Lucky13
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Been skimming through the Catalina book that I found here, which had me confused at parts, thanks to the RAF's system of Catalina I, IA, II, IIA etc., etc., until I found this... 
Now, since that I found yet another two 1/48 PBY's, one will deffo become a RAF Coastal Command one, Looking around for a Sqadron now...
Catalina I
The designation Catalina I was given to 100 PBY-5s purchased directly by the RAF. The Catalina I was given British equipment, including six Vickers machine guns – one in the nose, one in the rear tunnel and a twin gun on a manual mounting in each of the blister windows.
Catalina IA
The Catalina IA was the RAF designation for fourteen Model 28-5 AMCs produced in November-December 1941 for the RCAF.
Catalina IB
The Catalina IB was the designation given to 225 aircraft built by Consolidated as the PBY-5B. Of these aircraft 60 were retained by the US Navy, leaving 165 for the RAF. The change of designation from Catalina I or PBY-5 was probably due to the start of lend-lease –the Catalina Is purchased directly by the RAF had not needed a US Navy designation, but all lend-lease equipment had to have an official American designation
Catalina II
The designation Catalina II was given to 7 PBY-5s purchased directly by the RAF. They carried slightly different equipment to the Catalina I, although of three squadrons to operate the Catalina II only one did not use it alongside the Mk.I.
Catalina IIA
The designation Catalina IIA was given to 36 PBV-1s built by Canadian Vickers, and identical to the PBY-5.
Catalina IIIA
The designation Catalina IIIA was given to eleven PBY-5As, the only examples of the Amphibian version of the Catalina to enter RAF service. They came from a batch of PBY-5As delivered between December 1941 and March 1942, and spent most of their RAF career operating as part of a trans-Atlantic ferry service.
Catalina IVA
The designation Catalina IVA was given to 97 PBY-5s.
Catalina IVB
The designation Catalina IVB was given to 194 (193 in some sources) Boeing of Canada PB2B-1 Catalinas purchased by the RAF. The PB2B-1 was identical to the PBY-5. Boeing actually built 240 examples of this aircraft between July 1943 and October 1944, of which 34 went to New Zealand, 7 to Australia and 5 to the US Navy.
Catalina V
The designation Catalina V was reserved for the PBN-1 Nomad, but none of that aircraft entered RAF service, and so the designation was never used.
Catalina VI
The Catalina VI was the RAF designation for the Boeing of Canada produced PB2B-2, which was effectively a PBY-6A but without the landing gear.
Sources differ on the number of Catalina VIs produced, ranging between 59 and 67, with the biggest part of the difference being accounted for by disagreement on one block of serial numbers. All sources agree that 47 of these aircraft were used by the RAAF.
Now, since that I found yet another two 1/48 PBY's, one will deffo become a RAF Coastal Command one, Looking around for a Sqadron now...
Catalina I
The designation Catalina I was given to 100 PBY-5s purchased directly by the RAF. The Catalina I was given British equipment, including six Vickers machine guns – one in the nose, one in the rear tunnel and a twin gun on a manual mounting in each of the blister windows.
Catalina IA
The Catalina IA was the RAF designation for fourteen Model 28-5 AMCs produced in November-December 1941 for the RCAF.
Catalina IB
The Catalina IB was the designation given to 225 aircraft built by Consolidated as the PBY-5B. Of these aircraft 60 were retained by the US Navy, leaving 165 for the RAF. The change of designation from Catalina I or PBY-5 was probably due to the start of lend-lease –the Catalina Is purchased directly by the RAF had not needed a US Navy designation, but all lend-lease equipment had to have an official American designation
Catalina II
The designation Catalina II was given to 7 PBY-5s purchased directly by the RAF. They carried slightly different equipment to the Catalina I, although of three squadrons to operate the Catalina II only one did not use it alongside the Mk.I.
Catalina IIA
The designation Catalina IIA was given to 36 PBV-1s built by Canadian Vickers, and identical to the PBY-5.
Catalina IIIA
The designation Catalina IIIA was given to eleven PBY-5As, the only examples of the Amphibian version of the Catalina to enter RAF service. They came from a batch of PBY-5As delivered between December 1941 and March 1942, and spent most of their RAF career operating as part of a trans-Atlantic ferry service.
Catalina IVA
The designation Catalina IVA was given to 97 PBY-5s.
Catalina IVB
The designation Catalina IVB was given to 194 (193 in some sources) Boeing of Canada PB2B-1 Catalinas purchased by the RAF. The PB2B-1 was identical to the PBY-5. Boeing actually built 240 examples of this aircraft between July 1943 and October 1944, of which 34 went to New Zealand, 7 to Australia and 5 to the US Navy.
Catalina V
The designation Catalina V was reserved for the PBN-1 Nomad, but none of that aircraft entered RAF service, and so the designation was never used.
Catalina VI
The Catalina VI was the RAF designation for the Boeing of Canada produced PB2B-2, which was effectively a PBY-6A but without the landing gear.
Sources differ on the number of Catalina VIs produced, ranging between 59 and 67, with the biggest part of the difference being accounted for by disagreement on one block of serial numbers. All sources agree that 47 of these aircraft were used by the RAAF.
