Consolidated PBY Catalina Color Photographs Part 3

A view of two Catalinas wearing a mix of camouflages and markings.  The nearer aircraft is in the Atlantic ASW scheme of Dark Gull Gray over White and wears the blue-bordered insignia adopted in August 1943.  The aircraft in the background is in the Blue Gray over Light Gray scheme with the earlier national insignia which still carries the yellow border used during the Torch landings in North Africa.

Not the best picture but another mix of different camouflages.  Noteworthy is the pin-up artwork on the tail of the aircraft on the left.  Personal markings or artwork were common on USAAF aircraft but much less so with USN / USMC operated aircraft.  The artwork and the serial on the tail indicate these are USAAF OA-10As.

A rather worn PBY-5A over the ocean.  The white dots over the rear fuselage are insulators for an extensive array of antenna wires, also note the ASV radar antenna under the starboard wing.

Diorama bait!  Here the USS Gillis (AVD-12) refuels a PBY astern in Aleutian waters while three Higgins 78 foot Patrol Torpedo Boats nest alongside.  The Gillis was a Clemson-class Destroyer converted to a seaplane tender, but still retained a significant compliment of guns & depth charges and could function as an escort vessel.  She was credited with damaging a Japanese submarine with depth charges while in the Aleutians.  (via David Knights)

Passing documents to the co-pilot of a VP-51 PBY. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Hans Groenhoff Photo Collection)

Here the beaching crew is preparing to bring a PBY-5 up on the ramp using wetsuits and a small dinghy.  This involved attaching wheeled beaching gear to the aircraft and then hauling it up the ramp using a towing vehicle or block and tackle, and had to be done in all weather conditions and temperatures.  Note the repainted areas on the wing of this PBY. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Hans Groenhoff Photo Collection)

The hauling lines are attached aft and beaching gear is being secured to the fuselage sides.  The crewman standing in the waist blister is recovering the sea anchor, a canvas device used to orient and slow the aircraft on the surface in windy conditions. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Hans Groenhoff Photo Collection)

Line handlers stabilize the PBY while it is being readied to come up the ramp. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Hans Groenhoff Photo Collection)

A PBY-5 approaches the ramp while the beaching crew stands by.  In warm weather the men in the water could get by with regular swimming trunks. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Hans Groenhoff Photo Collection)

An Oliver tractor is being used to haul the PBY-5 up the ramp.  An additional set of beaching gear is positioned on the ramp, standing by for the next aircraft. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Rudy Arnold Photo Collection)

A Case tractor is secured for towing on the seaplane ramp. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Rudy Arnold Photo Collection)

The PBY is ready to move. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Rudy Arnold Photo Collection)

A nice airborne shot of a pre-war PBY-5 seaplane.  684 PBY-5 seaplanes were produced before production shifted to the PBY-5A amphibian. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, Rudy Arnold Photo Collection)