G-PBYA

Consolidated PBY-5 Canso A

(c/n CV283) ex-CF-NJF,

F-ZBBD, CF-NJF, F-ZBAY, CF-NJF, RCAF11005 (ToC 27.10.43 SoC 25.5.61

Normal parking slot outside the Western end of Hangar 2N

(History courtesy of the operators) Yet another surviving Catalina that owes its continued existence to the need for aerial fire fighting aircraft, C-FNJF flew in this role for many years, not only in various Canadian Provinces but also in the South of France.

Its military career as a Royal Canadian Air Force Canso A, serial 11005, included wartime usage with 9 (BR) Squadron and a post-war spell with the famous 413 Tusker Squadron which had operated Catalina flying boats with distinction within the Royal Air Force in Scotland and the Indian Ocean Theatre during the Second World War. When 11005 was with 413 Squadron, it was engaged in more peaceful aerial mapping and photographic reconnaissance out of Rockliffe, Ontario, work that mostly took it northward and up into Arctic regions. It also flew with 121 Search & Rescue Flight from Sea Island, Vancouver. After being withdrawn from military service in 1959, it was stored for a time at Lincoln Park and was formally struck off charge in May 1961. It was initially sold to Frontier Air Transport and was intended for use by CANSPEC as a water bomber with under-wing tanks. Instead, it appears to have been converted by Field Aviation with internal hull tanks. In 1963, it was with Kenting Aviation of Toronto and, in their ownership, it spent several seasons in France as they hired their water bombing fleet out on a regular basis. In France, it was operated by the French Government body, Protection Civile, based at Marseille. In common with all of the Protection Civile Catalinas, it bore a coloured identification stripe, in this case blue, on the rear hull and was known by the call sign Pelican Bleu. It is known to have flown in France during the 1966, '67 and '68 seasons and carried two different French Government registrations, F-ZBAY and F-ZBBD. In 1974, it parted company with Kentings as they disposed of their fleet and it then flew for a while with Prince Albert-based Norcanair on fire fighting duties in Saskatchewan. It carried a vivid white, grey and dayglo orange livery with the hull code '14'. Around 1980, it was taken over by the Province of Saskatchewan fire fighting service at La Ronge and was eventually repainted bright yellow with green and red trim, coded '7'. As one of a fleet of three Catalinas flown by the Province, it soldiered on for many years, maintained in superb condition and operated alongside more modern equipment in the fleet, namely Grumman Trackers and Canadair CL-215s. On one memorable occasion, it flew in a local air display with its two sister aircraft and a formation water drop was carried out at low level!

Originally built for the RCAF by Canadian-Vickers as a Canso A, c/n CV-283, serial 11005, was re-painted 5.05. Its new scheme represents a USAAF OA-10A Catalina 44-33915 of the 5th Emergency Rescue Squadron, 8th Air Force based at Halesworth, Suffolk in early-1945 and operated over the North Sea on ASR missions. The original aircraft was named 'Sophisticat' and, on 30 March 1945, was detailed to shadow a sister aircraft, 44-33917 that was sinking in the North Sea. It was subsequently despatched to rescue a downed P-51D pilot and landed close to him to effect a rescue. Before this could be achieved, the Catalina experienced engine problems and was unable to take off again. It drifted overnight and, at mid-day on 31 March, it was attacked and sunk by two Luftwaffe Me262s. The loss is commemorated on the glass panels that flank the entrance to the American Air Force Museum at Duxford, along with all other 8th Air Force losses. The re-paint was carried out by Air Livery PLC at the Marshalls facility at Cambridge.