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
>^-.-^<

[MAT]

Yes, I know. It's a rather awful kit, but it had been on the shelf for so long, so I thought, that I would try to make some usefull out of it. A much better start would have been Academy's PBY-5A.
But to get things right, I started this build with some on-the-spot research. The danish aircraft museum i Stauning have among many other planes a RDAF PBY-6A.
So my brother, a friend and I took a day trip to gather information.
Just to show how serious we were, here I am taking pictures of the interior with a selfie-stick.

[Robomog]

Now that's dedication!
 

Mog
>^-.-^<

[Buzzbomb]

Interesting I was looking at a Catalina yesterday. Rather complete Australian PBY 5 in the Lake Boga Catalina museum.
Very interesting aircraft they way they found the bits and reconstructed it.

[MAT]

With the main plane almost done, I took a look at the tail plane. Oh-No!!! It's going to be an almost total rebuild. The span is about 15 mm to short, and the elevators are going to have a big make-over. And I used to love Airfix 

[apophenia]

This is true diligence, MAT!

... And I used to love Airfix 

This kit does give the feeling of the Airfix toolmakers working strictly from fading memories ... 

[MAT]

Started on the modifications of the tailplanes and elevators. This kit really requires a lot of work. And I haven't even started on the fuselage 

[MAT]

With the use of plasticcard and some PSR the tail planes are almost done.

[MAT]

Got pieces of the wings glued together. But before that could happen I had to correct several inaccuracies, which seems to originate from the moving-parts-disease, that attacked many kits in the 1950/60s.

[MAT]

With the flying surfaces mostly done, it's time to initiate the work on the fuselage. And a lot of corrections and detailing lies ahead. First I have to remove all signs of armament - the Catalinas of RDAF were all unarmed. Then i have to open some new windows and resize some of the kit windows.

[MAT]

Now I'm starting to fill out the interior of the Cataline, which in the Airfix version is a almost complete void.

[MAT]

Creating something to fill out the emptiness of the fuselage.

[Buzzbomb]

Starting to come together.

Just wondering about the images that are posted.
Is it your preference to just post as downloadable images rather than use the tool to make them inline images and visible as part of the post ?

[MAT]

Starting to come together.

Just wondering about the images that are posted.
Is it your preference to just post as downloadable images rather than use the tool to make them inline images and visible as part of the post ?

I use the Attach button

[MAT]

The fuselage is being filled with equipment - and supplies for The Sirius Patrol

[Buzzbomb]

Interesting how sparse the older kits are for interior compared with todays part heavy extravaganza's

Looking fine

[MAT]

The build of the Catalina is going forward - slowly. It takes a lot of work to get all the mistakes on the old Airfix kit fixed.

[John Howling Mouse]

Coming along nicely and you are a brave modeler in tackling an old Airfix kit, bending it to your will. Can't wait to see more!

[raafif]

  but forget the top wing, just add a few oars

[sharkman]

The RDAF livery certainly is attractive! Great work so far!

I built a 48 scale one of these years ago and it was a lot of fun! You'll have a great time with it.

You could check out my old thread for some ideas.
https://modelersalliance.org/threads/revell-pby-catalina-in-rdaf-colours.132120/

I look forward to seeing more!!

[finsrin]

At this point in build could use one of these wings.
Kawanishi H6K
Blohm & Voss BV 138
Dornier Do 24

[MAT]

but forget the top wing, just add a few oars

As the wing is almost done, I guess that I'll use it and forget the oars 

[MAT]

The RDAF livery certainly is attractive! Great work so far!

I built a 48 scale one of these years ago and it was a lot of fun! You'll have a great time with it.

You could check out my old thread for some ideas.
https://modelersalliance.org/threads/revell-pby-catalina-in-rdaf-colours.132120/

I look forward to seeing more!!

Great build. But I don't think that I can reach that level as my starting point is that awful Airfix Catalina 

[sharkman]

Well, you are doing it justice from what I can see!

The wing looks great!