Double Sunrise flights
The PBY's that QANTAS Empire Airways (QEA) were using on the Indian Ocean runs were PBY-5s and PB2Bs ( 5 aircraft in total ). They were all British registered and had been supplied to the RAF under the Lend-Lease Agreement by the U.S, and then modified for civil use by BOAC. QEA Capt. Bill Crowther who was in charge of QEA's new Western Operations Division, gave each of the five aircraft the name of a star used for celestial navigation, Vega Star, Altair Star, Rigel Star, Antares Star and Spica Star
The distance between the company's Nedlands base on Perth's Swan River, and Koggala Lake in Ceylon was 3513nm. ( The USN's Crawley base was around the other side of Pelican Point ). The QEA Cats took off down the Swan River in an overloaded condition with an AUW of 35,000lb compared with the usual peace time weight of 29,000lb. On takeoff 1,980 gallons of fuel was carried ( the aircraft had 8 auxiliary tanks fitted ).
Because of the substantial distance to be covered, QEA devised a long range cruise plan which fitted well in with their operational requirements. This gave an ultimate range of 3616nm in 31.5 hours in still air, or 3070nm in a 15kt headwind.
The shortest crossing ever was 23 hours 45 mins. The longest 32 hours 9 mins. Average was 27-28 hours.
In 1944 the British Air Ministry released two converted B-24 Liberators ( LB30s ), for use on the indian Ocean route. Their cruising speed was around 70kt faster than the Cats.
The introduction of the LB30s on the route in June 1944 did not end the Cats Indian Ocean runs. Only supplemented them. The length of the sea crossing when operating the Liberators was able to be cut by 436 miles since the LB30 service followed the coastline from Perth to Learmonth before setting out across the ocean to Columbo. Journey time was also cut by 10 hours.
The final Catalina flights took place in one direction on 12th July 1945, and the other direction on 18th July 1945.
This feat by QEA ( whose name reverted back to QANTAS in later years ), was one of the most dramatic air services anywhere in the world, which is virtually without parallel to this day, and is one of the proudest moments of the airline's history.
Hi Chuck.
With Regards
Tracey
H.A.R.S., Sydney, Australia
( Owners of PBY-6A, VH-PBZ )