Catalina ZK-AMI

[kiwi]

Does anyone know where I might find a picture of this aircraft operating out of Evans Bay ?

[Peter Lewis]

Only one I have ever seen is AMI on the water in the Waitemata harbour abeam the Savage Memorial. You could try the archives of the Wellington newspapers.

[Dave Homewood]

I checked the NZ National Library's Timeframes database. There doesn' seem to be any of AMI, but there's an amazing set of photos of an RNZAF Catalina, NZ4051, submerged in Evans Bay, and the photos show its recovery onto a barge and eventually onto land. It was later broken up at RNZAF Shelly Bay.











Go to Timeframes and search for "Catalina" to see more in the series.

Does anyone know more about this take off acccident? Were the crew injured?

[Bruce]

According to my favourite flying boat reference - "Golden age of NZ Flying Boats", NZ4051 crashed at Evans Bay on 7 February 1950. It began its take off run in rough conditions with the blind securing protecting the bomb aimers panel in the nose improperly secured. The blind retracted part way through the takeoff run, which forced water through the bomb Aimers panel into the forward fuselage. Although not stated in the book, this would have likely caused some "interesting" water manouvers which caused the other visible damage. There were no injuries amonst the crew.
The aircraft was struck off charge 24 June 1950.

[Dave Homewood]

The tattered wing is amazing.

[Bruce]

The structure behind the aft spar on a catalina wing is surprisingly lightweight, it is a thin alloy framework covered with fabric - very similar to the wing structure on my (much smaller) homebuilt!

[Dave Homewood]

I love the old diving suit!

Sorry to have taken your thread off track Richard.

[xr6turbo1]

admin said:

I love the old diving suit!

Sorry to have taken your thread off track Richard.

Yip, I agree Dave, Thats a classic diving suit alright

[Peter Lewis]

Not what you want, but this is the only pic I have ever seen of AMI taken on the Auckland Harbour.
As an aside, how come that "Golden age of NZ Flying Boats" has almost no coverage of the Solents?

[Dave Homewood]

Perhaps the Solents were considered too late for the 'Golden Age'?

[Bruce]

that is my only concern about the book as well, also nothing much on the TAT, Mt Cook and Sea Bee Air Grummans. excellent reference for S30, Sunderland, Catalina and Walrus fans though...