Consolidated PB-Y

[NutmegCT]

Yesterday a gentleman came our air museum library, asking if we had any photos of "the PB-Y flown by American Export Lines in transatlantic service" in the late 1930s.

I knew AEL flew the Sikorsky VS-44, but had no idea they flew a PB-Y "across the pond". Turns out that AE used the aircraft to survey transatlantic routes, when American Export Lines (shipping) first decided to move into air service in 1938.

We searched our files and found a photo of the aircraft, a Consolidated 28-4 in American Export livery, and called "Transatlantic", exactly what the inquirer wanted. And continuing the search, we even found another photo (attached) of the christening of the aircraft.

The christening took place on June 20, 1939, in NYC, with the swinging of the bottle done by Mrs. Anne Towers, wife of Rear Admiral John Towers. This info per Creed's "PBY - the Catalina Flying Boat".

In the photo, you can see Mrs. Towers gingerly leaning over the water, as her feet are held by, well, I hope it's someone she trusts.

The "Transatlantic" was impressed for Navy service in 1942 as a PB-Y4.

Tom

 

[michalotti_tr]

I love these old planes - great photo!

 

[Basil]

The attached is a crashed PBY we came across up on Baffin Island, not too far from the Arctic Circle back when I was doing site surveys for the North Warning radar network.

 

[TR6BILL]

I wonder if it could fly on one engine....


The christening boat is pretty nice too.

 

[NutmegCT]

I wonder if it could fly on one engine....

Your wish is my command!

from Creed's "PBY: the Catalina Flying Boat" (1985)

 

[DNK]

Not a PBY but close,
here's an article in our local rag last Sunday


Local Rag

 

[JPSmit]

I wonder if it could fly on one engine....

Not sure about PBY's but i recall that Bell griffon helicopters had twin engines - not to make it faster or to increase capacity bu t in case one failed. Usally they can fly on one.

 

[Silverghost]

Not a PBY but close,
here's an article in our local rag last Sunday


Local Rag

"Underwater Admiralty Sciences (UAS) hopes to find someone to underwrite the estimated $8 million or more needed to retrieve the Honolulu Clipper, which sank in the Pacific in 1945, 530 miles northeast of Hawaii and at a depth of 18,000 feet."

18,000 feet deep..nearly 4 miles down..that's ambitious!!

 

[KSIS]

PBY's would land on Guam. The actually named the small eatery at the old fuling piers "Clipper landing".

 

[NutmegCT]

I'll bet Guam saw plenty of these Clippers:

Pan Am's first trans-pacific "clipper", the Sikorsky S-42:

the larger, faster Martin 130:

the final pre-war clipper, Boeing 314:

 

[aeronca65t]

When I was at the NJ Vintage Grand Prix (at NJMP) a few years ago, they had an airshow at the same event. We had DC-3, Texans, a B25, P-51, a real Spitfire and lots of other stuff flying.

Many of us who race are also pilots or aviation fans.
It was amazing to be in the middle of a furious race, look up, and see all the neat aircraft overhead.
I took this photo that day.

 

[DART]

Don't have to be a racer, Nial. We went to the Pearson Airfield air museum at Fort Vancouver this morning.

 

[DNK]

Fort Vancouver from Baltimore is a long trip.
Too L&C a couple of years