Land Based Catalinas

[dbmsts]

The patrol plane Catalina is labeled as a float plane but in the game can it also operate from landlocked bases (bases with no coastal or sea hexside)?

[castor troy]

ORIGINAL: dbmsts

The patrol plane Catalina is labeled as a float plane but in the game can it also operate from landlocked bases (bases with no coastal or sea hexside)?

there are models with landing gears

[goatan]

Some are amphibious if it says float+ patrol rather than just float patrol then it can land at an airfield as well as on the water PBY-5A is an example. Also if there is a river in the base hex they can also operate from there, Portland is an example but I’m sure there will be others.

[slane_slith]

Some where I've seen pictures of them landing on Guadacanal, I think. I'm also pretty sure it was THE first plane to land on Henderson Field after it was captured from the Japanese.

[wdolson]

The model in production in late 1941 was the -5 which was a pure flying boat.  These were going to the USN as well as the Dutch and the British.  consolidated proposed an amphibious version which became the -5A and the USN changed all their orders to the -5A.  Some -5s still made it into USN inventories, but the British and Dutch got -5s.  I believe the Dutch managed to get two -5As at some point, but most were -5s.

The British preferred the pure flying boat and placed an order for them later, but those were the only pure flying boats built after mid-1942.  A few ended up in USN inventories.  Later the Canso came along which was a licensed built Catlina with a number of improvements.  Consolidated eventually incorporated most of those into the -6.

For game purposed, the amphibians can operate anywhere.  The pure flying boats can operate on any hex that has water on at least one hex side and a port can be built there.  (They can operate from dot hexes if a seaplane tender in the hex.)

Bill

[cantona2]

Well you have the 5A model. A standing for amphibious.

[crsutton]

pby 4

[crsutton]

and pby5-actually may be pby6 but you get the idea.

[LowCommand]

Treasure the 5, the pure flying boat, it has slightly longer range (20 hexes vs 17 - it was about 1,000 lighter) and was better for open sea landings. The landing gear doors in the 5A had a tendency to get smashed in a rough water ( open sea ) landing causing it to sink. The crews were bitter about that. The 5A and later versions have more and better guns - working up to some armor and self sealing fuel tanks. Those versions are better near combat, the 5 and Catalina I is better for pure search and ASW. There range is king.

[dr.hal]

Good points LowCommand. Hal

[Icedawg]

ORIGINAL: goatan
Some are amphibious if it says float+ patrol rather than just float patrol then it can land at an airfield as well as on the water PBY-5A is an example. Also if there is a river in the base hex they can also operate from there, Portland is an example but I’m sure there will be others.

This is nice to know.

It never ceases to amaze me how much info is here on these forums!

I swear, I learn something new every time I visit this site.

[JeffroK]

Or lakes, the RAAF training base for the Catalina was at Lake Boga, some 200 miles north of Melbourne.

[wdolson]

ORIGINAL: crsutton

and pby5-actually may be pby6 but you get the idea.

That's actually a -5A. I don't believe the 'A' stood for amphibious either. It was just a sub-mark indicator.

Here is a model of the -5
https://us2.ixquick-proxy.com/do/spg/show_picture.pl?l=english&cat=pics&c=pf&q=pby-5&h=525&w=695&th=226&tw=300&fn=pby548tpm_1.jpg&fs=51%20k&el=bing_pics&tu=http:%2F%2Fts2.mm.bing.net%2Fimages%2Fthumbnail.aspx%3Fq%3D1635206172869%26id%3D5065bb4228f9cd12fd70e5cefac718fb%26url%3Dhttp%253a%252f%252fwww.hyperscale.com%252fimages%252fpby548tpm_1.jpg&rl=NONE&u=http:%2F%2Fwww.hyperscale.com%2F2009%2Fgalleries%2Fpby548tpm_1.htm&udata=883e203ab0862f9a9f3b0e151980f97d&rid=LGLNMTSQQRRL&oiu=http:%2F%2Fwww.hyperscale.com%2Fimages%2Fpby548tpm_1.jpg

Bill

[JeffroK]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

ORIGINAL: crsutton

and pby5-actually may be pby6 but you get the idea.

That's actually a -5A. I don't believe the 'A' stood for amphibious either. It was just a sub-mark indicator.

Bill

It might be a coincidence, but no PBY5 were amphibious and all PBY5A & PBY6A were amphibious.
There doesnt appear to be any sub-marks up to the PBY5A, they progressed through numbers.

[wdolson]

The F4F-3A was not amphibious.

Bill

[JeffroK]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

The F4F-3A was not amphibious.

Bill

As Wildcats go it was amphibious, float on water (for a while) and undercarriage for attempting to land on carriers.

[wdolson]

I think the floatation abilities were about the same for all models of the Wildcat.

There was the Wildcatfish, which was the F4F-3S, and attempt to make a float plane fighter.  It never went beyond the prototype stage.

The F4F-3A differed from the -3 due to a slightly different engine.  The -3 had a two stage super charger and the -3A had a single stage (because of an engine shortage).

Bill

[jmalter]

that's some dang nice modelling shown in these jpg's.

[JeffroK]

ORIGINAL: wdolson

I think the floatation abilities were about the same for all models of the Wildcat.

There was the Wildcatfish, which was the F4F-3S, and attempt to make a float plane fighter.  It never went beyond the prototype stage.

The F4F-3A differed from the -3 due to a slightly different engine.  The -3 had a two stage super charger and the -3A had a single stage (because of an engine shortage).

Bill

A quick course in How to suck eggs 101

[packerpete]

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