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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 22, 2012 19:09:50 GMT 12
The Catalina that became VH-SBV was built by Canadian Vickers as a Model OA-10 and was delivered new to the USAAF as 44-34081. The aircraft later saw service with the RCAF before being sold into civil service in 1946 when it joined Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong as VR-HDH. After being used on the Hong-Kong to Macau shuttle with Macau Air Transport, it moved to Australia in 1962 to become VH-SBV with Trans Australia Airlines and operated on their PNG services. Catalina VH-SBV on a TAA flightThe aircraft was withdrawn from use in January 1966 at Jackson Airport, Port Moresby and was intended for a local aviation museum. When this did not eventuate, the Cat was used by the local fire-fighting section for their training. The badly damaged remains were acquired by MoTAT and shipped to Auckland in September 1975. The photos Dave has posted above show the airframe at that time. The project later passed into the hands of the RNZAF Museum in 1987, and after a time at Whenuapai were then moved to the Museum's facility at Wigram. Little work seems to have been carried out in recent years, and the fuselage remains stored in one of the display hangars. VH-SBV at Wigram 5Jan2011
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 22, 2012 21:08:47 GMT 12
So the plane that was VH-SBV on the previous page is the same plane that came to NZ on this page? Why would they have repainted a derelict fire trainer? Was that to preserve it from the elements perhaps?
It spent time at Hobsonville too before heading to Wigram. It was stored next to the big hangar on the wet apron for some time.
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Post by scrooge on Dec 23, 2012 6:45:06 GMT 12
The kangaroo and the A's (differing fill of the inner triangle bit) look pretty rough so maybe they did a quick over paint at some stage (or a water blast and it's back to an original base colour), then someone added some markings (perhaps over original outlines).
Also wondering if there are a couple of it being loaded/unloaded and then others of it being lifted to go onto a truck and the port blister is covered in only one shot.
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Post by suthg on Dec 23, 2012 7:08:08 GMT 12
It seems the dock photo with the men all together is back to front - writing on the hull again... as you can see the starboard side in the next photo. Thanks for sharing these historical shots Dave - it really is part of the journey for these individual planes, especially those retiring to care and museum life.
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Post by Peter Lewis on Dec 23, 2012 7:52:11 GMT 12
Interesting how frequently photos that are unearthed can add more questions than they answer.
Two more items about VH-SBV: It is said that part of its Hong Kong/Macau activities involved gold bullion smuggling along the China coast. Although built as an amphibious Cat (landcat), the landing gear was removed shortly after its move to Australia, and it operated in PNG as a seacat. This mod would possibly have quite unusual in Catalina history, as landcats were far more versatile and in demand than seacats.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 9:05:30 GMT 12
Also wondering if there are a couple of it being loaded/unloaded and then others of it being lifted to go onto a truck and the port blister is covered in only one shot. Are there? The only shot I have scanned of this sequence that I didn't use here is another of the ship, from a distance, and with no more information for the viewer than the ship photo above, which is better. Or do you mean later, at Ardmore?
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 9:08:26 GMT 12
Why did TAA remove the wheels? It seems an odd thing to do. Was it for a route with no suitable runway and thus considered easier on maintenance without wheels?
Well spotted on the backwards photo Graeme.
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Post by scrooge on Dec 23, 2012 9:13:44 GMT 12
Sorry, looking again I would go with being unloaded at Auckland with the blister holes covered, then the blister covers removed (inspection/access/light?) and lifted again for repositioning or so the truck can be driven under it for road transport.
It's possible in this collection that only some photos turned out or the sequence is mixed up.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 9:24:19 GMT 12
Have you got file numbers for the scans? I cannot find them. Or are you looking at hard copies and I somehow missed scanning them?
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Post by scrooge on Dec 23, 2012 9:42:34 GMT 12
No. Jut looking at what you have, I think I'm just interpreting what's there differently.
What I'm looking at is photo 6 which has the blister hole covered, none of the other close ups of that side do, so at some point the fuselage was put down, the cover removed and then it was picked up again.
So I think that the shot with the cover on is as the fuselage is lifted of the ship, then the others are as it is being lifted for the truck. Why they didn't take more photos of loading it onto the truck I have no idea.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 9:55:56 GMT 12
Ah I see what you mean now, well spotted. It's possible the removal from the ship and the pick up by truck were different days, the cover being removed in between by MAF to spray inside?
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Post by ZacYates on Dec 23, 2012 10:34:18 GMT 12
Some great photos there, the derelict SBV photos are wonderful.
Hopefully someone can answer a big question of mine: What on earth is the purpose of the grille on the nose of most/wartime PBYs?
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Post by shamus on Dec 23, 2012 10:44:12 GMT 12
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Post by shamus on Dec 23, 2012 10:54:01 GMT 12
Another of the Pt.Morsby one.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 11:08:56 GMT 12
Great photos there Jim. Revisiting the photos from the previous page, here's the group shot flipped round the right way: And the closer look at faces around the correct way. Also the original scan to show how dark the photo was to start with. And lastly the other shot of the ship
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 11:10:00 GMT 12
Maybe the group shot is of the ships crew rather than MOTAT volunteers?
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Post by shamus on Dec 23, 2012 11:20:44 GMT 12
Dont think it is ships crew. The guy in the uniform could be the captain and he looks asian to me. Can't be certain but the guy the other side of the captain looks like a guy called Chris who was one of the Motat volunteers at the time. Can't remember his surname but I can remember him.
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Post by Bruce on Dec 23, 2012 12:05:55 GMT 12
Some great photos there, the derelict SBV photos are wonderful. Hopefully someone can answer a big question of mine: What on earth is the purpose of the grille on the nose of most/wartime PBYs? It is the bomb aiming flat panel. It has a sliding shutter arrangement to prevent water damage. there is also a small circular port beside it to enable the bomb aimer to reach out and wipe the salt / water marks off the outside!
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Post by corsairarm on Dec 23, 2012 13:24:01 GMT 12
The person on the far left looks like me ;D Me being Richard Cornwall.
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Post by Dave Homewood on Dec 23, 2012 13:25:58 GMT 12
You're right Richard, that does look like you! Do you recall being there?
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