A twin-engine seaplane used by the US in World War II and which was recently found sunk off the coast of Rio Grande do Norte reminds a part of the history of the FAB (Brazilian Air Force).
The model is a Consolidated PBY Catalina, also called by the Air Force Consolidated Vultee 28 (PBY-5A/C-10A), and has amphibious capability. That is, it can land both on water and on land.
Its first flight was made in 1935, and it continued to serve several countries until the post-war period. In Brazil, a similar model served the FAB between 1943 and 1982 in patrol missions and the National Air Mail.
Nazi submarine sank in Rio de Janeiro
One of the main feats of the Catalina used in Brazil, of the same model found in RN, was to have sunk a Nazi submarine 78 years ago.
The submarine, a U-199, sank after an attack by the crew of the Catalina da Aeronáutica while it was just 87 mm away from the Sugarloaf Mountain in Rio de Janeiro.
On its way to the Brazilian coast, the U-199 had already sunk other ships, such as a Brazilian fishing vessel, an American freighter and another English vessel. Days before being spotted by the Brazilian military, the submarine had shot down a US plane, leaving its entire crew dead.
The crew of the Brazilian Catalina spotted the Nazi U-199, and attacked the German vessel. With the explosion of the target, the Brazilians launched a lifeboat to rescue the survivors — 12 of a total of 61 men aboard the submarine.
The plane was piloted by the then aspiring officer Alberto Martins Torres. After the feat, he broadcast the code “SSSS” (Sighted Sub Sank Same), which means “sighted and sunk submarine”.
Origin
The Catalina was created with the aim of being an anti-submarine patrol and attack aircraft. It made its maiden flight in 1935, and was manufactured until 1945, with nearly 4,000 units delivered in various countries.
He played a very important role during the Second World War, when he also carried out bombing, maritime escort, search and rescue and transport missions. Its development took place in the expectation of creating an airplane that could fly long distances and had the practicality of landing both in the water and on the ground.
Its wing was high, as were its engines, that is, they were above the body of the plane. This avoided problems with landing in water and on poorly prepared runways, as the engines could ingest pebbles or water if they were not off the ground.
After the war, several Catalinas were used in civilian roles, such as cargo transport and firefighting.
In order to land on the water, after take-off, it retracts the wheels, which are attached to its side. Its belly allows it to float in a stabilized way, making it easier to take off in the water.
Today, FAB has two Catalinas listed by IPHAN (National Historical and Artistic Heritage Institute). One is located at the FAB Memorial in the Amazon, at the Belém Air Base (PA), and the other is at the Musal (Aeroespacial Museum), in Rio de Janeiro.
the wrecked plane
Recently, researchers found on the coast of Rio Grande do Norte a piece of a military Catalina that belonged to the United States and was used in World War II. At the time, the plane was heading to a US base located in Parnamirim, in that state, and completed 80 years of disappearance.
There were ten people aboard the plane at the time of the crash, and three survived. They were rescued by Brazilian fishermen.
There is still the possibility that there are ten other planes on that part of the Brazilian coast.
Datasheet
Name: Consolidated PBY Catalina
Length: 19,5 metros
Wingspan (distance from tip to tip of wing): 32 metros
Height: 5,65 metros
Maximum take-off weight: 16 tons
Range (maximum distance flown without stopping to refuel): 4.030 km
Maximum speed: 314 km / h
