PBY Catalina
The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (US Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s.
Location
Just outside of Luganville, Vanuatu
Depth
20-70 metres
Type
SS Luxury Liner
Build
October 1931
Sunk
October 1942
Length
200 metres
Tons
21,936
Location
Just outside of Luganville, Vanuatu
Depth
20-70 metres
Type
SS Luxury Liner
Build
October 1931
Sunk
October 1942
Length
200 metres
Tons
21,936
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated Model 28, more commonly known as the PBY Catalina (US Navy designation), is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In US Army service it was designated the OA-10, in Canadian service as the Canso and it later got the NATO reporting name Mop.[3] It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other nations. The last military PBYs served until the 1980s. As of 2021, 86 years after its first flight, the aircraft continues to fly as a waterbomber (or airtanker) in aerial firefighting operations in some parts of the world.
The PBY was originally designed to be a patrol bomber, an aircraft with a long operational range intended to locate and attack enemy transport ships at sea in order to disrupt enemy supply lines. With a mind to a potential conflict in the Pacific Ocean, where troops would require resupply over great distances, the U.S. Navy in the 1930s invested millions of dollars in developing long-range flying boats for this purpose. Flying boats had the advantage of not requiring runways, in effect having the entire ocean available.
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WWII Ship Wrecks
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WWII Plane Wrecks
We are lucky to have a variety of WWII plane wrecks
- Consolidated PBY Catalina Flying Boat
- Douglas SBD Dauntless Dive Bomber
- Grumman F4F WildCat
- Vought F4U Corsair
- Grumman J2F Duck
Coastal Trading Ship Wrecks
We have 3 local Coastal Trading ships to dive
- MV Tui Tawaite
- MV Henry Bonneaud
- MV Dedele