The PBY Catalina, designed and produced by Consolidated Aircraft, whose
production was supplemented by that of Boeing Canada, Canadian Vickers,
and the Naval Aircraft Factory, was the most widely used flying boat of
all time. Developed in the 1930s, the famed patrol bomber was used
around the world by the United States and its allies--the Soviets even
produced hundreds of duplicates. The versatile aircraft sank U-boats,
located the dreaded Bismarck, and rescued scores of downed airmen and
crews of sunken ships. This volume explores the development and use of
the aircraft, as well as details of its construction. This volume is
profusely illustrated with almost 300 photos, many of which are in
vintage color, augmented by line drawings.