Air Power

CONSOLIDATED OA-10 "CATALINA"

The OA-10 is the Army Air Forces version of the PBY series seaplanes and amphibians flown extensively by the Navy during WW II. It is a twin-engine, parasol-mounted monoplane equipped with a flying boat hull, retractable tricycle landing gear and retractable wing-tip floats. The OA-10 was used primarily for air-sea rescue work ("DUMBO" missions) with the AAF's Emergency Rescue Squadrons throughout WW II and for several years thereafter. During the war, OA-10 crews rescued hundreds of downed fliers.

The prototype Catalina first flew on March 28, 1935. It was produced by Consolidated Aircraft Corp. in both seaplane and amphibian versions. Catalinas were also produced by Canadian Vickers, Ltd. and the Naval Aircraft Factory. Eventually, nearly 2,500 Catalina derivatives were built for the Navy. Approximately 380 were transferred to the AAF as OA-10s, OA-10As, OA-10Bs or, in some cases, with their original Navy designations. Catalinas also were flown by a number of allied nations during and after WW II.

This aircraft was operated extensively by the Brazilian Air Force until 1981 in a variety of humanitarian roles in the Amazon Basin. The Catalina was flown to the Museum in 1984 and has been restored and painted as an OA-10A assigned to the 2nd Emergency Rescue Squadron which served in the Pacific Theater during WW II.

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 104 ft.
Length: 63 ft. 10 in.
Height: 20 ft. 1 in.
Weight: 36,400 lbs. loaded
Armament: Two .50-cal. machine guns in the waist and two .30-cal. machine guns--one in the bow and another in a rear tunnel--plus 8,000 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92s of 1,200 hp ea.
Cost: $50,000

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 184 mph.
Cruising speed: 120 mph.
Range: 2,325 miles
Service Ceiling: 22,400 ft.