What book would you recommend about the PBY Catalina?

[fritzthefox]

Look for PBY book recommendations. Especially interested in RAF use, but mostly curious about typical operations and characteristics of the aircraft. I know where to go for scale model reference...looking for what it was like to fly or serve on one.

 

[WATU]

I have the following. Not recommending them as such but they all have a lot about Cats in different theatres.
North Atlantic Cat by Don McVicar -
Flying Cats by Andrew Hendrie -
Wings of the Dawning by Arthur Banks - Indian Ocean -
Catalina over Arctic oceans by John French -
My War by Andy Padbury - bit more light-hearted but a fun read -
I seek my Prey in the waters by Tom Dudley-Gordon - Cats only feature in parts -

Amazon product ASIN 0906393256
View: https://www.amazon.com/North-Atlantic-Cat-Catalina-McVicar/dp/0906393256/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3GDANAQCA6JRQ&keywords=Don+McVicar&qid=1676572008&s=books&sprefix=don+mcvicar%2Cstripbooks%2C77&sr=1-4 Amazon product ASIN 1399013092
View: https://www.amazon.com/Flying-Catalinas-Consoldiated-Catalina-WWII/dp/1399013092/ref=sr_1_5?crid=2FIIU92ZG6A27&keywords=Andrew+Hendrie&qid=1676571868&sprefix=andrew+hendrie%2Caps%2C87&sr=8-5 Amazon product ASIN 0947993746
View: https://www.amazon.com/Wings-Dawning-Arthur-Banks/dp/0947993746/ref=sr_1_5?crid=1BFEMNWX5WYI4&keywords=Wings+of+the+Dawning&qid=1676571818&sprefix=wings+of+the+dawning%2Caps%2C88&sr=8-5 Amazon product ASIN 1781590532
View: https://www.amazon.com/Catalina-Over-Arctic-Oceans-Anti-Submarine/dp/1781590532/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1IVDCUST9S49Y&keywords=Catalina+over+Arctic+oceans&qid=1676571744&sprefix=catalina+over+arctic+oceans%2Caps%2C101&sr=8-1 Amazon product ASIN 086303523X
View: https://www.amazon.com/My-War-1939-46-Andy-Padbury/dp/086303523X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1EDGZCJOCFS5J&keywords=Andy+Padbury&qid=1676572054&s=books&sprefix=andy+padbury%2Cstripbooks%2C78&sr=1-1 Amazon product ASIN B06XGPB8J2
View: https://www.amazon.com/Seek-My-Prey-Waters-Coastal-ebook/dp/B06XGPB8J2/ref=sr_1_2?crid=2V3FZ2DMIIYP3&keywords=Tom+Dudley-Gordon&qid=1676572103&s=books&sprefix=tom+dudley-gordon%2Cstripbooks%2C81&sr=1-2

 

[GTX]

If you want just an all round beautiful book try this one:



Amazon product ASIN 908281000X
View: https://www.amazon.com/80-years-tribute-PBY-Catalina/dp/90828100?crid=29HXF0W6YJ7EX&keywords=a+tribute+to+the+pby+catalina&qid=1676571465&sprefix=a+tribute+to+the+pby+catalina%2Caps%2C96&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=ww2aircraft-20&linkId=4e9cd4677cfde45965dd41808358130c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

 

[fubar57]

This book is co-authored by an RAF pilot who flew PBYs

​

Amazon product ASIN 1862272913
View: https://www.amazon.com/Arctic-Airmen-Spitsbergen-North-Russia/dp/1862272913/ref=sr_1_1?crid=2MG4AYFTVTTP8&keywords=arctic+airmen&qid=1676571591&sprefix=artic+airmen%2Caps%2C97&sr=8-1

 

[WATU]

Can confirm Arctic Airmen is a good book albeit not typical usage. Forget to include in my list above.

 

[fritzthefox]

Thanks, guys! I picked up a copy of Arctic Airmen, which looked intriguing. Right now I'm reading "Black Cats and Dumbos", which has a lot of interesting first-person stuff. Thanks, all!

 

[GTX]

A couple more for you:

You can get them here:

Rathmines Catalina Association - Home

 

[CAC Woomera]

I read this a couple months ago, may not be exactly what you're looking for but an interesting read none the less!
Amazon product ASIN B07X2YYZLD
View: https://www.amazon.com/RAAF-Black-Cats-Mine-Laying-Operations-ebook/dp/B07X2YYZLD?crid=20FC9XZ86U3LL&keywords=RAAF-Black-Cats-mine-laying-operations-ebook&qid=1677165027&sprefix=raaf-black-cats-mine-laying-operations-ebook%2Caps%2C174&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=ww2aircraft-20&linkId=e1e2194c42f08f82036b1fe9a9ffc74c&language=en_US&ref_=as_li_ss_tl

 

[BOBO]

Aircraft Monograph Monografie 85, CONSOLIDATED PBY CATALINA Vol.2 AJ Press | eBay

Entdecken Sie Aircraft Monograph Monografie 85, CONSOLIDATED PBY CATALINA Vol.2 AJ Press in der großen Auswahl bei eBay. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel!

www.ebay.de

 

[HP52]

Look for PBY book recommendations. Especially interested in RAF use, but mostly curious about typical operations and characteristics of the aircraft. I know where to go for scale model reference...looking for what it was like to fly or serve on one.

Not sure how you will go getting a copy but author PG Taylor did several books - he pushed the Cat further and harder than anyone and used the first Catalina borrowed from an oil company (as i remember it). Just pre-war in making survey flights in the Indian Ocean - Then his flight from Bermuda to Clipperton Island to Bora Bora, Auckland, Sydney, Canton Island, Honolulu, San Diego.
That culminated in his flight to South America via Easter Island - taking off - way overloaded with fuel - by the assistance of RATO bottles.
The Sky Beyond - Sir Patrick Gordon Taylor - PG Taylor Cassel Aust 1963
The Man who saved Smithy - Rick Searle - Allen & Unwin 2015
His Boats were Guba and Frigate Bird

Biography - Sir Patrick Gordon Taylor - Australian Dictionary of Biography

adb.anu.edu.au

From these you'll get a good idea of techniques of handling Cats

Pic is me doing a fly-by in my Dad's Brumby