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Catalina

Upon completion of the Boston Restoration Project at RAAF Base Amberley in 1997, it was decided to commence another restoration project for the RAAF Museum at the Amberley facility. The project selected was the restoration of the RAAF Museum's Catalina aircraft VH-EXG.

Actually a Canadian built Canso, this aircraft was configured as a Super Catalina, and had been used as a firebomber and mineral survey aircraft. As a result, much of the military equipment that characterised the Catalina in RAAF service had been removed from the airframe. The restoration of VH-EXG involved extensive modifications to the airframe to configure the aircraft as a PBY-5A. The 'eyeball' front turret was a later fitment to some PBY-5A aircraft, and was fitted to A24-104 during its RAAF service. Additionally, the rear observation blisters were re-fitted to the aircraft, and the fin and rudder was completely re-shaped from the tall squared-off version of the Canso to the lower rounded profile of the early models of the aircraft. The final major change was replacing the aircraft's R2600 radial engines with earlier R1830 radials, requiring extensive modification to the wing centre section, in addition to new engine mountings and cowlings.

Over and above these major changes, a great deal of additional work was required to allow the aircraft to represent a RAAF PBY-5A. The firebombing equipment was removed from the aircraft, and the drop doors in the bottom of the hull were removed. All of the internal equipment of a military aircraft was put back into the Catalina, including a variety of cockpit equipment, the navigator's station, flight engineer's position, crew rest area, galley, auxiliary power unit, weapons mounts and related equipment, and a myriad of fixtures and fittings. In addition, the hull of the aircraft was also painted internally and externally to represent A24-104, a RAAF PBY-5A that operated with No 113 Air Sea Rescue Flight during World War II.

After restoration activities at the RAAF Museum were rationalised, the aircraft returned to Point Cook in November 2001, and the hull section was placed on display. Work is continuing on the aircraft's wings and tail surfaces, however, the aircraft's 31.7 metre (104 foot) wingspan will prevent the assembly of the aircraft inside any of the Museum's existing display facilities.

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