PBY-5A RDAF

[MAT]

I plane to build a Catalina as used by Flyvevåbnet (RDAF) from 1947 to 1970. My model will be based on the Airfix kit, which first hit the model shop shelves in 1964. Almost 60 years later it needs a lot of work to reach the standard, that we are used to now. But I will have to do some conversions anyway to make it a danish PBY-5A.

[MAT]

The good old Airfix Catalina

[MAT]

The danish PBY-5As were mainly used on Greenland, where they were used for tasks like search and rescue, ice reconnaissance and aerial photography. But most important they provided support for the Sirius Patrol.

In the 1920-30s both Norway and Denmark claimed the Northeast Greenland (the rest of Greenland were already a part of the danish kingdom). In 1933 the International Court of Justice in Haag gave Northeast Greenland to Denmark - but on the condition, that there should always be a danish presence in this vast, uninhabited land.

This task is fulfilled by The Sirius Patrol. From its headquaters in Danneborg (74°18' North, 20°14' West) they patrol the 16.000 km coast line of Northeast Greenland. The patrol have six sledge teams each made up of a big sledge, two men and 13 dogs. These teams are on patrols that last 4-5 month in which they are all on their own, with no other Homo Sapiens for hundreds of kilometers.

[LemonJello]

Looks like an interesting and worthy project.  Proceed!

[apophenia]

Real World Flyvevåbnet?  Or dare we hope for added-on dog kennels for the Siriuspatruljen? 

[Robomog]

Love the Catalina.

Beware rivet rash !   


Mog
>^-.-^<

[MAT]

Real World Flyvevåbnet?  Or dare we hope for added-on dog kennels for the Siriuspatruljen? 

I'm afraid, that it will be real world Flyvevåbnet. I have not been able to find som 1/72 dogs, that would be usefull in Sirius-patruljen. Sirius-patruljen have breed their own dograce - Sirius-hunden. Its is bigger, stronger and much heavier than the dogs used by the greenlanders. The Sirius-dog weighs up to 50 kgs and can pull its own weight. To model 12 dogs in 1/72 is well beyond my skills. And then I would have to do a slegde too, as it is rather special. Developed from the slegde of the greenlanders but a bit narrower and much longer, as it has to carry all the equipment and foodstuff - for men and dogs - as the patrol moves along from depot to depot in the frozen wilderness.

My build of the Catalina will be a trip down memory lane. When I was in the danish homeguard, my company had among its units a squad called Special Intelligence Patrol. These guys were trained and equipped to operate far behind enemy lines. Several of its members were former Sirius-men. So I have heard a good deal of stories about close calls, when the ice broke under the weight of men, dogs and slegde, when polar bears attacked men and dogs and other hair-raising experiences.

[MAT]

Working with an Airfix kit from 1964 means troubles.

When I compare the engine cowlings and engine nacelles with the corrected cowlings from Quickboost and pictures of the real plane, it is obviously, that is something wrong with the Airfix kit.

[Old Wombat]

I think that may depend more on whether the pilot(s) have set the cooling flaps to "open" or "closed".

Open:


Closed:


Here they've even got one side (starboard) closed & the other (port) open:

[MAT]

I think that the problem with the Airfix kit are the nacelles, which in the Airfix version are much too chubby. So I have chopped them off and will try to replace them with, what were a long time ago the cowlings on a Amiot 143. The Amiot 143 donated its wings to a Dornier Do 217W seaplane conversion.

Oh, that neverending flow of conversions and scrapbuildings.

[raafif]

the Catalina really needs turbo-props !

[MAT]

The new nacelles are now glued to the wing and the PSR can begin.

[jcf]

I think that the problem with the Airfix kit are the nacelles, which in the Airfix version are much too chubby.

Maybe Airfix measured a Super Cat. 

https://www.airhistory.net/aircraft/5294/Steward-Davis-28-5ACF-EMQ-Super-Catalina

[MAT]

Maybe Airfix measured a Super Cat. 

[/quote]

I think you're right

[Buzzbomb]

Still with such a venerable kit, looking forward to this build even more. I got one of the those "ahhhh" flashbacks when you mentioned the Airfix Catalina.

[Kerick]

the Catalina really needs turbo-props !

I second this!  There must have been someone who did that RW.
I did a quick look and there were turbo Albatross and Goose conversions but no pics of a Catalina. Time to break the mold!

[GTX_Admin]

This is probably the closest:



Or there is my crude rendering from years ago:

[apophenia]

This is probably the closest ...

I'd love to know more about that Avalon Turbo Canso. And a Catalina conversion to that standard would certainly solve MAT's nacelle issues 

[GTX_Admin]

This is probably the closest ...

I'd love to know more about that Avalon Turbo Canso. And a Catalina conversion to that standard would certainly solve MAT's nacelle issues 

Here's a little from an old Janes:

[apophenia]

Here's a little from an old Janes:

Excellent ... that's one for the files! Thanks Greg 

This c.1982 Avalon proposal is much later than I had imagined. The first six Danish PBY-5As (actually Canadair-built Canso As) arrived in 1947 but were all gone by 1969 (replaced by MAP PBY-6As).

[MAT]

The first six Danish PBY-5As (actually Canadair-built Canso As) arrived in 1947 but were all gone by 1969 (replaced by MAP PBY-6As).

Flyvevåbnet got two more PBY-5As in 1951. They were a bit different with an other type of nose turret and were painted allover dark blue. They got the danish serials 82-857 and 82-858, and were named Hugin and Munin after Odins two ravens.

[MAT]

A little more progress (real world can be rather demanding). Fixing the wings takes a lot of work as the Airfix kit is from a time, when moving parts were IT.

[Buzzbomb]

 

yes moving parts = chasm's between said parts

[apophenia]

Ah, yes, the good old days. Airfix and Frog kits with floppy control surfaces! 

Can't wait to see what kind of silk purse you make of this kit MAT 

[Robomog]

You will find the fabric part of the wing has an awful lot of rivets 

Also the canopies and gun blisters are far from accurate.

Very interested to see how this comes out.


Mog
>^-.-^<