RAF Catalina's

[dinomartino1]

RAF groundcrew and local Singhalese lowering a Consolidated Catalina of No. 240 Squadron RAF into the water at Red Hills Lake, Ceylon, after undergoing repairs, 4 August 1945.

Catalina Mark IVB, JX431 ‘A’, of No. 205 Squadron RAF, flying along the coast near the unit's base at Koggala, Ceylon.

The crew of Consolidated Catalina Mark IV 'X' of No. 210 Squadron RAF, who made the last attack of the war on a German submarine, stand by their aircraft at Sullom Voe, Shetland. In the early hours of 7 May 1945 they depth-charged the type VIIC/41 submarine, U-320, west of Bergen, Norway. The U-boat was badly damaged and, despite an attempt at repairs by the crew, sank off the Norwegian coast on 9 May. The Catalina's crew are: front row (left to right); Flying Officer C Humphrey (navigator), Flying Officer F Weston (3rd pilot), Flight Lieutenant K Murray (captain), Flight Lieutenant W C Robertson (2nd pilot), Flight-Sergeant D Fowler (1st wireless operator/air gunner): back row (left to right); Flight-Sergeant G Swift (air gunner), Flight-Sergeant P G A Alway (Flight mechanic), Flight-Sergeant L W Rose (wireless operator/mechanic) and Flight-Sergeant I W Evans (2nd wireless operator/air gunner).

As the Battle of the Atlantic reached a peak the Air Ministry sought to publicise the sterling efforts of the WAAF in the U-boat war. This cheerful trio were photographed putting a finishing gloss to a No 210 Squadron Catalina IB (FP259/L) at Pembroke Dock in March 1943.

On board a No 240 Squadron Catalina at Stranraer, March 1941. A WOp/AG (wireless operator/air gunner) poses with his twin Vickers 'K' guns at the starboard blister hatch, while being serenaded by the banjulele-playing navigator!

 

[dinomartino1]

RAF ground crew take a towing cable out to Consolidated Catalina Mark IV, JX301 'P', of No. 191 Squadron RAF, which has been moored to a warping buoy prior to being hauled in for inspection at Korangi Creek, near Karachi, India..

A Consolidated Catalina Mark I of No. 205 Squadron RAF, being launched from the slipway at Seletar, Singapore, by local Malayan handlers.

Consolidated Catalina Mark I, Z2417 'AX-L', of No. 202 Squadron RAF flies by the North Front of the Rock as it leaves Gibraltar on a patrol.

An air gunner demonstrates handling a pair of .303 Browning machine guns, mounted in one of the blister gun-turrets of a Consolidated Catalina of No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit on Loch Ryan, Ayrshire.

Air and ground crew of No. 202 Squadron RAF check equipment and ordnance issued to Consolidated Catalina Mark I, AJ159 'AX-B', on the slipway at North Front, Gibraltar, in preparation for a patrol.

 

[dinomartino1]

Consolidated Catalina Mark Is of No. 205 Squadron RAF undergoing servicing in their hangar at Seletar, Singapore. One of the Squadron's Short Singapore Mark IIIs, which type the Catalina was replacing, can be seen on the right.

The big freeze. Nearly all the aircraft on strength with three Coastal Command squadrons are visible here, drawn up out of the water at Castle Archdale in Northern Ireland as Logh Erne froze over in January 1945. More than 30 aircraft can be seen, including Sunderlands of No's 201 and 423 RCAF Squadrons and No 202 Squadron's Catalinas.

Mechanics and armourers prepare Consolidated Catalina Mark I, AJ159 'AX-B', of No. 202 Squadron RAF, for an anti-submarine patrol, while moored at Gibraltar. From a bomb scow under the starboard wing, armourers are clipping tail fins onto 250-lb Depth Charge Bombs fitted to the underwing racks.

 

[dinomartino1]

U-570, a type VIIC submarine, bow down off Iceland, with her crew assembled on the conning tower holding a white board as a symbol of surrender. U-570 was attacked on the surface by a Lockheed Hudson of No. 269 Squadron RAF at 10.50 am on 27 August 1941. She was too badly damaged to dive and surrendered shortly afterwards. At 1.45 pm the Hudson was relieved by a Consolidated Catalina of No. 209 Squadron RAF which shadowed the U-boat until being itself relieved by another Catalina at 5.45 pm. Shortly after 9 pm, U-570 was taken in tow by trawlers accompanied by Royal Naval destroyers, and was eventually beached on the Icelandic coast. She was later salvaged and became HM Submarine GRAPH. This photograph of U-570 was taken from the first Catalina on relieving the Hudson in the afternoon, and also shows a 450-lb depth charge carries under the port wing of the aircraft. This was AH533, piloted by Flight Lieutenant E A Jewiss and crew, who had themselves sunk another type VIIC, U-452, two days earlier.

An attack on U-342 southwest of Iceland by a Canso (Canadian-built Catalina) of No 162 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, 17 April 1944. Note depth charge 'porpoising' out of the water.

An attack on U-342 southwest of Iceland by a Canso (Canadian-built Catalina) of No 162 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force, 17 April 1944.

Oblique photograph taken from Consolidated Catalina Mark IVA, JV928 'Y', of No. 210 Squadron RAF during an attack on German type VIIC submarine U-347 west of the Lofoten Islands. After an initial attack in which the Catalina's depth charges failed to release, the captain, Flying Officer J A Cruickshank, made a second run from astern, through intense fire from the U-boat which killed the navigator and seriously wounded Nicholson and three other members of the crew. The photograph shows the splashes from the first of six DCs dropped on the second attack, landing astern of the U-boat which was making violent 'S' turns in an effort to escape. Machine gun fire from a gun housed in one of the Catalina's 'blisters' can also be seen at top left. The submarine was later confirmed sunk, and Nicholson's accurate attack, and his gallantry in assisting the second pilot to fly the damaged aircraft back to base, despite his severe wounds, earned him Coastal Command's third Victoria Cross

 

[dinomartino1]

On 27 August 1941 Coastal Command claimed a rare and unusual success when one of its aircraft was instrumental in the capture of a U-boat. A No 269 Squadron Hudson operating from Kaldadarnes in Iceland, flown by Squadron leader J. H. Thompson, surprised U-570 on the surface. Thomson dropped a stick of depth charges, after which the German crew was seen spilling out onto the casing, waving white flags. This photograph was taken later by a Catalina from No 209 Squadron, called to the scene along with various Royal Navy vessels. Heavy seas at first prevented a boarding party from reaching the U-boat, but eventually they were able to accept the crew's surrender.

On 27 August 1941 Coastal Command claimed a rare and unusual success when one of its aircraft was instrumental in the capture of a U-boat. A No 269 Squadron Hudson operating from Kaldadarnes in Iceland, flown by Squadron leader J. H. Thompson, surprised U-570 on the surface. Thomson dropped a stick of depth charges, after which the German crew was seen spilling out onto the casing, waving white flags. This photograph was taken later by a Catalina from No 209 Squadron, called to the scene along with various Royal Navy vessels. Heavy seas at first prevented a boarding party from reaching the U-boat, but eventually they were able to accept the crew's surrender.

 

[jack31916]

Nice pics and a nice aeroplane.

Coincidentally, the only airworthy Catalina in The Netherlands will have it's final flights here today before leaving for the USA. Bit of a shame we couldn't keep the plane here...

 

[Flightengineer]

Many thanks for posting, Catalina is my second fav piston plane after Dakota.
Amazing photos. Thanks again.

 

[Steve27752]

Brilliant pics, thank you.

 

[Pilot]

AMAZING!!!
love all the U-boot stories...
One of my Alsace Lorraine relatives was on a U-Boot...( N#unknown...but I have a bit of material) got busted around South Africa. Survived, thanks to one of these shown here...