Consolidated Canso Catalina PBY PB2B A-10 OA-10 Black Cat
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
CASPIR Aircraft Groups:
RCAF On Strength (274), RCAF 400 Squadron (13), Canadian Aircraft Losses (82)Canso Canso A 9737
Ordered by RCAF as a Catalina, equivalent to PBY-5. Order converted to amphibian before completion. Renamed Canso on 22 December 1941. Served with No. 5 (BR) Squadron from 16 December 1941, in Nova Scotia, Newfoundland, or Quebec, coded "E". Seen at Mt.-Joli, Quebec, late 1942, with full code "QN-E". With this unit at Gander in January 1943, being flown by a crew of No. 162 Squadron, and famed Hudson pilot S/L N.E. Small, DFC, on mission to determine maximum useful range of Cansos over the North Atlantic. Small and crew were on loan to 5 Squadron to determine what could be done to extend useful range of the Canso. Took off at 06:30 AM local time on 7 January 1943, at maximum weight, and soon struck turbulence. Struck trees near Gander Lake, then crashed and caught fire. Wreckage not sighted for several days. 4 fatalities, including S/L Small, 3 survivors.
1941-12-11 Taken on Strength 2019-08-20
1943-January-07 Accident: 5 BR Squadron Loc: Gander Names: Banning | Hudson | Mangan | Small | Tingle | White | Wilson
1943-05-19 Struck off Strength Struck off by No. 19 Sub-Repair Depot at Torby, Newfoundland after crashing, see comments. 2019-08-20