PBY Being Restored

[MIflyer]

This PBY is being restored by American Aero in New Smyrna Beach. It is a very historic aircraft, being the first USN PBY to sink a U-bat. I delivered a radio for use in the restoration. As you can see the side blisters have been installed as well the shield over the bombsight window. The nose turret will be installed also and the interior made as authentic as possible. It is about to be painted, blue-gray on top with light gray undersides. They have three PBY at the site.

 

[Capt. Vick]

3 you say? Prove it! Please...

 

[MIflyer]

Here is another one. The third one is in storage somewhere. They also have THREE Boeing L-15's in pieces.

 

[vikingBerserker]

Nice!

 

[T Bolt]

The ultimate RV

 

[Capt. Vick]

 

[GTX]

 

[MIflyer]

The ultimate RV

Indeed! A friend of mine who used to rebuild PBYs said there was was a very nice one, the interior done in a 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea motif, that had a dingy carried under one wing, You could land, anchor the PBY, go to a waist window and lower the dingy into the water so you could pull it over and board it to go to shore. They were shooting landings with it off Avalon Harbor, Catalina Island in the late 60's and for some reason lowered the landing gear for a water landing. My friend was sent out to recover the airplane and fly it back to New Orleans to be rebuilt.

 

[special ed]

The New Orleans rebuilder/modifier for PBYs in the late 50s through the late 60s was Pan Air Corp at Lakefront airport. Many were updated for Brazil and Denmark as well as some civil aircraft.

 

[MIflyer]

Yes, my friend's father owned and operated that place. The PBY's were popular with oil companies. After his father died he did not want to run the business, so most of the stocks of spare parts were buried just to get rid of them.

 

[ww2restorer]

Why does a poster need "to prove it". If he knows there are 3, there is 3.

 

[MIflyer]

Actually, I think there are four PBY's on the airport, but one is not in their hands.

 

[GrauGeist]

Why does a poster need "to prove it". If he knows there are 3, there is 3.

He was kidding - sort of like when someone says "pics, or it never happened!"

 

[Capt. Vick]

Thank you! Yes it was meant all in jest. An attempt at humor while asking for more PBY pictures.

 

[nuuumannn]

You get a great view from those blisters...

DSC_8290

DSC_8282

DSC_8276

That's this bird. It's for sale at the moment.

DSC_3691

 

[WATU]

Was admiring the one at Duxford a few days ago. Classic aircraft with amazing endurance.

 

[Snautzer01]

You get a great view from those blisters...

View attachment 684777DSC_8290

View attachment 684778DSC_8282

View attachment 684779DSC_8276

That's this bird. It's for sale at the moment.

View attachment 684780DSC_3691

ohh my... thats cool enough to make want to swim.

 

[Snautzer01]

Thank you! Yes it was meant all in jest. An attempt at humor while asking for more PBY pictures.

DONT tell him!!!! i would like that too.

 

[MIflyer]

Well, here is another one. Note the window in the wing support.

 

[GrauGeist]

Well, here is another one. Note the window in the wing support.

View attachment 685479

Is that a PBY-5A?