|
| |
Catalina News
 |
After some 7 years at Lee, the Catalina flying
boat, which has been quite a local landmark, is soon to leave. Catalinas have
an amazing history and it is believed that this one will be only the second
airworthy example in the UK. Unfortunately not for long though as, after a full
service at North Weald, it will be flown to the USA ! |
This is not the Catalina which crashed in the Solent in the Summer of 1998,
killing Southampton's Mayor and another passenger - that was at Lee but went
some time ago.
The paint scheme of this one is based on that of JV928 "Killer Cat", flown by John Cruickshank VC of 210 Coastal
Command Squadron. On 17th July 1944, Cruickshank was severely injured when a
shell, fired from a German U-Boat, exploded inside the aircraft. He bravely
continued flying and eventually sunk U-347 with six depth charges. He struggled
back to base where he was found to have sustained 72 separate injuries. Although
JV298 did not carry any nose art a U-Boat
is depicted in the Killer Cat's claws in the nose art by the cockpit.
There is a huge amount of interest in old warbirds, and we anticipate quite a
turnout to see it off.
Much of the work is being overseen by Commander
Geoff Pell who can be contacted by e-mail by clicking
this link.
Commander Pell served on HMS Daedalus between
1993 and 1996 and has worked on a number of publications relating to the history
of Daedalus.
Cmdr. Pell was responsible for the handover of the base to the police,
especially on the administrative side. He specialised in missiles and gunnery
but had close contact with the military aviation on site.
And of course, Cmdr. Pell is a very active member of the Lee Flying Association.
1 May 2009
Following a six week lay-off when emphasis shifted from the Catalina to
Sally-B at Duxford, work has re-commenced on RS. Vital parts are now to
hand and efforts to get her ready for the ferry flight to North Weald
resumed yesterday. The first major task was to remove an enormous crow's
nest from No 2 engine!!!! |
Thursday 19th March
Although things appear to have gone suspiciously quiet of late, there is
much going on behind the scenes, particularly on the paperwork front.
Additionally, there are a number of minor areas where parts are having to be
fabricated in order to complete any necessary work prior to the ferry flight
to North Weald. As soon as plans for the flight are known, I will make the
details available.
|
Thursday 5th March
The Cat moved under her own power to-day for the first time in over seven
years. All went well and both engines were run up to maximum boost 48" at
2,700rpm. No problems were encountered. The team will return to Lee next
week for final adjustments and checks before RS departs for North Weald.
Watch this space! |
 |
 |
3rd March 2009
The endgame is near - Work on preparing N423RS for her ferry flight to
North Weald is all but complete and on Thursday 5th March (most likely in
the morning) full power runs and local taxying will be conducted in order
that the mechanicals can be 'signed off'. The accompanying shot shows two
keen 'twitchers' looking for an Elephant's nest...... |
22nd February 2009
Following a Herculean effort, both elevators have now been re-attached
signalling the end of major structural work in preparation for the ferry
flight. A full power trial (with associated taxying) is scheduled for
Thursday next in order to allow the engines to be 'signed off'. No firm
date as yet for departure to North Weald. |
 |
 |
18th February 2009
Cat Latest......"And in an emergency, this is how we retract the main
undercarriage...." Full retraction tests were conducted on 17th Feb with
no problems. Next major step is to taxy aircraft to Bellman 4 for
re-attachment of elevators. This will happen over w/e 20th-22nd Feb. |
14 February 2009
Both Catalina engines were run this morning for the first time in seven
years. There were no problems whatsoever and the Pratt & Whitneys ran like
the proverbial sewing machines. Next step is to replace the nose gear,
conduct retraction tests, and then re-attach both elevators. The latter will
entail a taxy to Bristow's old hangar on the western dispersal. It is now
likely that all work will be completed within a fortnight, however no
departure date has yet been set. |
 |
 |
Port Engine Run Successfully - 5th February 2009
No 1 engine was to-day run successfully after
seven years without turning a prop! This is a significant landmark in the
preps to get RS airworthy and signifies the end of the major hurdle. Next
step is to service main wheels after which, aeroplane will be taxied to
Bristow's old hangar on the Western dispersal where nose wheel will be
replaced and elevators re-attached. This will be achieved by putting
relevant end of aircraft inside hangar as appropriate. Sadly, because of the
104ft wingspan we cannot get the entire aeroplane in. |
3 February 2009 - Cat Progress Update
Work on preparing the port engine is well advanced - despite the awful
working conditions of late - with the intention of conducting an engine run
on either Thursday or Friday of this week. One suspects that the graffito
in the snow might have been the work of a previous owner... |
 |
 |
27 January 2009 - Preparing to work on the port engine
Work has now commenced on No1 engine with a view to running it within 6-7
days all being well. The substantial structure covering the engine is a
prerequisite to ensure that both engine/engineers alike are protected from
our ever-changing weather..... Aiming for departure flight towards end
Feb!
|
20 January 2009 - First Engine Run
On the afternoon of 20 January we ran the Starboard engine for the first
time in over 7 years. It started first time and literally ran like a sewing
machine. A great tribute to the Chief Engineer. We are absolutely
delighted... Work on the Port engine begins at the weekend after the boys
have had a rest. |
 |
Creative Catalina Conundrums….
By Geoff Pell
Happy New Year to one and all…..
Following a restorative break, work has re-commenced on RS. The current
objective is to get both engines running – fundamentally important as
without them, all other effort is wasted! In view of the protracted cold
spell, it was considered vital to build some form of shelter over the
engines in order that work could continue without people contracting
hypothermia. Additionally, such a shelter – suitably lit – would enable
work to continue after dark. You will forgive the levity but Punch and
Judy seemed rather appropriate bearing in mind the shape of the
structure…..all work, no play etc. springs to mind…. |
 |
 |
Using much
ingenuity, 4 x 4 and B&Q’s available supplies of blue tarpaulins, this has
been achieved and the starboard engine is as snug as a bug in a rug – well,
almost! Cleaning of rocker covers, removal of corrosion, replacement of
certain hoses and gaskets has begun and once complete will lead to the
re-assembly phase – re-attachment of magnetos, carbs, fuel pumps etc.
Providing no untoward problems are discovered it is hoped to run the engine
within the next couple of weeks (watch this space for details). Once
proved, attention will then switch to the port engine and a similar process. |
| There is still a great amount to do – checking out main gear (wheels,
bearings, brakes) plus of course retraction tests. This is a potentially
hazardous operation and will depend, amongst other things, on still wind
conditions. Thereafter, replacement of nose gear, re-attachment of
elevators plus a myriad of minor but nonetheless important tasks will
follow. The operation to get RS back into the air is, of necessity, a
laborious process but the successful running of both engines will signal a
very major milestone.
We are keen that as many people as possible should be able to witness the
engine runs and to that effect, we will do our best to keep everyone abreast
of developments.
PBY Aviation
Lee-on-the-Solent
8th January 2009 |
Catalina Christmas Catch-up
By Geoff Pell, Photos by Bob Wealthy
Introductory Note: Flattered though I am to be credited with the role of
overseeing much of the work on the Cat, I fear my function is much less
exalted. I’m more of the ‘local fixer’ – purveyor of towing tractors, fork
lifts, ground power units etc. to the nobility and the gentry - and ‘gang
master’ – when labour is required, I turn to a knowledgeable, willing group of
friends without whom the major task of sorting/cataloguing 1000s of spares would
not have been possible.
No, the person really in charge of the operation is Clive Edwards, a very
experienced and resourceful engineer who arguably, knows more about piston-engined
warbirds – Catalinas and DC-3s a speciality – than just about anyone else on
this side of the Atlantic.
| Update:
Having finally been pulled from her muddy parking place, the Cat (we’ll
refer to her as RS – the last two characters of her registration) is now
positioned in front of ‘L’ hangar. Some two weeks ago, the port prop was
re-assembled and re-attached – a delicate manoeuvre with barely centimetres
to play with as the fork lift was at maximum extension. Resourcefulness
played its part however and with judicious lowering of the port oleo and
deflation of the mainwheel, it slipped back on……just! |
 |
 |
Since then
most of RS’s systems have been run successfully – a remarkable achievement
when one considers that it had not turned a prop in seven years! The float
lowering system, boost pumps, feather pumps and radios have been activated
with the minimum of problems and the major tasks ahead now centre on
re-installing carburettors, magnetos, fuel pumps etc. Both elevators have
been repaired and recovered and these will be re-attached at the last
moment. |
| On the
subject of spares in general, the majority of the major engine components –
magnetos, pumps etc – have come from California where such items are more or
less, readily available off the shelf. Believe it or not, one of the
biggest headaches has been the sourcing of spark plugs – all 56 of them!
Although of a standard type, these were unavailable in large quantities from
one single source and have been acquired from a variety of suppliers.
Aeroshell 100 is the desired oil and in view of the fact that each engine
tank holds no fewer than 60 US gallons, this was again a logistical
problem. In the event, it was supplied through Far North Aviation of Wick
– not exactly on the doorstep! |
 |
 |
Other major jobs include the replacement of the entire nose wheel assembly
(we have four spare examples in the hangar) and the ‘pulling’ of both mainwheels
in order that brakes and bearings can be checked/serviced.
There is much still to do although providing no significant problems rear
their heads, there is every confidence that the aeroplane will depart for North
Weald some time during January. I will provide regular updates as work
progresses.
|
|
Happy Christmas to one and all and our thanks to those who have offered both
help and support – it is much appreciated.
Lee-on-the-Solent
24th December 2008
|
 |
 |
 |
History of N423RS
Many thanks to David Legg for providing the following
history. More Catalina information may be found on the Catalina Society's
website, click here.
PBY-5A Catalina
N423RS:
Built Consolidated Aircraft
Corporation, San Diego, Ca. for the US Navy as BuAer48423, c/n 1785.
The first US Navy squadron
to operate BuAer48423 was VP-73 based at Floyd Bennett Field, New York
and it took the Catalina on charge in January 1944. Later, it flew rescue
missions from San Juan in Puerto Rico but came back to the mainland USA at the
start of 1946. It was struck off of military charge in July 1956 before being
allocated the US civil registration N4002A. It then went to Canada and
flew for many years as a geophysical survey aircraft with such companies as
Survair, Canadian Aero Service Ltd, Spartan Air Services and Kenting Earth
Sciences. During this time, it had various different types of electronic
transmitter and receiver equipment attached to the front and rear of the
airframe, some of these being very large indeed. In all this time, it flew with
the Canadian registration CF-JJG, later C-FJJG.
Kenting disposed of C-FJJG
in 1986 and it was re-registered in the USA as N423RS, its current
marks. It was flown down to Reno, Nevada from Canada and was stored there for a
time, passing through a number of owners before starting a new life with Dr
Reginald Slade of Dallas, Tx. who used it on fishing charters up into Canada.
Slade christened his Catalina Polar Cat. It was sold again in 1997 and,
in October of that year, was flown across the Atlantic to Hamburg, Germany where
it was to be used by the campaigning organisation Greenpeace. It was repainted
in an appropriate rainbow scheme and was flown on pollution spotting flights
over the North Sea and was also used in Palma for investigating the use of
dragnets by local fishermen.
In early-September 1998,
N423RS was flown to Duxford in Cambridgeshire for a period of storage whilst
awaiting sale. It remained there for some time until acquired by Lasham-based
Super Catalina Restoration which at the time was in the process of rebuilding
another Catalina that had suffered an accident on Southampton Water in July
1998. The latter project later moved to Lee on the Solent and, still
incomplete, was in due course sold to a new owner in Eire. N423RS was prepared
for flight at Duxford during the Summer of 2001 and it was repainted to resemble
the RAF Catalina JV928/Y flown by Flt Lt John Cruickshank at the time he earned
his Victoria Cross.
N423RS was flown to Lee on
the Solent on November 11th 2002 captained by veteran Catalina pilot
Chuck Ellsworth and, at the time of writing (December 2008), has not flown again
since.
David
Legg
Editor: The Catalina News, The Catalina Society
Author:
Consolidated PBY Catalina – The Peacetime Record
|
