PBY Catalina Super Cat "Always" Conversion

PHArchivist

PHArchivist

Master Member
Alright I'm all set - got my 1:48 PBY 5A kit, and picked up a B-25J just to get the correct 2600 engines for the Super Cat.

Now just need to figure out how to graft the new engines onto the cat's wings... :unsure

Ultimate goal is the red and white bird flown by John Goodman's character in Spielberg's 1989 Always.
 
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Gonna be sweet, PHA! Can't wait : )

Y'all have inspired me to do a sea plane too (eventually)...when I was 13 or so there was a show on TV called "Tales of the Gold Monkey"..or maybe Golden Monkey...I remember the character's name was Jake Cutter and his plane was Cutter's Goose and his dog, Jack. I loooved that show so much! I am sure it was inspired by Indiana Jones looking back.

So, I am now looking for a Grumman Goose...G21 I think. Anyone have one the wanna trade? That kit in 1/48 is going for $50 on Ebay =/
 
SpamDaddy said:
Gonna be sweet, PHA! Can't wait : )

Y'all have inspired me to do a sea plane too (eventually)...when I was 13 or so there was a show on TV called "Tales of the Gold Monkey"..or maybe Golden Monkey...I remember the character's name was Jake Cutter and his plane was Cutter's Goose and his dog, Jack. I loooved that show so much! I am sure it was inspired by Indiana Jones looking back.

So, I am now looking for a Grumman Goose...G21 I think. Anyone have one the wanna trade? That kit in 1/48 is going for $50 on Ebay =/
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I remember that show. Good stuff!

Here's a write-up / build-up someone did of the Always PBY a number of years ago:

http://www.internetmodeler.com/2006/january/aviation/pby.php
 
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Wow, that 1/48th kit is sharp, they even got the blisters right on the back. My 1/72 the blister frames are wrong and I didn't find out until after I painted it.
 
My biggest concern with this is that the nose of the plane will need significant surgery.

There is that hog nose hatch thing down in front that needs to go, and a gun turret forward of the cockpit that has to be removed. So I suspect that there will be a lot of cutting, filling, and sculpting with fillers and putties.
 
Tail needs work also.
If she's a 6A then the whole tail.


Saw this in that write up posted earlier.
The model is the Monogram PBY-5a, and I used the Belcher Bits corrected tail section. I cut the rudder off the Belcher Bits tail and scratch built a new, larger rudder designed for the "Super" PBY aircraft that flew with the larger R-2600 engines. The engines are directly from the Monogram B-25 and the nacelles are built up from epoxy putty. The exhausts were slightly modified from the kit exhausts. The nose section is also built up from epoxy putty.
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Here's the tail kit mentioned.
link
 
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