Consolidated PBY Catalina in Royal Australian Air Force Service

Consolidated PBY Catalina
A Royal Australian Air Force PBY Catalina performing a water landing in 1944. Note the RAAF roundel on the rear fuselage.
Role	Flying boat
Manufacturer	Consolidated Aircraft
Career
Serial	A24-1 to A24-27, A24-30 to A24-68 (PBY-5), A24-28 to A24-29 (PBY-4), A24-69 to A24-114 (PBY-5A), A24-200 to A24-206 (PBY2B-1), A24-350 to A24-386 (PB2B-2)
In service	1941–1950

Developed as a naval patrol aircraft, the PBY Catalina was a widely exported flying boat during World War II. Over the course of the conflict it served with a number of different nations in a variety of roles. In the Royal Australian Air Force the PBY served as a multi role bomber and scout, eventually earning great renown among Australian aircrews. The motto of the Catalina squadrons was "The First and Furthest."

Originally designed by Consolidated Aircraft as a patrol bomber with a long operational range, the PBY was soon adapted to fill a multitude of roles. With war planners becoming increasingly conscious to the possibility of a future conflict in the Pacific Ocean, the U.S. Navy invested millions of dollars in the 1930s into developing flying boats. Flying boats had the advantage of not requiring runways, in effect leaving the entire ocean available for landing if weather conditions permitted. Several designs for flying boats were considered, with some being developed in small numbers, but the PBY was the most widely used and produced.

Commonly labeled as the "Empire Flying Boats" in reference to the Empire Air Training Scheme and Qantas Empire Airways, the PBY Catalina was widely utilized by the Royal Australian Air Force in the Pacific Theater. In keeping with the trend set by the RAF, the aircraft was commonly known as the Catalina while in Commonwealth service. A number of Catalinas were flown by private airlines before the war, and these aircraft were conscripted into the Royal Australian Air Force during wartime.

...
Wikipedia