Aircraft History
Built by Consolidated. Constructors Number 1610. US Navy Bureau Number 34055.

Wartime History
This Catalina was the first amphibian taken on charge by Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), delivered to Lake Boga Flying Boat Base on December 17, 1943. Assigned to 11 Squadron on February 18, 1944 coded FJ-A.

On December 14, 1945, while moored in the East Arm of Darwin Harbor off Darwin this Catalina burst into flames and was destroyed and sank.

Wreckage
The wreck of this aircraft is sometimes refereed to as "Catalina 2". This wreck site was identified on the basis of site inspection, recording diagnostic features of that particular model Catalina and also by examining artifacts raised from the wreck site by local sports divers. Divers brought up the contractor's plate, indicating that the aircraft was a PBY-5A model. There was only one model of that type lost in Darwin Harbor. The wreck site also has an bug-eye turret.

References
ADF Serials - Catalina A24-69
Thanks to Wynnum Graham for additional information

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Last Updated
December 16, 2022