First flown on March 28 1935, the PBY Catalina was old when World War II began.  With its braced parasol wing and tough seagoing hull the Catalina proved to be a classic design manufactured in larger numbers than any other flying boat in history. The Consolidated PBY’s fought on all the worlds oceans revolutionizing long-range patrol and attacking ships and submarines alike.  A PBY spotted a Japanese submarine prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor and caught the elusive German battleship Bismark.

Pictured in this painting is the PBY Catalina that participated in the July 2011 “Thunder Over Michigan” air show.