Consolidated Aircraft PBY Catalina

Mystery Spotter 🇺🇸

09 Sep 2026 · © Unknown

A beautifully preserved Consolidated PBY Catalina in WWII US Navy livery on display at an airshow.

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Aircraft

PBY Catalina PBY5

World War II era United States Navy markings

Manufacturer

Consolidated Aircraft

Gear

Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max Apple iPhone 16 Pro Max back triple camera 2.22mm f/2.2

Achievements

Retro Wings, Rare Bird, Vintage Voyager, Golden Hour Glory, Military Maverick, Frequent Spotter

6 badges earned

Photo grade

Bronze

Score: 78.0

Great profile of the Catalina, but the crowd and cart distract from the aircraft's presence.

Location

Wittman Regional Airport

OSH/KOSH

43.9844, -88.5570

Open map

Wittman Regional Airport OSH

Airport

Insights

Aviation History

The PBY Catalina is one of the most iconic flying boats of WWII, used for patrol, search and rescue, and submarine hunting; it played a crucial role in maritime operations.

Fleet Rarity

Airworthy examples are very rare, with fewer than 30 flying worldwide.

Record Flights

Flew long-range maritime patrols, including open ocean SAR and anti-submarine missions in WWII.

Safety & Events

Credited with saving thousands of lives in air-sea rescues; notable for the sighting that led to the sinking of the German battleship Bismarck.

Future Outlook

This type is a prized vintage warbird, often preserved by museums or flown during airshows.

Specifications

Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines

Engine

31.7 meters

Wingspan

19.5 meters

Length

4,030 kilometers

Range

201 kilometers per hour

Speed

8-9 crew, up to 2,200 kg bomb load or 20 passengers (utility/ferry roles)

Capacity

16,066 kilograms

MTOW

6.15 meters

Height

894 kW (1,200 hp) each (propeller, not thrust-rated)

Thrust

N/A (pre-ICAO noise cert standards)

Noise