The Iconic Aviation Collection

Black Cat in the Shadows.

IN EARLY 1941 THE RAAF ACQUIRED A SMALL NUMBER OF CONSOLIDATED PBY CATALINA PATROL FLYING BOATS.
Their extreme range made them an ideal platform for many other missions, and they were consequently forced into action in the long range strike role for the opening stages of the Pacific War. Due to the Catalina's slow speed, later combat operations were flown at night which necessitated painting the aircraft all black for concealment. These soon became known as Black Cats. 43 Squadron RAAF was established as a Maritime Patrol unit equipped with the Catalina in early 1943. By 1945 the squadron continued flying many types of operations including harassment against targets of opportunity across the South West Pacific. On the 21st July 1945 F/Lt John Paine and crew, in a late model Catalina PB2B-2, A24-362 (OX-V), searched for targets of opportunity in the Sawu Sea and generally harassed enemy installations. The same pace of operations continued right up to Japanese capitulation in August. As a tribute to A24-362 and 43 Squadron RAAF, Catalina PBY-6A (VH-PBZ) operated by the HARS Aviation Museum is currently in the markings of this wartime aircraft.