PBY Catalina - Black Cat

Consolidated PBY Black Cat airplane model. This stunning PBY Catalina - Black Cat model is a work of art. Hand carved from mahogany wood, with authentic design blueprints, it’s sure to stand out in any room! An ideal gift for the aviation fan in your life, its exquisite craftsmanship makes it a timeless classic. A total of approximately 4000 Catalinas were built between 1936 and 1945. Because of their worldwide popularity, there was scarcely a maritime battle in WW II in which they were not involved. The PBY had its vulnerabilities: it was slow, with a maximum speed of 179 mph, and with no crew armor or self-sealing tanks, it was highly vulnerable to anti-aircraft attack. However, it was these weaknesses, coincident with the development of effective radar, and Japanese reliance on night transport, which led to the development of the "Black Cat Squadrons." These crews performed nighttime search and attack missions in their black-painted PBYs. The tactics were spectacularly successful an