- Yes
- No
Japanese Consolidated PBY-6A
The Japanese JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force) in the years 1956-1960 had two Consolidated PBY-6A flying boats in service. One of the planes with the number 5882 crashed on June 6, 1960 while landing at Osaka International Airport.
History
On July 1, 1954, the JMSDF (Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force) was formed, which, like other parts of the JSDF (Japan Self-Defense Force), had almost no equipment. Everything was in short supply, and the threat from the USSR and China was enormous. Therefore, based on the U.S.-Japan Mutual Defense Assistance Agreement, the Japanese received two Consolidated PBY-6A patrol aircraft as assistance from the U.S. The first PBY-6A arrived in Japan on February 1, 1956, and the second on May 20, 1956. These planes were sent to Kanoya Air Base in Kagoshima Prefecture. There, the aircraft were incorporated into the 2nd Kanoya Air Squadron, which was part of the Kanoya Air Corpsand from 1956 to 1957 served as patrol aircraft, which were quickly replaced by the Lockheed P2V-7 and Grumman S2F-1 aircraft. For this reason, the use of PBY-6A aircraft is changed.The aircraft were disarmed and redirected on 30 March 1957 to Omura Air Base, where they were incorporated into the 91st Squadron of the Omura Air Corps. From this point on, the Consolidated PBY-6A became training and rescue aircraft, and were supported by four Grumman JRF-5 aircraft. PBY-6A flying boats operated until 1960. On July 6, 1960, during landing at Osaka International Airport, a flap occurs, the PBY-6A aircraft with the number 5882 suffers damage to the fuselage and is withdrawn from service. Unfortunately, there is a large discrepancy of sources here, what happened to the second PBY-6A with the number 5881. Some sources claim that it was already withdrawn on December 23, 1959, others that it was not until November 1960.
Photo of Consolidated PBY-6A number 5881
PBY-6A number 5881 , unknown year of photography ^
PBY-6A number 5881 ,1958 year ^
Photo of Consolidated PBY-6A number 5882
PBY-6A number 5882 at Kanoya Air Corps , 1956-57 ^
PBY-6A number 5882 transferred to Omura Air Base ,March 30 1957 ^
PBY-6A number 5882 ,October 2 1957 ^
PBY-6A number 5882 , April 1960 ^
PBY-6A number 5882 during scrapping after an accident in June 1960
Construction description
The Consolidated PBY-6A is very similar to the Consolidated PBY-5A (Late) from the game, but there are differences between them, which I will present here.
- The stabilizer and rudder were raised (it is not known exactly by how much)
- Nose turret modified and rearmed with M2 machine guns
- The radar above the cockpit has received a new cover
- Improved the armor of the aircraft (it is not known how much)
Technical sketches
Armament, Armor, and Firing Zones
General characteristics
- Crew: 5-7
- Length: 19,35 m
- Wingspan: 31,7 m
- Height: 6,86 m
- Wing area: 130,06 m2
- Empty weight: 9743 kg
- Take-off Weight: 12383 kg
- Maximum Take-off Weight: 16510 kg
- Powerplant: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder air-cooled radial piston engines, 1,200 hp (890 kW) each
- Propellers: Three-bladed constant-speed propellers
Performance
- Maximum speed: 286 km/h
- Cruise Speed: 200km/h
- Range: ?
- Maximum Range: 3842 km
- Service ceiling: 4298 m
- Time to Climb to: 25.7 minutes to 3048 m
- Climb Rate: 3,2 m/s
Armament
- Guns:
- 2 x Browning M2 12.7mm mobile coupled machine guns in the nose shooter station (1200 rounds (1100 per gun) (?)
- 1 x Colt-Browning 7.62 mm movable machine gun in the ventral shooter’s position (500 rounds)
- 2 x Browning M2 12.7mm mobile machine guns in side nacelles (478 rounds per gun)
- Bombs:
- 4 x 454 kg (1000 lb) bomb (under the wings)
- 4 x 227 kg (500 lb) bomb (under the wings)
- 12 x 45 kg (100 lb) bomb (under the wings)
- 8 x 147 kg (325 lb) depth charges (under the wings)
- 4 x 205 kg (450 lb) depth charges (under the wings)
- 4 x 295 kg (650 lb) depth charges (under the wings)
- 2 x torpedo MK.13-3
- Fuel dump tanks
- 2 x 1135 l (300 gal) in additional tanks
Armour
- Armor stronger than the PBY-5A
- Self-sealing fuel tanks (part only)
Summary
The Consolidated PBY-6A is an interesting flying boat for Japan in War Thunder. This plane is quite well armed and can fly straight ahead (sorry H6K4, you can’t). Additionally, this aircraft represents a piece of JMSDF history, which would give Japan an interesting premium or event aircraft. I encourage you to discuss in the comments and to share your own knowledge on this subject.
Finally, I apologize for the linguistic and logical errors because unfortunately English is not my main language and I had to use google translator.
Internet sources
Consolidated PBY Catalina - Wikipedia
海上自衛隊の装備品一覧 - Wikipedia
JMSDF Squadron Histories Part 1 | J-HangarSpace: Information on Japanese Aviation
コンソリデーテッドＰＢＹ-6Ａ
コンベアPBY-6Aカタリナ
大空への追想 （１９８）: 桜と錨の気ままなブログ
Test Page | J-HangarSpace: Information on Japanese Aviation
Consolidated PBY-6A Catalina : Consolidated / Convair
Book sources
- (Monografie Lotnicze No.84) Consolidated PBY Catalina, Cz.1
(Monografie Lotnicze No.84) Consolidated PBY Catalina, Cz.1 | PDF | Home & Garden - (Monografie Lotnicze No.85) Consolidated PBY Catalina, Cz.2
Pby 5 Catalina | PDF - PBY-6A Catalina SAC - 15 August 1948 | PDF
- PBY-6A - The Catalina Preservation Society
- 03-2.pdf
Thank you for reading the suggestion, see you in the next one. Good luck pilots
