PBY-5 Catalina flying boats (in the foreground – tail number XX-F, serial number of the New Zealand Air Force – NZ4007; in the background – tail number – XX-C) from the 6th Squadron at the airfield in Halawo Bay, Solomon Islands.
Location: Halawo Bay, Solomon Islands, Pacific Ocean
Shooting time: 1945
The PBY-5 Catalina flying boats are a World War II maritime patrol seaplane developed by the American firm Consolidated Aircraft Corporation (PB – patrol bomber, Y – Consolidated company index). The most massive of its kind – more than 3 thousand aircraft were built in total. The aircraft was named “Catalina” in honor of the resort island of Santa Catalina off the coast of California, USA. It was used as a passenger, transport, reconnaissance, search and rescue, anti-submarine and night bomber.
PBY-5 Catalina flying boats were produced throughout the Second World War in several modifications and were actively used by the allies in the Pacific and European theater of operations. Built in the US and Canada in the 1930s and 1940s. They were in service until 1982 (Brazil). Individual copies are still in use today.
In the USSR, a small batch was produced under license. Also, by the end of World War II, the PBY-5 “Catalina” was supplied to the Soviet Navy as part of military assistance.