Gillatt, William Herbert

Killed in Action 1944-02-06

Birth Date: 1922

Born:

Son of Frank H. Gillatt and Mary Olive Gillatt, of Lilac, Saskatchewan.

Home: Lilac, Saskatchewan

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

116 Sqn- Squadron (RAF)

Base

RCAF Stn. Gander, Newfoundland

Rank

Sergeant

Position

Sergeant

Service Numbers

R/98982

116 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron, Gander, Newfoundland. Canso aircraft lost.Note: A/C identified as RCAF 971 on www.rafcommands.com

Consolidated Canso Catalina PBY PB2B A-10 OA-10 Black Cat

RCAF Canso A (Serial No. 9754), No. 162 Squadron, F/L David Ernest Hornell aircraft.
Hornell pby Yarmouth 1943 (003).jpg image not found

The Consolidated Catalina and Canso were close cousins. The Canso was the true amphibious version of the design and therefore included a conventional undercarriage to allow for either water or land use. The Canso provided more than two decades of valuable service to the RCAF. The Catalina variant came first and was produced beginning in 1935 for the United States Navy. The amphibious version, designated PBY-5A, came in service early in 1941 and the RCAF began using the aircraft on anti-submarine patrols that same year. After the Second World War, the RCAF used Cansos for search and rescue, Arctic survey missions and various transport operations.RCAF

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Wikipedia Wikipedia Canso PBY

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