One of the most widely-used multi-role
aircraft of WWII, the Consolidated PBY
Catalina was a flying boat to be
reckoned with. They were used as anti-
submarine warfare platforms in the
Atlantic, and gained notoriety in the
Pacific as rescue and reconnaisance
platforms, and as bombers. With their
distinctive fuselages painted the shade
of midnight, the ÒBlack CatsÓ undertook
daring raids of Japanese shipping and
shore installations.
Originally printed by the U.S. Navy
during World War 2, this Flight
Operating Handbook taught pilots
everything they needed to know before
entering the cockpit. Classified
ÒRestrictedÓ, the manual was
recently declassified and is here
reprinted in book form. This affordable
facsimile has been slightly reformatted.
Care has been taken however to
preserve the integrity of the text.