Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:10:45 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: friday - at the airport - some closeups of the catalina
In-Reply-To: <C1DB2722-3789-421C-884D-942A2EC6268F@shaw.ca>
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Very interesting.
Alaska Airlines in their early days used to fly these birds up and down
the coast of Southeast Alaska because except for Juneau, Sitka and
Annette Island at Ketchikan, there were no airports. There were many
little fishing towns up and down the coast and float planes, seaplanes
like the PBY, and boats were the only way to get around. I lived in the
little town of Wrangell on Wrangell Island, and rode the PBY's many
times up and down the coast. The PBY's would land in the channel in
front of the town and taxi in near the beach, then put the landing gear
down in the water, taxi in even closer towards ramp. When the wheels
touched the pilot would gun the engines and pull that big hulk up the
ramp to a very small parking apron. Once there, while there was still a
bit of momentum, he would lock the left brake, hit the throttle on the
right engine, and spin the airplane around so it was facing back down
the ramp. Then he would shut it down for unloading and loading. Once
loaded, the plane would trundle back down the ramp into the water, the
gear would come up, and then the machine would motor off out into the
channel again for takeoff, which was always spectacular to me.
The AA PBY's still had the gunnery bubbles on the sides of fuselage aft
of the wings. Alaska Airlines retained those on their PBY's as
observation windows for tourists visiting Alaska. I didn't see the
gunnery bubbles on the PBY in the picture.
In addition to the PBY's, Alaska Airlines also used the Grumman Goose
extensively. AA had several, and they could get into tighter places than
the PBY's - logging camps and the like up in tight bays and back
channels. AA converted most all of its Goose fleet from Pratt & Whitney
piston engines over to Pratt & Whitney turboprop engines by the time I
left Wrangell. More power, less maintenance, a little more speed, and
much greater reliability.
It was a fun time in Alaska back then in the '60's-early 70's. It just
seems life was much freer back then. The oligarchy didn't have the choke
hold on us then that it does today. But then again - perhaps it was all
about the vigor, energy and vitality of youth during the times.
John
John Rodgers
Clayartist and Moldmaker
88'GL VW Bus Driver
Chelsea, AL
Http://www.moldhaus.com
On 2/25/2011 9:17 AM, Alistair Bell wrote:
> Got "behind the fence" for a few minutes yesterday and took some more
> pics of the PBY 5 Catalina (Canso) that is at our local airport.
> Talked briefly to the owner also.
>
> The light was pretty flat and I didn't take much care with my point
> and shoot, but here they are:
>
> http://shufti.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/ata-close-ups-of-the-catalina
>
>
> alistair
>
>
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