Consolidated PBY Catalina: books - history and deployment

Consolidated PBY Catalina (Pilot's Flight Operation Instructions)

One of the most widely-used multi-role aircraft of WWII, the Consolidated PBY Catalina was a flying boat to be reckoned with. They were used as anti- submarine warfare platforms in the Atlantic, and gained notoriety in the Pacific as rescue and reconnaissance platforms, and as bombers.
With their distinctive fuselages painted the shade of midnight, the "Black Cats" undertook daring raids of Japanese shipping and shore installations.

Originally printed by the U.S. Navy during World War 2, this Flight Operating Handbook taught pilots everything they needed to know before entering the cockpit. The manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form.

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PBY Catalina : Consolidated's Flying Boat in WWII

The PBY Catalina, designed and produced by Consolidated Aircraft, whose production was supplemented by that of Boeing Canada, Canadian Vickers, and the Naval Aircraft Factory, was the most widely used flying boat of all time.
Developed in the 1930s, the famed patrol bomber was used around the world by the United States and its allies - the Soviets even produced hundreds of duplicates. The versatile aircraft sank U-boats, located the dreaded Bismarck, and rescued scores of downed airmen and crews of sunken ships.

This volume explores the development and use of the aircraft, as well as details of its construction. This volume is profusely illustrated with almost 300 photos, many of which are in vintage color, augmented by line drawings.

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PBY Catalina Flying Boat - Pilot's Flight Operating Instructions

One of the most widely-used multi-role aircraft of WWII, the Consolidated PBY Catalina was a flying boat to be reckoned with. They were used as anti- submarine warfare platforms in the Atlantic, and gained notoriety in the Pacific as rescue and reconnaissance platforms, and as bombers.
With their distinctive fuselages painted the shade of midnight, the "Black Cats" undertook daring raids of Japanese shipping and shore installations.
Originally printed by the U.S. Navy during World War 2, this Flight Operating Handbook taught pilots everything they needed to know before entering the cockpit. The manual was declassified and is here reprinted in book form.

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Catalina Over Arctic Oceans - Anti-Submarine and Rescue Flying in World War II

John French first took up flying in 1937 with the University of London Air Squadron and in 1938 joined the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. His early war years were spent instructing newly recruited RAF pilots on Airspeed Oxfords and Avro Ansons. When the end of this posting came through he was designated to 210 Squadron at Sullom Voe in the Shetlands to fly the Catalina flying boat.
In November 1942 the squadron was ordered south to join 202 Squadron at Gibraltar. Here they flew sorties in support of the North African landings - Operation Torch. These were lengthy flights out into the Atlantic approaches to Gibraltar or Eastwards into the Mediterranean. He flew fifteen sorties in this short period before returning to Pembroke Dock. He was then instructed to report to Felixstowe to collect Catalina IB FP 222 and to ferry it up to his new base Sullom Voe.
From this northern base the flying boats flew thirty hour patrols out into the Northern Atlantic searching for enemy ships and U-boats. On 8 September he was ordered to execute an extended search of the Norwegian coast where it was thought that the Tirpitz and Scharnhorst were seeking shelter. Having unsuccessfully searched the entire coastline at low-level they finally touched down on the Kola Inlet after a flight of over twenty-two hours.

As February 1944 came towards its end he was detailed to cover a Russian convoy, JW57, far up to the north of the Arctic Circle. Shortly before his ETA with the convoy they got a radar return. They dropped down below the cloud to find a rough angry sea and spotted the wake of a ship. However this was not a ship but a surfaced U-boat. As they flew into attack they met a hail of 37mm and machine-gun fire John dropped to attack level and came in from the stern dropping two depth charges. Thus came the demise of U-601.
After the war John stayed in the RAF.

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