The Catalina and HD's Thames transport thread.

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9th November 2006 | 16:33

#1 (permalink)

BOAC

Thread Starter

Per Ardua ad Astraeus

Joined: Mar 2000

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From: UK

Split from the London City thread.

10th November 2006 | 18:30

#2 (permalink)

hobie

Joined: Nov 2001

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From: western europe

I found something that would have been ideal for HD's trip up the Thames .....

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/1076189/M/

11th November 2006 | 07:59

#3 (permalink)

WHBM

Joined: Oct 2002

Aviation Qualifications: PPL

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From: London UK

Quote:

Originally Posted by hobie

I found something that would have been ideal for HD's trip up the Thames

Here's an even better one. Notice the similarity !

14th November 2006 | 09:59

#4 (permalink)

HEATHROW DIRECTOR

Joined: Oct 2000

Posts: 8,266

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From: Berkshire, UK

<<I found something that would have been ideal for HD's trip up the Thames ..... >>

Well thank you kindly. Unfortunately I do have my own private flying machine which is quite adequate for perambulating along the Thames. Thanks to Air-Britain Photo Images Collection it may be viewed here

http://www.abpic.co.uk/photo/1005213/

14th November 2006 | 11:54

#5 (permalink)

hobie

Joined: Nov 2001

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From: western europe

Quote:

Well thank you kindly. fortunately I do have my own private flying machine which is quite adequate for perambulating along the Thames.

HD .... your photo reminds me of something very similar .... I was walking the doggie late march 2004 and heard a very slow a/c passing overhead ..... a little after takeoff following refueling after an Atlantic crossing .... looked up and I saw a great big yellow Catalina ...... she was enroute to Duxford and I understand a great deal of work has been done on here since, including a complete paint job .....

here's what she looked like on that day ....

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/open.file/0855411/M/

14th November 2006 | 12:03

#6 (permalink)

HEATHROW DIRECTOR

Joined: Oct 2000

Posts: 8,266

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From: Berkshire, UK

hobie.. and here's what she looks like today..
http://www.brendan-mccartney.fotopic.net/p31507591.html
I'm hoping to get a ride in one in a few months... can't wait.

14th November 2006 | 15:33

#7 (permalink)

WHBM

Joined: Oct 2002

Aviation Qualifications: PPL

Posts: 8,203

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From: London UK

The Catalina comes right overhead London City several times a year it seems, maybe routing from Duxford to/from the Biggin Hill show or somewhere. Always nice and low and slow and pleasantly noisy. I bet the crew in the tower are all out with their binoculars.

14th November 2006 | 15:53

#8 (permalink)

hobie

Joined: Nov 2001

Posts: 1,367

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From: western europe

Quote:

hobie.. and here's what she looks like today..
http://www.brendan-mccartney.fotopic.net/p31507591.html
I'm hoping to get a ride in one in a few months... can't wait.

seems she's doing lots of shows .... some recent shots here ...

http://www.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!/search/phot...nct_entry=true

Quote:

G-PBYA was originally ordered for the Royal Canadian Air Force as a Canso A amphibian, basically equivalent to the US Navy PBY-5A. It was built by Canadian Vickers at Cartierville, Quebec and was allocated their constructors number CV-283 before adopting the RCAF serial 11005. It was taken on charge by the air force on 27 October 1943 and initially saw service with 9 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron at Bella Bella on the British Columbia coast between Vancouver and Prince Rupert.

Imagine ..... 63 years old and looking like brand new !

there's a short history of the aircraft here ....

http://www.catalina.org.uk/our-catalina

What a brilliant project ! ....

16th November 2006 | 20:36

#9 (permalink)

corsair

Joined: Oct 1999

Posts: 628

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From: Ireland

Plane sailing's previous aircraft is now sitting in Dublin's Weston airport waiting restoration. This is how it looks now.

The rest of it is sitting in lorry trailers nearby. It looks OK in the photo but closer examination reveals it's a bit of mess. Not helped by it sitting out in the open. If only I won the Euro lotto I would buy it and restore it to fly again.

16th November 2006 | 22:10

#10 (permalink)

Chuck Ellsworth

Joined: Oct 2001

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From: Vancouver Island

The Dutch are flying this one out of Lelystad airport and doing passenger flights with water landings.

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e3...BY_MG_9858.jpg

Hope they keep flying her as these machines are really neat and have a long history.