A PBY MLD PBY Question (Prudent Staal) / Een PBY MLD PBY Vraag (Prudent Staal)

[Tommy Wo!]

Hi All...

I found the attached image on this website. Does anyone have any idea as to the identity of these PBYs and / or which GVT to which they were attached? It's an interesting photo, as the lead Catalina still carries the MLD's pre / early-war markings, while the other two already have them painted over. You can still see the outline of the painted over orange triangles and orange rudder on the bottom aircraft.

Thanks!
Tom Womack

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Hallo allemaal...

Ik vond de bijgevoegde afbeelding op deze website. Heeft iemand enig idee van de identiteit van deze PBY's en/of aan welke GVT ze waren gekoppeld? Het is een interessante foto, aangezien de leidende Catalina nog steeds de vooroorlogse markeringen van de MLD draagt, terwijl de andere twee ze al overschilderd hebben. Je kunt nog steeds de omtrek zien van de overgeschilderde oranje driehoeken en het oranje roer op het onderste vliegtuig.

Bedankt!
Tom Womack

[Bofors]

That name rings a bell :-)
Welcome to the forum sir. Hopefully somebody has the answers you're looking for.
Great book btw

[Tommy Wo!]

Bofors, thanks for the kind words. I'm currently working on a 2nd edition that I hope to deliver to my publisher in January 2022. It will be about 40% longer with many new maps and photos. I've also corrected a number of errors and clarified several things. I've also added new details on the RAF's 205 Squadron and referenced some of their operations in the East Indies campaign. As before, I largely stay away from Patrol Wing 10 since they have already been fairly well documented in English.

[Gerben Tornij]

Hi All...

(...)Does anyone have any idea as to the identity of these PBYs and / or which GVT to which they were attached?

Goedenavond Tommy,

The picture you have found is actually a still from a movie. This was published in 1941 for recruitment and propaganda purposes. The title is 'De Marine Vliegt' and digitized versions of the movie can be found on the internet. I have several stills in my collection. Unfortunately small sized but similar pictures are rare or do not exist at all.

Met vriendelijke groet,
Gerben Tornij
Amersfoort
Nederland

[Prudent Staal]

Hi Tom,
Welcome to this forum. Nice to have you here. As usual in this form you get instantly reaction from other members.
Ofcourse I will searh for new pictures.
Kinde regards, PST

[Tommy Wo!]

Hi Gerben...

Yes, I'm familiar with the "De Marine Vliegt" video and have seen it previously. It's been a a while, tho, so I failed to make the connection with the image I posted. Thank you for the reminder.

I'm interested to learn more about the varied national insignia on these Catalinas. So far as I know, all of the first 36 PBYs ordered prewar were delivered with the orange triangle markings and painted rudder. However, the film above is from 1941 and shows that the insignia has already been painted over. I thought the orange insignia wasn't replaced until February(?) 1942. Were any of these painted over before the Japanese attack? Is it known for sure that this footage was shot before the war?

On another note, I see that you've written an article that discusses the delivery of P-40s to Java by Seawitch. I can't find it online. Is it possible that I can obtain a copy of that article offline?

[Tommy Wo!]

Hi Tom,
Welcome to this forum. Nice to have you here. As usual in this form you get instantly reaction from other members.
Ofcourse I will searh for new pictures.
Kinde regards, PST

Thank you Prudent!

[Gerben Tornij]

Hi Tommy,
All 'Spinner' issues have been scanned and published by the NMM. My article on the Seawitch can be found in the April 2003 issue:
Zoeken - Tijdschriftenviewer Nederlands Militair Erfgoed (courant.nu)
Gerben

[Mathieu]

Interesting story Gerben, never heard about this before. As sailor I am intersted in ships aswell and found some more about the Sea Witch: MS Sea Witch (1940) - Wikipedia
and the Langley: USS Langley (CV-1) - Wikipedia