Catalina PBY5A Scale Model RC Flying Boat by Brian Hutchinson

This radio control scale model PBY5A Catalina Patrol Bomber flying boat was built by Brian Hutchinson during 2013. The aircraft features retractable landing gear, twin engines, observer windows, machine gun turret and landing lights.

Brian's Build Notes

This aircraft is the result of my second attempt at building a PBY5A Catalina. The first model was pensioned off after a minor accident on water and, although the structure was still OK, I decided that a model scaled more accurately was in order.

After several aborted builds from plans which were not really up to scratch, I discovered the model designed and built by Sturla Snorrason in Iceland. Here was an aeroplane built faithfully to scale and big enough to provide an impressive flying model.

The plans drawn to 1/8^th scale are accurate and comprehensive. The model is quite large at 3,962 mm wingspan. While the undercarriage and blisters are shown in detail, they are also available ready made from the designer. I purchased the Blisters (2 sets) as I wanted to make them fully operational, but decided I wanted to construct the scale retract systems myself. However I did not fully realise what I was letting myself in for. There is several weeks of work in the gear, up to and including nickel plating to prevent corrosion.

Construction of the airframe, while straightforward, is not a job for a beginner. A large building table is required. I found the myriad of pictures of the construction process extremely helpful, which you can view on Sturla Snorrason's website page here »

Finishing the aircraft presented me with a few problems. I wanted to complete the airframe as it would have been used during WW2 with forward turret. While there were plenty of individual photos, not much comprehensive coverage was available. Perth to the rescue !

I found great photo coverage of the US Navy Catalina in the Aviation History Museum, Bull Creek WA website here »

My PBY5A Catalina model aircraft weighs in at 23kg and is powered by 2 x DLE35RA engines. It is quite easy to fly. The retractable undercarriage works well using oil as a means of reducing the tendency to snap up or down. Oil also makes the operating speed more near to scale, as do the wingtip floats, which really stand out when deployed for a low pass over the airfield.

The aircraft has never been flown from water, since I think the complication of keeping the wings level when at high speed on water is perhaps beyond my skill level. The model tends to be a floater on landing, so the approach speed needs to judged very carefully to ensure safe landing on shorter strips.

Go out there and build one for yourself. You will be chuffed with the result !

Maiden Flight

The PBY Catalina scale model's maiden flight took place on Sunday 15 December 2013 at the old BADMAC airfield in Johnstons Road, Bairnsdale.

Another PBY flight on Wednesday 8th January 2014.

PBY Catalina History

The PBY Catalina flying boat was designed and built by the American aircraft manufacturers, Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. PB stands for Patrol Bomber, with Y being Consolidated Aircraft’s manufacturer identification.

First flown in March 1935, they were in production for over ten years and could be equipped with depth charges, bombs, torpedoes and .50 caliber machine guns. The most successful flying boat ever produced, It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II.

The Catalina was also used by the RAAF, despite its vulnerability due to lack of speed. It was a front line aircraft effectively taking the fight to the Japanese through its long distance mine laying flights.

General Specifications

• Crew: 10 — pilot, co-pilot, bow turret gunner, flight engineer, radio operator, navigator, radar operator, two waist gunners, ventral gunner.
• Length: 63 ft 10 7/16 in (19.46 m)
• Wingspan: 104 ft 0 in (31.70 m)
• Height: 21 ft 1 in (6.15 m)
• Wing area: 1,400 ft² (130 m²)
• Empty weight: 20,910 lb (9,485 kg)
• Max. takeoff weight: 35,420 lb (16,066 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp radial engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW each) each
• Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0309
• Drag area: 43.26 ft² (4.02 m²)
• Aspect ratio: 7.73

Performance

• Maximum speed: 196 mph (314 km/h)
• Cruise speed: 125 mph (201 km/h)
• Range: 2,520 mi (4,030 km)
• Service ceiling: 15,800 ft (4,000 m)
• Rate of climb: 1,000 ft/min (5.1 m/s)
• Wing loading: 25.3 lb/ft² (123.6 kg/m²)
• Power/mass: 0.034 hp/lb (0.056 kW/kg)
• Lift-to-drag ratio: 11.9

Armament

• 3 .30 cal (7.62 mm) machine guns, two in nose turret, one in ventral hatch at tail.
• 2 .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine guns, one in each waist blister
• 4,000 lb (1,814 kg) of bombs or depth charges. Torpedo racks were also available.

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Brian's advice if you would like to build a PBY like this

Go to Sturla Snorrason's website in Recayavik, Iceland. He has everything you need if you build his design, in my opinion the best Catalina design around for RC. Sturla makes beautiful quality retractable undercarriage. I love mine. He has won quite a few trophies.

For the plans, Laser Cut Kits Australia is a source as maybe are some of the parts.

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