Admittedly, its not a US Navy PBY Catalina they decided to portray this go round but sometimes beggars can’t be choosers. If you don’t mind RAF roundels in place of Stars and Stripes, and can shift vistas from the vast Pacific to the grey Atlantic, then boy do we have a head turner for you.
Expected some time this holiday season is this handsome RAF Consolidated Catalina Mk.IVA flying boat (AA36111), which operated along Britain’s extensive coast line in search of enemy naval activity, both on and below the surface.
Although the Battle of Britain is regarded by most people to be the RAF’s most decisive victory of WWII, the constant struggle to protect Britain’s vital sea lanes against German U-boats and surface raiders proved arguably more decisive. It is difficult to imagine the mental and physical strain placed on the crews of Coastal Command aircraft, who were forced to endure arduous patrols, often lasting many hours and having to constantly scan vast expanses of ocean for even the smallest sign of enemy activity. Should a target present itself, they would potentially have to launch an effective attack at short notice, aware that the enemy would be frantically attempting to disappear below the waves or were preparing to defend themselves with every gun at their disposal. Add to this the knowledge that they were still many miles and several hours flying time from the safety of their home base and completely exposed should the engagement leave them with damage to their aircraft, or injuries to crew members and you understand why these men are viewed with such admiration to this day. As if to underline the perilous nature of these missions, four brave Coastal Command airmen were awarded Britain’s highest award for gallantry in the presence of the enemy, the Victoria Cross during the Second World War, but only one survived to receive the honor in person – Flying Officer John Alexander Cruickshank, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, RAF No.210 Squadron.
This particular warbird is part of Corgi’s 100 Years of the RAF Collection, a fitting testament to the men and machines that have helped to guard and defend the British Empire through times of peril and turmoil.