Keep the Cat Purring - Europe's last Catalina

Hello, I'm Robert from The Catalina Society. Our role is to support the operation of Catalina G-PBYA - the last Catalina flying boat operating in Europe, and one of the few worldwide that still operates off water.

This rare and important piece of aviation heritage acts as a tribute to all the men who operated these aircraft during WWII on long-range patrols and subsequently fighting fires as water bombers. Our aircraft, Miss Pick Up, remembers the men who flew these incredible machines in an air-sea rescue role, saving allied and axis lives alike.

Each year, Miss Pick Up requires extensive winter maintenance so that she can attend airshows and commemoration events during the subsequent summer months. This year, as well as the usual engine and avionic system checks, work is needed to improve the fuel monitoring system.

As you might imagine with an 80-year old aircraft, structural work is also required occasionally, and this maintenance season we are looking to replace some sections within the hull of the aircraft and to ensure the floats that are critical for water operations are fully serviceable.

Miss Pick Up is supported by a group of volunteers and by members of The Catalina Society. However even with that steady support winter maintenance is expensive. Any donation you can make will help to keep the Cat purring for years to come.

You can learn more about Miss Pick Up by visiting our website: https://www.catalina.org.uk/our-catalina-g-pbya/