Juanita Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Just wondering whether the standard USN stencil markings on the fin of the 'Black cat' Catalina (ie, 'NAVY', Bureau number, and aircraft type 'PBY-5A') were present. Studying the photos I've not yet to been able to discern such markings on the black camo. Possibly, if the black was applied at one of the modification centres or maintenance bases (ie, wasn't a factory applied finish) then they mightn't have bothered reapplying the stencils...or maybe I'm just not looking hard enough! So was the 'black' finish done in the factories, or was it applied later? Juanita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Originally the black was made up in the unit usually a mixture of lamp black (soot they said in one article I read) and varnish It wore away very rapidly in service, maintainer's foot prints and crews boarding took the colour off and it needed frequent reapplication at first I understand that the colour was later applied in maintenance units and could be why so many of the later service ones photographed up 'better' and some did indeed show more of the maintenance stencilling I did research this in some detail for my Black Cats Model which I based on the 'look' of many Black Cats on which the underlying Blues and Grey sea camouflage came out as the black wore away There is lots of information out there in the net if you get deeply into it and there are also some very good books to check out 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snapper_city Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 All very interesting as I'm currently building a black cat myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juanita Posted June 9, 2016 Author Share Posted June 9, 2016 (edited) Nice model, Perdu. What unit is that aircraft from? I'm research the Black Cats of VP-44, early 1945. Very few photos around of those. I believe they had been re-equipped with the Catalinas with the 'eyeball' nose turret. They had search radar but this was no longer the Yagi antenna fitted to the wings. I think the antennas were fitted near the navigator's windows. Juanita Edited June 9, 2016 by Juanita 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 I think you can take it that the model is generic I did find a photographic source but it's gone in the mists of time Which is one reason I didn't put in a build thread even though I took the usual hundreds of pics In the end I decided to try to show the wear and tear they underwent in theatre in the early days I used the model to practise the salt weathering technique I quite liked it too 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sgt.Squarehead Posted June 9, 2016 Share Posted June 9, 2016 Strangely a Black Cat is on my 'to do' pile too.....This site is immensely useful: http://www.daveswarbirds.com/blackcat/contents.htm 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juanita Posted June 10, 2016 Author Share Posted June 10, 2016 Sqt Squarehead: Thanks for that link. Certainly is a great source of info. Since starting this thread I have come across one photo, a rather poor quality photo, that shows the standard Navy & Bu number stencils on the fin/rudder of one of the later (1944+) Black Cat Catalinas. Juanita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dalea Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 I would have thought that it varied depending on who was flying it (Aussies or Yanks ) , where and when . 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
occa Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 http://oldafsarge.blogspot.co.at/2014/01/the-friday-flyby-03-january-pby-catalina.html It's PBY-6a but no serial is visible unfortunately 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perdu Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 Thanks for a great link occa. I thought I must have seen most pics of Cat when I trawled the net for my build but there's some beauts in there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Greenshirt Posted June 10, 2016 Share Posted June 10, 2016 During WWII USN (& USMC) serials were 2 inches high and painted on the fin, in various locations depending on the type. The "serial" is actually called the BUNO, for BUreau of Aeronautics serial NUmber. It was a sequential number assigned based on contract awards. Interesting history here: http://www.joebaugher.com/navy_serials/navyserials.html Unless the BUNO is known it is rare that it is readable in a period photo. It does of course make modeling easier. Tim 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juanita Posted March 2, 2017 Author Share Posted March 2, 2017 Beautiful model Perdu! Love the way you have done the weathering on the Catalina, and the visibility of the underlying paint scheme. Juanita 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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