PBY Performance Data
- Thread starter Micdrow
- Start date
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daveT
Senior Airman
Thanks for the PBY data. I have been researching the crash of a USAAF Consolidated AO-10 Catalina # 44-34096, that crashed August 1, 1945, 25 miles southwest of Grants, New Mexico. While on a flight from Hunter Field, Georgia to Mather Field in California, the Catalina developed engine trouble and crashed.Found in the wreckage was an external gas tank that was hung from the wing using a bomb schackle. See attached photo. I'm trying to determine to capacity of the tank? Also found in the wreckage were the Yagi antennas. By reading your data it appears the yagi only caused only a 5 knot reduction in speed, I thought it was more than that. I do know the aircrews wanted all the speed they could get and anything that reduced it was bad. I also interviewed a number of WWII vets they stated the PBY took off at 100 Knots flew at cruize speed of 100 knots and landed at 100 Knots. The data seems to support their story. I have read the PBY max speed was 180 MPH but none of the vets supported that. Maybe in a crash dive? The wings would most likely break off at that speed? I love the old PBYs, they served well and the Black cats were effective.
DaveT
DaveT
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- Thread starter
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Your welcome Davet, I reduced the second picture for easier viewing. I also beleive I know what drop tank that is. I believe its a 155 gallon drop tank originally for a PV-1. Read below.
29 Sep 1943–Feb 1944: VP-44 was reformed at NAS San Diego, Calif., and conducted training in preparation for its second tour in the combat zone. It is interesting to note that, unlike the other Black Cat squadrons in the South Pacific, VP-44 was designated as such from the start. Its aircraft came from the factory with a flat-black finish instead of Navy blue, as was the normal practice. Training was completed in January 1944 and the squadron conducted its transpac to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii. It was discovered that the new amphibious PBY-5A with wheels did not have the range of its predecessor the PBY-5, and could not fly all the way to Hawaii with its wheels attached. The squadron found some PV-1 drop tanks at San Diego that they were able to fit to the wings of the Catalinas that gave them the range needed to make it to Hawaii. This then became standard procedure for the squadrons that followed. From 18 January to 13 February, the squadron departed NAS San Diego in pairs bound for Kaneohe
Source: Black Cat PBYs: Squadron History of VPB-44
Ive also including a picture of a Catolina with wing tanks installed from squadron signal catolina book and a PV-1 picture with drop tanks to compare. Source is also a squadron singal book on PV-1
Hope this helps
29 Sep 1943–Feb 1944: VP-44 was reformed at NAS San Diego, Calif., and conducted training in preparation for its second tour in the combat zone. It is interesting to note that, unlike the other Black Cat squadrons in the South Pacific, VP-44 was designated as such from the start. Its aircraft came from the factory with a flat-black finish instead of Navy blue, as was the normal practice. Training was completed in January 1944 and the squadron conducted its transpac to NAS Kaneohe, Hawaii. It was discovered that the new amphibious PBY-5A with wheels did not have the range of its predecessor the PBY-5, and could not fly all the way to Hawaii with its wheels attached. The squadron found some PV-1 drop tanks at San Diego that they were able to fit to the wings of the Catalinas that gave them the range needed to make it to Hawaii. This then became standard procedure for the squadrons that followed. From 18 January to 13 February, the squadron departed NAS San Diego in pairs bound for Kaneohe
Source: Black Cat PBYs: Squadron History of VPB-44
Ive also including a picture of a Catolina with wing tanks installed from squadron signal catolina book and a PV-1 picture with drop tanks to compare. Source is also a squadron singal book on PV-1
Hope this helps
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DaveT,
My father flew PBY's in the Navy as an instructor. What your quoting above is about spot on. It was a very underpowered aircraft, but of course could cruise for long peroids of time.
He said they'd always carry a box of number 2 pencils with them as they fit perfect in the rivet holes when some Cadet would have a rough landing and pop a few of them. Shove the pencil in the rivet hole and break it off.
My father flew PBY's in the Navy as an instructor. What your quoting above is about spot on. It was a very underpowered aircraft, but of course could cruise for long peroids of time.
He said they'd always carry a box of number 2 pencils with them as they fit perfect in the rivet holes when some Cadet would have a rough landing and pop a few of them. Shove the pencil in the rivet hole and break it off.
daveT
Senior Airman
Thanks for the pictures of the drop tanks. I do believe that they are the ones found at the OA-10 crash site. I wonder how long the PBY could fly on one engine if at all. The accident report stated that one engine failed and caused the crash. What is the glide slope of a PBY?
carman1877
Airman
- 51
- May 14, 2009
Dave I just wanted to say that I read in an article that the PBY Catalina can fly for a while at least with one engine.
J-Christophe
Airman
Hello,
A PBY could fly about 20h. a big more with extra tanks.
"Double Sunrise" long range flight with QUANTAS was 28 h.
The Sunday Times Plus Section
Some pictures I have in my records :
External droppable tanks for Navy PBYs :
Extra tanks in main wheel wells for ferry flights to Oz.
May be the same used on Quantas flights?...
All the best.
J-Chr.
A PBY could fly about 20h. a big more with extra tanks.
"Double Sunrise" long range flight with QUANTAS was 28 h.
The Sunday Times Plus Section
Some pictures I have in my records :
External droppable tanks for Navy PBYs :
Extra tanks in main wheel wells for ferry flights to Oz.
May be the same used on Quantas flights?...
All the best.
J-Chr.
brewerjerry
Senior Airman
Hi all,
found this
cheers
jerry
found this
cheers
jerry
vikingBerserker
Lieutenant General
Nice catch Jerry!
wheelsup_cavu
1st Sergeant
Thanks Jerry. 
Wheels
Wheels
