Consolidated PBY-4 Catalina
Consolidated Aircraft · United States · first flew 1938 · transport aircraft
The PBY-4 Catalina is a pre-war production variant of Consolidated's famous patrol flying boat, powered by Pratt & Whitney R-1830-72 Twin Wasp engines and serving as a maritime patrol bomber.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, straight |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 2 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Midwing blisters for dorsal gunners, large oval fuselage |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Twin-engine parasol flying boat with distinctive hull step and stabilising floats
- Midwing blisters for dorsal gunners, large oval fuselage
- Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radials on strut-mounted nacelles above hull
The high parasol wing on struts above the hull, twin radial nacelles, retractable wingtip floats, and distinctive mid-fuselage blisters make the Catalina unmistakable; the PBY-4 lacks the retractable gear of the amphibious -5A.
Specifications
- The Consolidated PBY-4 Catalina has a length of 19.45 m (64 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 31.7 m (104 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 282 km/h (175 mph).
- Typical crew: 8.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
The PBY-4 was ordered by the US Navy in 1937 as an improved variant with more powerful Twin Wasp engines, entering service in 1938. Thirty-three were built, operating from US naval air stations in patrol and search-and-rescue roles before the US entry into World War II. The variant formed part of the evolutionary chain that led to the PBY-5 and PBY-5A.
Variants
The PBY-4 sits between the PBY-3 and PBY-5 in the production sequence; the PBY-5A added an amphibious retractable undercarriage that became the definitive post-war configuration.
Where you'll see it
Served with US Navy patrol squadrons in the late 1930s and early war period; the PBY series as a whole served with the RCAF, RAF Coastal Command, RAAF, and many other air arms.
Related aircraft
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator
- Consolidated PB4Y-1 Liberator
- Consolidated PBY Catalina
- Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina
- Beriev MDR-5
- Dornier Do 26
- Lisunov Li-2
- Supermarine Sea Otter
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