PBY-5A Catalina

This page is about the American bomber PBY-5A Catalina. For other versions, see PBY-5 (Family).

PBY-5A Catalina

PBY-5 Catalina

PBM-1 "Mariner"

PBY-5A Catalina

PBY-5 Catalina

PBM-1 "Mariner"

USA

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.7	1.7	2.0

Class:

Bomber

Hydroplane

Torpedo bomber

Research:3 000

Purchase:6 300

Show in game

Description

In 1933, three companies, Consolidated, Martin, and Douglas were assigned to design a long-range flying boat that could patrol for hundreds of miles. Consolidated's design was one of two that were chosen by the U.S. Navy although they were both extremely underpowered. Consolidated's design would later receive the designation "PBY" which stood for "Patrol Bomber" and "Y" signifying the manufacturer. The PBY-5A would receive two Wright R-1830-92 engines each making 1,200 hp and an incredible range of over 2,500 miles (4,023 km). The PBY would serve effectively in maritime patrol, search-and-rescue, anti-submarine warfare, and more. One notable instance of the Catalina's was the "Black Cats" squadrons which utilized PBYs painted in black for night operations in the Pacific. PBYs are still flown today for missions like firefighting.

Introduced since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to 1.27, the PBY-5A Catalina is a dual-engine bomber. It's a very slow aircraft which makes it an easy target for enemy fighters and interceptors. Furthermore, it's very easy to rip the wings so hard turns shouldn't be attempted. The Catalina does have ample defensive armament and a decent bomb load for destroying bases. The PBY-5A also has the added benefit of being able to land safely on both land and water due to the addition of the retractable landing gear. Players should be satisfied with the PBY-5A's performance as a low-tier bomber even if it is slow.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 2 135 m282 km/h

Turn time30 s

Max altitude4 420 m

Engine2 х Pratt & Whitney R1830-92

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight16 t

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 2,135 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	259	249	4420	31.0	31.9	2.6	2.6	364
Upgraded	310	282		29.1	30.0	8.7	5.1

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	X	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
405	450	-	-	-	~3	~3

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 220	< 220	< 230	> 312

Survivability and armour

Crew6 people

Speed of destruction

Structural0 km/h

Gear450 km/h

Armour plates

• 9.5 mm steel pilot seats
• 6.35 mm steel behind tail gunner
• 6.35 mm and 4.7 mm steel plates inside the structural pylon

Critical component protection

• 2 self-sealing fuel tanks in the wings

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB338 → 427

RB492 → 622

SB787 → 996

Total cost of modifications5 950

4 480

Talisman cost410

Crew training1 800

Experts6 300

Aces80

Research Aces135 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

30 / 60 / 110 %

106 / 106 / 106 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 300 Cost: 230 70 Radiator Research: 300 Cost: 230 70 Compressor Research: 270 Cost: 200 60 Wings repair Research: 370 Cost: 280 85 Engine Research: 370 Cost: 280 85 Engine injection Research: 480 Cost: 360 110	Airframe Research: 270 Cost: 200 60 Cover Research: 480 Cost: 360 110	bmg30_turret_belt_pack Research: 300 Cost: 230 70 LTC-5 Research: 300 Cost: 230 70 bmg30_turret_new_gun Research: 270 Cost: 200 60 MBC-5 Research: 270 Cost: 200 60 Improved torpedo Research: 270 Cost: 200 60 bmg50_turret_belt_pack Research: 370 Cost: 280 85 Mk 13 Mod 0 Research: 370 Cost: 280 85 bmg50_turret_new_gun Research: 480 Cost: 360 110 LBC-5 Research: 480 Cost: 360 110

The bomb load upgrades allow an increase in total bomb load, from 1,600 lb through 2,000 lb to 4,000 lb so they are a priority, especially since the bigger bombs also allow for destroying ships or tanks.

Armaments

Suspended armament

The PBY-5A Catalina can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

	1	2	3	4	5	6
100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs	1	1	6*	6*	1	1
500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs	1	1*			1*	1
1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs	1	1*			1*	1
2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case torpedoes			1	1
2,216 lb Mk.13-6 torpedoes			1	1
Type A Mark I mines	1	1*			1*	1
Maximum permissible loadout weight: 2,200 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 1,100 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 800 kg
* Marked ordnance on hardpoints 2/5 cannot be equipped in conjunction with 100 lb bombs on hardpoints 3/4 respectively

Default weapon presets
16 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (1,600 lb total) 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total) 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total) 4 x Type A Mark I mines 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 torpedoes 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case torpedoes

Defensive armament

The PBY-5A Catalina is defended by:

• 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (478 rpg)
• 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, nose turret (1,000 rpg)
• 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)

Usage in battles

Although the PBY-5A Catalina is slow and clunky, it offers a heavy payload that is sure to be a game changer if used properly. It also has a very good defensive armament for its tier, which can occasionally be a saviour against an enemy fighter.

The plane is quite unmanoeuvrable, and its wings are very weak, being able to snap just by turning just a little too tight at higher speeds in a Realistic Battle. Unlike its predecessor, this version has landing gear, allowing it to land on airfields as well as in water, allowing it to repair and respawn at airfields in Realistic Mode without belly landing, and enabling it to capture bases in Airfield Domination mode in Arcade Battles.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Auto control available	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Combined	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Good bomb load
• Good defensive weaponry.
• Can land on airfields compared to other flying boats.
• Can land on water.
• Can capture points (in Naval)

Cons:

• Very slow, not a plane for the impatient.
• Humble engine power and bad rate of climb.
• Poor energy retention.
• Susceptible to ripping wings.
• Poor downward facing armament.

History

The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation PBY-5A Catalina was based on the PBY-5 variant. The main difference was the addition of amphibious capability; the wing pontoons were removed and hydraulically actuated, retractable tricycle landing gear were added to the fuselage. It did retain the ability to land on and take off from water. The PBY-5A was powered by two 1,200 horsepower R-1830-92 engines, for a total of 2,400 hp. The first production batch of 124 was equipped with only one .30 cal (7.62 mm) bow machine gun, while later batches had two.

802 PBY-5A Catalinas were built in total between October 1941 and January 1945, with some being delivered to the United States Army Air Force (USAAF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF), and one to the United States Coast Guard (USCG). The majority, though, were delivered to the United States Navy (USN). In USAAF service the PBY-5A was designated as the OA-10.

During World War 2, PBY Catalinas were used heavily in anti-submarine warfare (ASW), patrol bombing, convoy escort, search-and-rescue (SAR), and cargo transport roles.

The PBY was the most numerous aircraft to be used in the ASW role. They were used in ASW in the Atlantic and Pacific theaters, and participated in a number of U-boat sinkings.

Because of the long range and endurance of the Catalina, it was used heavily in the maritime patrol role. Notably, the PBY Catalina was used to spot the Japanese fleet before the Battle of Midway.

Catalinas were also used in the night combat role. During the Battle of Midway, PBYs scored a torpedo hit on the Japanese fleet oiler Akebono Maru. In the Guadalcanal campaign, Catalinas were painted black in order to participate in night torpedo, bombing, and strafing missions against Japanese vessels. They came to be known as "black cats", and entire squadrons were dedicated to this purpose. These squadrons were used until being sent home in 1945.

Catalina are probably most recognized for their search-and-rescue role. During the war they saved thousands of sailors and airmen, particularly after the sinking of the USS Indianapolis.

Archive of the in-game description

There were two firms competing for the naval patrol bomber supply contract: Consolidated and Douglas. Although both prototypes met the U.S. Navy demands, on June 29, 1935 the contract was awarded to Consolidated due to lower production costs (the firm projected the cost of one aircraft to be $90,000, while their colleagues from Douglas quoted $110,000). Manufacturing orders for PBY-2 and PBY-3 were concluded before the delivery of the first production aircraft from the previous series (accordingly, PBY-1 and PBY-2). However, when the order for PBY-4 was signed toward the end of 1937, which consisted of just 33 boat planes (this was the smallest of the PBY series), by the time production began the model was already considered outdated and likely to be the last of the series (when PBY-5 was commissioned, development of the next series of hydroplanes set to replace PBY was already underway). That's exactly what would have happened if the Germans hadn't attacked Poland on September 1st, 1939, thus greatly increasing the demand for patrol aircraft. The last three models in the PBY-4 series had a series of distinguishing features, many of which were kept and implemented in PBY-5. In 1939, the last PBY-4 built, BuNo 1245 was converted into an amphibian through the introduction of retractable undercarriage. The amphibian version of PBY-5 was redesignated PBY-5A, and looked promising enough to compel the U. S. Navy to modify their original order for 200 PBY-5 units so that 33 of those aircraft were executed as PBY-5A. This was followed by other supply agreements for an additional 186 units of PBY-5A. Other countries followed suit, changing a portion of the ordered PBY-5 units to PBY-5A. The PBY was used as a bomber and torpedo carrier, and was often utilized in night operations, as well as on patrol, rescue and transportation missions.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the PBY-5A Catalina from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #52 - Pages of History section at 04:38 discusses the PBY-5 Catalina.

See also

• PBM-1 "Mariner"

External links

• [Forum] PBY-5 Catalina, Official Thread

Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
Bombers	PBY-5 Catalina · PBY-5A Catalina
	PB4Y-2
	B-24D-25-CO
Export	▄Catalina Mk IIIa · ▂PBY-5A Catalina · ▄PBY-5A Late · ␗PB4Y-2 · ▄PB4Y-2