dahut Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Okay, I "landed" the Academy 1/72 PBY-5 kit on ebay for $11. Pretty nice kit, big box full of plastic. Okay, VERY nice kit, by my pitiable standards. So I'm poking around, peering through the plastic bags and I note the lack of undercarriage... "Of course you idiot," I mutter, "this version hasn't got landing gear." The kit includes some rudimentary beaching gear, and that has me stupmed. Nearly all the "good" photos of surviving Catalinas are of -5A's, the amphibious retracting gear variant. The -5 Catalina was the same plane, sans retract legs. Instead, it was hauled ashore on separate beaching gear - legs with wheels, attached while still afloat in shallow water. Im now wondering where I can spy a pic or two of the beaching gear, so I know what it ought to look like Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 29, 2008 Share Posted September 29, 2008 Here are some pictures of RAAF PBY5s showing beaching gear. Hope this helps Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahut Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 Yeah, I saw those - No. 11 Sq, RAAF if I recall correctly. Thanks for that. What do you reckon the color scheme was? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don McIntyre Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Looks like overall (well worn) Black to me… Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo Alpha Yankee Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Yep, Don got it in one, black they are. here is a nice model of one from a local (Canberra) model show earlier this year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LDSModeller Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) David If you click on this link it shows some good shots of RNZAF Catalina's (PBY5/PB2B-2) on landing gear similar to what the RAF ones would have worn or for that matter USN PBY5's (yuo'll have to scoll through a few pictures to get a good shot http://rnzaf.hobbyvista.com/cat1.html#RNZAFUse Edit Receieved permision to post this Credits for photo NJ Mines Regards Alan Edited September 30, 2008 by LDSModeller Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theplasticsurgeon Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Try loking at http://www.pby.com/ Loads of info on Catalinas there. I did an Airfix Cat in Black, and now have an Academy PBY-5A which I want to do VERY differently, and use the twin nose turret, exhaust heat exchangers, and pod radar. There's also an excellent Osprey Aircraft of the Aces, or Catalina Squadrons of WW2 type book. Well worth a look if you find it in Smiths or Waterstones etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edgar Posted September 30, 2008 Share Posted September 30, 2008 Walk Around no.5, by Squadron Signal (book no. 5505,) has close-up photos of the main , and tail, landing gear in position, and the empty sockets. Scale Models, February 1996, has drawings of the main legs, but not the tail gear. Edgar Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahut Posted September 30, 2008 Author Share Posted September 30, 2008 (edited) Thanks for that Alan, Edgar and surgeon. I found a site where they do F/S sim skins and believe it or not, there were some leading views there of the beaching gear attachments. The Walkaround book turns out being $55 at Amazon for a used copy, so that isnt going to happen. It could be a fudge job - although Im chary to do that. I likes me some good foto references. I read on PBY.com that most of the -5's went to the RAF/RAAF/NZAF, so it seems wise to ask here. The reckoning being that if someone has drawings of the Ar-196 wing fold, its only a matter of time before the Catalina beaching gear is found! The search goes on and thanks me boys... Edited September 30, 2008 by dahut Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John @ WEM Posted October 6, 2008 Share Posted October 6, 2008 Beaching gear for Cats? Here ya go: http://www.seawings.co.uk/images/photogall...ageQuality=Full http://www.seawings.co.uk/images/photogall...ageQuality=Full http://www.boatplane.com/PicsBoatplane/sda...ageQuality=Full Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dahut Posted October 6, 2008 Author Share Posted October 6, 2008 Beauty pics, John. Thanks a lot for them! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Planebuilder62 Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Hi there Most links and pictures have now gone from this post. What I am wondering about the the Mk1 Catalina that needed beaching gear, were the wing tip floats always down when on land? It makes sense that they were but maybe someone can confirm this? regards Toby Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dana Bell Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 Hi Toby, A quick run through my collection shows plenty of pictures of beached PBYs with the wingtip floats raised. I suspect raising the floats gave ground crews one less thing to bump into during maintenance. Cheers, Dana 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Work In Progress Posted June 27, 2020 Share Posted June 27, 2020 (edited) I've seen both. Obviously when you are getting it out or the water and putting it back you need the floats down but if you are parking it or hangaring it for an extended period then Dana is right that the floats are an obstruction. If you've hangared one then you can get a lot more other aircraft and equipment packed in the hangar with the floats up. Edited June 27, 2020 by Work In Progress Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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