Imagine if you were able to restore to factory production any of the classic combat aircraft of World War II. Even given some modest modernizations, could any of those venerable warbirds have viable niche in commercial or military service 80 years later?
The team at Florida-based Catalina Aircraft believes that the answer is yes—at least when it comes to the legendary Catalina amphibious flying boat. On July 25, 2023, the company announced that it was planning to start production on brand-new Catalinas outfitted with modern turboprop engines and cockpit displays.
The Consolidated Catalina—technically designated the Model 28 at its inception, and the PBY in U.S. Navy service—led an impossibly varied and successful career in World War II. It was operated by all major Allied military powers as a far-flying maritime patrol plane, long-range torpedo and land attack bomber, mine layer, submarine hunter, search-and-rescue plane, special operations transport, and cargo-hauler. More than 4,000 were built in the United States, the Soviet Union, and Canada—where it also served under the name ‘Canso.’
By one count, 14 to 17 airworthy Catalinas and Cansos remain as of mid-2023, with at least 7 more under restoration to flyable condition and many more in storage or on display.
Founded in 2009, Catalina Aircraft holds the type certification for the venerable aircraft, and presently services airworthy Catalinas and restores non-flyable ones to airworthy condition. Its website lists three aircraft that it has restored to Transport Category status.
The firm informed Popular Mechanics that it already has a lead customer, and is soliciting additional pre-orders for its proposed Next Generation Amphibious Aircraft (NGAA)—or Catalina II—which it says it could begin delivering by 2029 in both civilian and special purpose configurations.
Popular Mechanics reached out to Catalina Aircraft: Was the company really planning to build brand-new planes?
“The Catalina II is a new production aircraft. We are not refurbishing and upgrading old birds in the turboprop effort,” a company representative replied in an email. “Our initial flight test bird will be a product-modification of an existing aircraft to prove out initial design concepts. Production flight test may include as many as 6 test vehicles, 3 for each variant [civil and military]. We are expecting to start turbine-powered [ie. turboprop] flight tests in 2025 with new production deliveries beginning in 2029.”
As for the factory, “We have several locations [in] the continental United States offered, as well as one outside the continental United States location we are considering. It’s all about space and the bottom line.”
