Was Catalina # 30 a PBY-5 or a PBY-5A ?

[Staffeln Kommandant]

Hi folks.
I trust you are well. In keeping with the below graphics, aircraft #30 has been shown / stated to be both a PBY-5 (no wheels, top graphic) and a PBY-5A (w/ wheels, bottom graphic). Can you tell me (1) which is correct, or (2) are both correct but for different time periods, and (3) are the front machine guns bubble correct, and, if you can't help, can you point me to an Internet site that could answer these questions?
Thanks very much in advance for your help.
Best regards,
David

 

[Wurger]

IMHO the profile above shows the same plane in the same period of time, the Catalina VP-11 "Black Cat Command", U.S. Navy No 30 Riviera Sepik, Papua New Guinea, 1943. Just top one side shot is with the retracted wheels while the bottom one with lowered down carriage. The profiles are a part of the instruction for the Kits-Word decal set. I don't think the manufacturer wanted to present a very detailed drawings of the plane because the kind can be found in other publications. It is nothing more but a general instruction for applying of the decal markings. Therefore the shape of the nose gun turret may be not accurate and can be misleading. What is more the decal manufacturer seems to be not sure about the Catalina version.

Unfortunately the only pic of her doesn't show the full appearance. Also it is too blurry to answer the question about the nose turret clearly. However I would say might be the "eyeball" type turret with removed the top partially or the standard turret with attached a kind of a "glass roof". The 'eyeball' turret was installed on Consolidated-built PBY-5As from serial BuAer 46580 onwards. So the number of the "White 30" would be helpfull.

the pic source: Inspiration for Wally

A such looking top of the turret can be noticed in the pic below

the pic source: Photo Gallery #5: Black Cat PBYs

 

[Wurger]

Also found the record: "In January 1943, VP-11 was relieved and returned to the United States for leave, new aircraft and reorganization. Regrouped in 1943, VP-11 return to operations in the Southwest Pacific basing aircraft in Perth, and small bays from New Guinea to the Philippine Islands."

This can suggest that the squadron could have been equipped with the PBY-5A, especially if they got the brand-new Catalinas from a factory. As a result the Catalina version would be used in 1943. Before the date the unit had been using the PBY-5s. But it is possible they got the new PBY-5s instead.

The record source: VP-11 / VPB-11 | Black Cat squadron - WALIKA'S US NAVY SQUADRON PATCHES

Here is an enlarged shot of "White 34" dated on the 1943 and located at the Sepik River. Although the images is quite blurry I can't see the main wheel on the port side between the two wing struts. It indicates it was the PBY-5. It may suggest that the squadron got the new PBY-5s though but not the PBY-5As.

the pic source: WWW.PBY.COM Photo: PBY-5


To sum up... although I haven't found any pic of the #30 kite and any clear info on the Catalina veresion I would say it was the PBY-5. All available pictures of the Catalinas used by the VP-11 in 1943 during the operations at the New Guinea indicate the PBY-5.

 

[Crimea_River]

If the serial number is known, this site will confirm the model number:

US Navy and US Marine Corps Military Aircraft Serial Numbers and Bureau Numbers--1911 to Present

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Try looking through here - VPNAVY - VP-11 History Summary Page - VP Patrol Squadron

 

[John D. Voss]

As a point of interest when the RAAF received their first PBY-5A's they actually converted many of them back to PBY-5 configuration. By doing so the weight reduction allowed them to get an additional 300 miles of range. The conversion work was done by the No. 1 Flying Boat Repair Depot at the Lake Boga seaplane base and required1500 hours to complete. One- half of the RAAF's 46 PBY-5A's were converted.

 

[CATCH 22]

Also found the record: "In January 1943, VP-11 was relieved and returned to the United States for leave, new aircraft and reorganization. Regrouped in 1943, VP-11 return to operations in the Southwest Pacific basing aircraft in Perth, and small bays from New Guinea to the Philippine Islands."
This can suggest that the squadron could have been equipped with the PBY-5A, especially if they got the brand-new Catalinas from a factory. As a result the Catalina version would be used in 1943. Before the date the unit had been using the PBY-5s. But it is possible they got the new PBY-5s instead.
The record source: VP-11 / VPB-11 | Black Cat squadron - WALIKA'S US NAVY SQUADRON PATCHES

As per VP-11/VPB-11 Squadron History the squadron didn't use amphibious PBY-5A when stationed in the SoPac (until December 1944).
Same information (at least for September 1944) as per the above mentioned site in Post #5:

If you dig deeper into the VP-11 history from the same site you'll find this photo, apparently showing #30 Black Cat:

It's hard to use it as any proof though.

 

[Ramamungus]

This is a video I did about Nathan Gordon of VP-34. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in a PBY 5.

 

[Barrett]

Has anybody noticed? We have not won a war since pinup nose art was banned!

 

[fubar57]

Yellowhammer has this...

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...a very small discussion but perhaps the answer here....Looking for photo of specific PBY-5 Black Cat