NUW PBY 'Cat' Time Machine ... 60+ years ago ???

[A4sForever]

VP LOVE .... and as 'VP' as you can get, too.

Today ... @ NUW ... @ the Seaplane Base (now we know why they call it 'The Seaplane Base') after a 60+/- year hiatus ... the venerable PBY Catalina returns to a HUGE crowd of well-wishers:

all images by A4sForever


Mebbe not the 'right' colors ... and the nose gear didn't come down on the first try at taxiing up the ramp that has not seen a flying boat/seaplane in a whole lotta' years ... and they didn't have 10-15 Aviation Bosun's out there in their swimming trunks to hook her up onto a dolly and 'mule' her out of the water ... but it was STILL a piece of Naval Aviation history -- and flying -- and one that I've never seen 'in action' ... and everyone (a couple 1000's of people) absolutely LOVED IT !!!

I KNEW the PBY flew 'slow' .... but watchin' her make the circuit over the town .... it brought a whole new meaning to the word: S-L-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-W-W-W-W-W-W.

 

[BACONATOR]

What a beautiful aeroplane! (sic)

 

[Mumbles]

Wow...gorgeous. Thank you for posting.

 

[Mumbles]

As an aside...
When I was going through the P-3 FRS a few years ago, (when Capt Prindle was the Skipper FYI), we had a group of very elderly geriatric types w/ walkers/wheelchairs/ O2 tanks, et.al.. marshalling down at the quarterdeck. I was wondering who they were, and then I saw a few of them wearing this...

Black Cat Raiders....pretty amazing history.
http://www.daveswarbirds.com/blackcat/hist-71.htm

 

[A4sForever]

As an aside...
When I was going through the P-3 FRS a few years ago, (when Capt Prindle was the Skipper FYI), we had a group of very elderly geriatric types w/ walkers/wheelchairs/ O2 tanks, et.al.. marshalling down at the quarterdeck. I was wondering who they were, and then I saw a few of them wearing this...

Black Cat Raiders....pretty amazing history.

Mebbe this gent was one of 'em ... he certainly connected w/ the ol' girl today: he sat there and looked at her for @ 5 minutes ... quietly immersed in his own thoughts ... and right after I took this pix, he had his escort push him up close so he could put his hand on 'her' ... very emotional moment.

image by A4sForever

 

[Pugs]

Very cool. Used to keep my San Juan 24 right there.

 

[BACONATOR]

Fighter, patrol, helo bubbas. It doesn't matter. In the golden days of Naval Aviation, romanticized or not, it seems to me as a junior pilot in the modern era, those old guys had some big brass ones and surely still do. God bless 'em.

 

[Alpha_Echo_606]

Beautiful Pacific Northwest day and a beautiful aircraft, who wouldn’t want to be flying it today! Its times like this that make me miss Whidbey the most. I’m going to have to work harder on getting a job up there.

Thanks for sharing these pictures A4s.

 

[MIDNJAC]

Really cool....wish I could have seen it!

 

[Cordespc]

Arrived in time to see her taxi up the ramp. My two year old loved the yellow pontoons.

 

[LazersGoPEWPEW]

It's been years since I've seen any type of seaplane. Gorgeous bird.

 

[scoober78]

There were many a "Damn, wish I coulda been there" when my crew heard about this...

Thanks for the pictures A4's.

 

[TheBubba]

Had to stop and look at the old girl when i was coming out of the NEX this afternoon. Beautiful machine. I'd like to get a few hours in that plane. Simple awesome.

 

[PropAddict]

That is so badass.

I don't care how impractical they are: I want flying boats to come back again.

 

[MIDNJAC]

image by A4sForever

This is just a really awesome picture......man and machine alike. Wish Naval Air was still that salty