jkgoblue
Pre-takeoff checklist
So I thought I'd put this out there in the hopes that there are some people who can help me find out if this plane is still around.
As a kid, I had the pleasure of riding in a PBY down in the Bahamas that was owned by a group of businessmen, one of which was Willard Rockwell, Chairman of Rockwell International. He and my father were good friends and business associates. I was lucky enough to sit in the engineers station in the wing during a landing and explore the plane during a few flights. Had I known how special it was I would of asked someone to take some pictures but unfortunately, none exist.
I always wondered what happened to that plane. It was a unique PBY as it was set up as a fisherman's plane, with two aluminum skiffs under each wing that could be lowered into the water and the inside was decked out for comfort with couches and tables.
I finally hit something with Google. An article in Flying magazine from September of 1967. Sure enough, there's a picture of the plane! But I can't make out any N number or any other notes in the article that might lead me to it's ultimate fate.
I know it's a long shot but perhaps someone out there remembers this plane? I've check some of the web sites with PBY survivors but can't find any history behind them. I'm not optimistic that it's still around but who knows.
Just one of those childhood memories that I wish I could relive...
https://books.google.com/books?id=8...v=onepage&q=catalina willard rockwell&f=false
As a kid, I had the pleasure of riding in a PBY down in the Bahamas that was owned by a group of businessmen, one of which was Willard Rockwell, Chairman of Rockwell International. He and my father were good friends and business associates. I was lucky enough to sit in the engineers station in the wing during a landing and explore the plane during a few flights. Had I known how special it was I would of asked someone to take some pictures but unfortunately, none exist.
I always wondered what happened to that plane. It was a unique PBY as it was set up as a fisherman's plane, with two aluminum skiffs under each wing that could be lowered into the water and the inside was decked out for comfort with couches and tables.
I finally hit something with Google. An article in Flying magazine from September of 1967. Sure enough, there's a picture of the plane! But I can't make out any N number or any other notes in the article that might lead me to it's ultimate fate.
I know it's a long shot but perhaps someone out there remembers this plane? I've check some of the web sites with PBY survivors but can't find any history behind them. I'm not optimistic that it's still around but who knows.
Just one of those childhood memories that I wish I could relive...
https://books.google.com/books?id=8...v=onepage&q=catalina willard rockwell&f=false