The Consolidated PBY Catalina (NATO code name: Mop), called Catalina or Canso for short, was a 1935 flying boat designed by the US company Consolidated Aircraft. The Catalina was used by the US Navy, RAF, Russian and Canadian forces, among others, in the years from 1936 until after World War II. With about 4051 examples, it is the most frequently built seaplane. The earliest variants were water-bound, but later versions could also land on airfields, unlike the Japanese flying boat the Kawanishi H8K, which took to the skies a few years later.
Between 1941 and 1957, flying boats of this type were in use with the Netherlands Naval Air Service (MLD). The type was active with various air forces well into the second half of the 20th century. In the 2020s, it is no longer used militarily, but still serves as a firefighting aircraft.
Hello, nice that you take a look in my shop. So my name is Gert Hilbink, living in Coevorden. I have been doing photography since I was 13, inspired by a biology teacher at the then U.L.O. school in Coevorden. Generally I mainly photograph nature but actually.. Read more…