. He told me he headed out to sea as the engine was giving up and parachuted out at a dangerously low level. He broke most of his ribs during the plane exit (he thinks he hit the tail of his Corsair) and the Japanese continued to shoot at him in the water. Lucky for him two more RNZAF Corsairs were immediately dispatched and the anti-aircraft installation was silenced. I probably wouldn’t be here today if that PBY hadn’t been in the area to save him. On a side note, it was exciting to see two Catalina PBYs flying right over us in our canoe in Waimanalo Bay, Oahu Hawaii last week. They were here in Hawaii celebrating the 75th anniversary of the end World War II.

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Hi Mark. Awesome story. Can you privately email us at [e-mail] ?

[@markturner2512]

@@HistAvFilmUnit Thanks for your reply....I just emailed you.

[@BillySBC]

A design like this increases your odds of survival in a ditch by many fold. Great airplane.

[@ahmadtheaviationlover1937]

She’s beautiful! Especially the engine sounds

[@FB-jg2xq]

this plane has a modern design for 2023 but was projected by 1930. Amazing

[@timverble1304]

I had the privilege to fly in a PBY over 40 yrs ago. It was very exciting. I positioned myself in an observation blister and soon found that view was obscured by a film of oil from those radial engines. It was still a great place to ride. The pilots have very noisy area

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Awesome! The Catalina is such a great ride!

[@baker2niner]

Some nice piloting there, too. A lot of coordinated effort required to make her dance like that.

[@noahno]

Could you equip one with a hydrofoil to ease drag during water takeoff..?

[@brettany_renee_blatchley]

They have a planing hull, and with all that wing area, it does not take them long to "get on the step" which reduces drag dramatically. If I were going to add "foils," I would modify the landing gear with ladder-like outrigger foils that could be drawn-up with the gear after lift-off. If you went with this approach, you would not have to reinforce the hull at the points where the foil meet the hull. This was the approach taken by full-scale naval hydrofoils.

[@fndiaircraft29]

AWESOME

[@ВасилийПирожков-я8л]

Это идеальный экземпляр самолёта-амфибии в 30-40 годах! Гениальные конструкторы, спроектировавшие самолёт, гениальные инженеры и рабочие его строившие, и, уважение летчикам, на нем летавшим! И не важно, кто они были: американцы-англичане, американцы-немцы, американцы-русские и многие другие! Знаковый самолёт! Как хорошо, что за живыми экземплярами так хорошо следят и они летают! Лётного долголетия этим самолетам и их пилотам!

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Да, это отличный самолет, и нам очень повезло, что он все еще летает здесь, в Новой Зеландии.

[@espr7564]

Beautiful 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Thank you! Cheers! Lots more awesome Catalina footage on our streaming channel at Historical Machines TV -- www.historicalmachines.tv

[@johnwalsh7256]

A true classic

[@baraodometal8845]

Tem o mesmo motor do Douglas DC3, queria ter um pra viajar o mundo

[@charliecollard6433]

Lovely plane with super engines great style

[@davidtaylor351]

Although not flying boats. Thirty new RNZAF Wellington bombers and their crews, who were completing their work up in the UK. And about to leave for NZ, when war broke out. Were made available to the UK. And became 75 (NZ) bomber squadron within the RAF.

[@g.a.c.4139]

Such a beautiful and successful aircraft. I love the Cats.

[@lookingforwookiecopilot]

Buy one of these, deck it out like a Winnebago, fly down to Antarctica and live with the peguins,...that was the dream.

[@mk6315]

Antarctica is not a nice place to do engine maintenance

[@michaelexman5474]

a verry cool aircraft i wonder what the range is

[@AVMamfortas]

Elegant.

[@donaldparlettjr3295]

If you were a warbirds owner this would be the family hauler. Roomy by warbirds standards built in galley and bunks, kid ready

[@IanEvans2309]

Shame it wasn't at Yealands Classic Fighters Omaka 2023, is there any chance of seeing the Catalina again in the future?

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Indeed a shame. Given the aircraft is for sale, I'd expect it would be unlikely to see it again at a major event, but never say never....

[@peacefulwarrior4078]

submarine patrol n downed plane crew recovery in the Atlantic theater of operation off of brasil to africa.he bagged 1 German U-boat.

[@MultiGrumman]

Каталины все прекрасны!

[@danielsage7836]

Since it was produced and operated in Canada originally, wouldn't it technically be considered a Canso? From my understanding that was the name given to the Canadian variant. Feel free to correct me if I have my information wrong.

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

You're correct.

[@gunplow]

They should put turbo props on one

[@Hawkertempest1]

They did.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

28+ hour flights? Talk about 'frequent flyer miles'!

[@marleybutler4633]

It was Ceylon then

[@Macintoshiba]

I can see how this plane can be used for Firefighting

[@MikrofoneFiend420]

they were equipped with scoops to pickup water on the fly and tanks with dump valves to dispurse the water.

[@dradis84]

OOOOHHHH BABY Aviation Porn.....

[@shermanfirefly5410]

Beautiful :D; is it OK if I use some part of this video in my own project? Of course, I will give the credit to you, and definitely put down the source

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Please email to [e-mail] and provide details of your project.

[@redlock4004]

Having been built in Canada and serving in the RCAF, I suppose the correct name of this aircraft is Canso.

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Correct it is a Canso. However there's so many people out there that don't know the correct term that it's easier and less confusing for other folks. :-)

[@redlock4004]

@@HistAvFilmUnit How are they ever going to know the correct name if it's not used?

[@balsumfractus]

My Uncle worked at a Boeing plant that built these in Vancouver, and he called it a Catalina.......

[@brain8484]

pilots had to work like hell just to keep the thing flying level

[@TheRoyalBavarian]

Dream Ship

[@lucywucyyy]

beaut

[@paulgreen6980]

The commentator pointed out the fact the the Empire Flying boats the Sunderland and the Sandringham where in such demand in the old country that none were available in 1941 even 10sq RAAF had stayed in the UK after the war started in 1939 just as there training was completed and we needed them. Thank to the RAAF and Australian government for standing by the oldcountry He did say Qantas were given them didn't he? Did he say how even some of the Sandringham's were fitted out to fight! Any way I think it would be so lovely to see these old girls from time to time like we here in Lincolnshire do with the BBF out of RAF Coningsby, on a weekend when the Merlin's roar people still come out to see them pass by on the way to another show ....................

[@davidtaylor351]

Although not flying boats. Thirty new RNZAF Wellington bombers and their crews had nearly completed their work up in the UK. And were about to return to NZ, when war broke out. Thay were made available to the UK. And became 75 (NZ) bomber squadron within the RAF.

[@tomshorts655]

that sounds like douglas dc-3!

[@HistAvFilmUnit]

Same engines.

[@tomshorts655]

@@HistAvFilmUnit also dc-1, dc-2, dc-4, dc-5, dc-6!

[@tomshorts655]

Also b-24, Sunderland, wellington, f4f, c-47, tbd devastator.

[@toodle171]

5km flights!!! Fffff... BTW great job on the video and voice over.

[@colonelbeatson6027]

qantas invented the escape slides and rafts and australia invented the black box and the wifi and google maps ect

[@Monroz56]

С одним мотором не сядет.

[@castoresnegros]

Quantas have a clean squick record, they never had lost an airplane,.

[@Rikki0]

Don't you mean "Low, Loud, and Fast"? Like, "Okay folks heeeeeere sheeee..........umm..............heeere............sip of coffee.............okay.......uh.........any second now, folks............and heeeeere sheeee.............say, are you gonna eat the rest of that.....and here shee....munch....okay folks, we're going to take a short break but we promise that when we come back, then for sure......................