RAF Warplanes: Consolidated Catalina

Consolidated Catalina

‍The aim of this website is to locate, identify and document Warplanes from the Second World War preserved in the United Kingdom. Many contributors have assisted in the hunt for these aircraft to provide and update the data on this website. Photos are by the author unless otherwise credited. Any errors found here are by the author, and any additions, corrections or amendments to this list of Warplane Survivors of the Second World War in the United Kingdom would be most welcome and may be e-mailed to the author at hskaarup@rogers.com.

Warplanes of the Second World War preserved in the UK, including captured German and Japanese warplanes, are listed on separate pages on this web site.

(IWM Photo, CM 6524)

Catalina Mk. I, Z2147 AX-L, of No. 202 Squadron RAF based at Gibraltar, in flight approaching Europa Point on returning from an anti-submarine patrol. While serving with the Squadron, Z2147 was credited with nine successful attacks on enemy submarines.

The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (U.S. Navy designation), is an American flying boat and amphibious aircraft designed by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. In U.S. Army service, it was designated as the OA-10 and in Canadian service as the Canso, and it later received the NATO reporting name Mop. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of the Second World War. Catalinas served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other nations. The last military PBYs served until the 1980s.

Catalinas in Royal Air Force service:

Catalina I
Direct purchase aircraft for the Royal Air Force, same as the PBY-5 with six 0.303 in (7.7 mm) guns (one in bow, four in waist blisters and one aft of the hull step) and powered by two 1,200 hp (890 kW) R-1830-S1C3-G engines, 109 built.
Catalina IA
Operated by the Royal Canadian Air Force as the Canso, 14 built.
Catalina IB
Lend-lease PBY-5Bs for the RAF, 225 aircraft built.
Catalina II
Equipment changes, six built.
Catalina IIA
Vickers-Canada built Catalina II for the RAF, 50 built.
Catalina IIIA
Former U.S. Navy PBY-5As used by the RAF on the North Atlantic Ferry Service, 12 aircraft. These were the only amphibians that saw RAF service.
Catalina IVA
Lend-lease PBY-5s for the RAF, 93 aircraft.

Boeing Canada built PB2B-1 in Canadian service as a Catalina IVB
Catalina IVB
Lend-lease PB2B-1s for the RAF, some to the Royal Australian Air Force.
Catalina VI
Lend-lease PB2B-2s for the RAF, some to the RAAF.

(RAF Photo)

Catalina being flown on a test flight at Royal Air Force Station RAF Koggala, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), 1944.

(SDASM Photo)

Consolidated 28-5ME Catalina Mk. I (Serial no. AM269), No. 240 Squadron. coded BN-K. ISM CH2448.

(IWM Photo, ATP 12693E)

Royal Air Force Catalina Mark IVB (s/n JX286), on the ground at Saunders Roe Aircraft Ltd, Beaumaris, Anglesey (UK). JX286 served first with the RAF Coastal Command Development Unit, followed by No. 302 Ferry Training Unit, and finally with No. 205 Squadron RAF in Ceylon. The background of the photograph has been deleted by the censor.

(IWM Photo, CH 5948)

Catalina Mark IIIA, FP529, taxying at Prestwick, Ayrshire, after a transatlantic ferry flight. This aircraft served with Nos. 119 and 330 Squadrons RAF, and also with No. 131 Operational Training Unit.

(IWM Photo, K 1102)

Consolidated Catalina Mark Is of No. 205 Squadron RAF undergoing servicing in their hangar at Seletar, Singapore, in mid-1941. One of the Squadron’s Short Singapore Mark IIIs bi-plane flying boats, which was the type the Catalina was replacing, can be seen in the right background.

Consolidated PBY-5 Catalinas preserved in the United Kingdom:

(Tony Hisgett Photo)

(Tim Felce Photo)

Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (Serial No. 44-33915), “Miss Pick Up“, Reg. No. G-PBYA, Plane Sailing, Duxford, Cambridgeshire. Airworthy.

(Neal Stebbing Photo)

Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (Serial No. 44-8423, (Serial No. JV928), Reg. No. N423RS, previously located in the North Weald Airfield Museum, Essex, this aircraft is now in St Lucie County Airport, Fort Pierce, Florida, where it is being restored.