Consolidated PBY Catalina: libri illustrati di storia e guide

PBY Catalina : Consolidated's Flying Boat in WWII

Il PBY Catalina, progettato e prodotto dalla Consolidated Aircraft, la cui produzione fu integrata da quella di Boeing Canada, Canadian Vickers e Naval Aircraft Factory, è stato l'idrovolante più diffuso di tutti i tempi.
Sviluppato negli anni '30, il celebre bombardiere da pattugliamento fu impiegato in tutto il mondo dagli Stati Uniti e dai loro alleati; i sovietici ne produssero addirittura centinaia di esemplari. Questo versatile velivolo affondò sottomarini tedeschi, localizzò la temuta Bismarck e trasse in salvo numerosi aviatori abbattuti ed equipaggi di navi affondate.

Questo volume esplora lo sviluppo e l'utilizzo del velivolo, nonché i dettagli della sua costruzione. Il volume è riccamente illustrato con quasi 300 fotografie, molte delle quali a colori d'epoca, integrate da disegni al tratto.

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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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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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