Photo Gallery: Page 5
On The Water

the_step.gif (38343 bytes)
Catalina "on the step", ie. - about to become airborne (U.S. Navy)
(Source: "Black Cat Raiders of WWII" by Richard C. Knott)

resupply.gif (35796 bytes)
A VP-44 Black Cat delivers supplies to coastwatchers. (Captain G. Bogart collection)
(Source: "Black Cat Raiders of WWII" by Richard C. Knott)

liferaft.gif (31778 bytes)
A VP-34 Cat (#69) doing one of it's daytime jobs, picking up downed aviators. Three B-24 crewmen have just been recovered, their empty raft is nearby.
(Source: "Bless 'Em All" by Robert Hayes)

open_sea.gif (38828 bytes)
Open-sea landings were hazardous under the best conditions. (Captain J.M. Busker collection)
(Source: "Black Cat Raiders of WWII" by Richard C. Knott)

Sepik_river_rescue.gif (30304 bytes)
In New Guinea in late 1943, Black Cats of VP-11 assisted in the evacuation of Australian troops operating on the Sepik River, far behind enemy lines. More than 200 of the Aussies were brought out as the Cats made landings and takeoffs from the narrow, swift flowing river.
(Source: "PBY Catalina in Action" by Squadron/Signal Publications)

rivercat.gif (38527 bytes)
A VP-11 Black Cat on the Sepik River, New Guinea (Frank W. Morris collection)
(Source: "Black Cat Raiders of WWII" by Richard C. Knott)


Samarai_Isl_122343_with_repl_cowlings.JPG (27306 bytes)
A Black Cat near Samarai Island on December 23, 1943. Note the two engine cowlings recently taken
from a non-Black Cat PBY, that still wear the blue/grey color scheme of the PBY from which they came.
(Source: Airpower magazine, November 1994)


Takeoff.JPG (54388 bytes)
PBY of the "Fly-by-Night" squadron taking off at the end of an overcast day from a quiet harbor in the Solomon Islands.
(from the archives of the San Diego Aerospace Museum)


Sillers-test-flight.JPG (38018 bytes)
Lt(jg) Collin Siller tries out his newly repaired PBY on July 10, 1944 after leaving the RAAF maintenance depot at Lake Boga.  (Ken Chatley collection)
(from the archives of the San Diego Aerospace Museum)


NEW! -VP54cat_ready_for_beaching.gif (87840 bytes)
Another view of  VP-54 Black Cat  #B64 (see the photo on Photo page 4), being towed off of its launching ramp.
(this image is from the Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons - Vol. 2)


Go to Photo Page
#1 - #2 - #3 - #4 - #5 - #6 - #7 - #8 - #9 - #10 - #11 - #12 - #13

Back to Photo Index

Back to Contents