C-FHHR Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina (c/n 300) undergoing
preflight checks for ferry to Catair - April 1995
Related Notes and Links
Douglas Holland writes::
The brief notes Caz applied to the photograph intrigued me immensely as when photographed in April 1995
the Aircraft was already 54 years old and it is still active today in 2009. So I did some quick internet
research and discovered this aircraft has a truly fascinating (if some what incomplete) history,
which starts with an apparent conundrum. The result is that the notes have become far more extensive
than I envisaged and have been divided into the into the following sections:
Related Links
From Hero to Zero
Going Dutch
Reborn to be a Star
Links
Footnote
Who Are You:
A small number of usually reliable Sites assert this Aircraft is NOT a
Consolidated
PBY-5A Catalina
,
but a
Canadian Vickers
PBV-1A Canso
c/n CV-300 (Canadian built equivalent of the PBY-5A) and was delivered to the
Royal Canadian Air Force
as serial 11022 on the 3th December 1943 and Struck off charge 10th January 1945!
My research indicates the is the Aviation Equivalent of an Urban Myth
The truth is that this Aircraft is
Consolidated
PBY-5A Catalina
c/n 300
,
which was was completed on the 21st November 1941. Allocated to the
United States Navy
,
as
02459
and was Struck off charge in 1945.
From Hero to Zero:
Having been allocated to the
USN,
02459
went to war on operations in
Icelandic Waters
and was obviously flown by top-flight crews as this Aircraft was responsible for:
Damaging
U-464
so severely her commander scuttled her, Sinking
U-582
and
U-194
in addition, some sources state
02459 was responsible for seriously damaging
U-528
but there appears to be
NO evidence to support this
as this U-Boat was first damaged by convoy escorts and then sunk by depth charges from a
Handley Page Halifax
aircraft and the sloop
HMS Fleetwood.
The Aircraft retired from the USN, by being struck off charge in 1945.
It appears the Aircraft was not active for approximately a year before being purchased by
Rio-Ten Airways
(and I believe underwent a major transport conversion) registered
NC18446
later change to
N18446.
In 1953 the Aircraft left Rio-Ten and its operational history is almost unknown, with one
exception!
During 1961 it was used during the filming of the original
'Flipper' movie
released in 1963.
For the next four years, activities unknown, but in may 1965 it joined the
Transair
Fleet
as
CF-HHR.
It remained with Transair for 5 years.
in 1970 it was acquired by
Field Aviation
for conversion into a water bomber for
Avalon Aviation
based at
Parry Sound
Whilst one expects a Canadian Registered Water Bomber to operate some of the time,, South of the
Border, into the USA, in Avalon Service this Aircraft went a lot further south and for a time
operated in Chile!
In 1979 the Canadian Registration system changed and
CF-HHR became C-FHHR,
but continued operating with Avalon until 1988 when it was retired from active service and placed in open
storage at Parry Sound.
Avalon went into receivership and C-FHHR whilst remaining in open storage, was involved in strange registered
owner swap, from Avalon, to the Powell Corporation, thence back to Avalon (still in receivership).
Top of Page ^^
Related Notes and Links Index ^
Going Dutch:
In April 1994
Catair of the Netherlands
(owned by Marien van Schie) purchased C-FHHR from the receivers,
but after years in open storage the Aircraft needed work before it could be moved from Parry Sound and
Avalon remained the registered owner for the 10 months until 21st February 1995 when the company of
registration passed to 1121389 Ontario Inc.
Soon after this change the Aircraft was ferried from Parry Sound to
Field Aviation
at
Toronto International Airport
for final preparation and installation of 16 Airline Style Seats. The Seat fit delayed things and it
wasn't until April 1995 (when Caz took the above photograph) that the Aircraft was ready to be ferried to
the Netherlands
Although the Aircraft was now in the Netherlands and undergoing further restoration including the installation
of the distinctive Catalina Blisters, the Aircraft retained its Canadian Registry and this was
passed to Anatares Air Services in June 1995 and finally to
Enterprise Air (Antares Owners) on the last day of November 1995.
On the 11th April 1996 registration C-FHHR was cancelled
(I suspect the authorities had decided, enough was enough). The cancelling of the Canadian Registration gave
Catair a huge problem as Dutch Registry had NOT yet been approved!
But where there is a will there is away and the Aircraft 'magically'
appeared on the United States Register as
N27311 on the 19th April 1995 with Western Aviation
Maintenance (of Mesa Arizona) as registered owner and this appears to have been the start of a
relationship with the Dutch Warbird Community which continued for some years.
On the 06th February 1997 the Aircraft made it onto the Dutch Register as
PH-PBY
the registration it retains to this day), painted in pre-1942 Dutch Naval Air Service Markings the
Aircraft began to earn its keep on the European Airshow Circuit. Unfortunately despite best efforts
of Catair and some exciting plans, costs were well in excess of revenue and in
1998
Catair gave up the struggle and
ceased operations.
Almost immediately the
Militaire Luchtvaart Museum (Dutch Air Force Museum)
,
which had provided the distinctive blister Canopies
and had retained ownership, reclaimed them and in the process caused considerable damage to the
airframe in these areas. To cover the gaping holes the removal of the blisters caused, simple patches were fitted
slightly exacerbating the damage.
On the 11th May 1999 PH-PBY was ferried from
Lelystad
to the Dutch Naval Air Service Station at
Valkenburg
,
which ended with the crew discovering they had almost no brakes and having to steer the Aircraft on
to the Grass to provide natural braking to bring it to a safe stop.
Top of Page ^^
Related Notes and Links Index ^
Reborn to be a Star:
Although this was another 'low point' in the Aircraft's career, it now came under the care of the
Stichting Neptune Association
,
who started the immense task of totally restoring PH-PBY to 'tip-top' condition. This took from
2000 to 2004 with
Dutch Air Force Museum
once again allowing its Blister Canopies to be refitted.
On the 6th July 2004 the immaculately restored aircraft was granted
its new Certificate of Airworthiness, nearly 63 Years after it left the factory!
At time of writing PH-PBY is managed and operated by the
PBY 5-A Catalina Foundation
,
and each year is
one of the Stars of the European Air show circuit
in an evocative
Dutch Naval Air Service scheme
and long may she be so!
Top of Page ^^
Related Notes and Links Index ^
Links:
PH-PBY Directly Related Links:
The Dutch Catalina PH-PBY restored! - Article by Ruud Leeuw - In English
Although this article covers much of the same ground as the above notes (including some interesting snippets NOT included above),
the main theme is the restoration of the Aircraft by Stichting Neptune Association, including some great photographs.
If my notes have fuelled your interest in this Aircraft, then this article is
a 'Must Read'.
Also visit:
Ruud Leeuw's Web Site
where there are many Articles, Summaries and Photographs of interest.
PBY 5-A Catalina Foundation - In Dutch
Stichting Neptune Association - In Dutch
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina 16-28 (aka PH-PBY) Page - Touchdown Aviation Site
Consolidated PBY-5 and Canadian Vickers PBV-1 Links:
World Catalina News - The Catalina Society (Operators of Canadian Vickers PBV-1A Canso G-PBYA)
PBY Catalina - Wikipedia Entry
-
Consolidated Aircraft - Wikipedia Entry
-
Canadian Vickers - Wikipedia Entry
PBY Catalina survivors - Wikipedia Entry
-
List of PBY Catalina Operators - Wikipedia Entry
Slightly off the main topic, but very interesting:
Catalina Affair: A Cold War incident - Wikipedia Entry
Other Links:
On this Site see the Album:
10 Years at Field Aviation
Field Aviation - Official Site
Militaire Luchtvaart Museum (Dutch Air Force Museum)
Top of Page ^^
Related Notes and Links Index ^
Footnote:
If, when visiting this page, you notice any errors, or can assist to fill in the missing years of
the History of this Aircraft, please contact
Caz via the Link below.
However any errors are entirely mine, so don't blame/shout at Caz!
Douglas Holland:
