Catalina Flying Boats - Pacific 1945

[motto]

Thanks for that Mike, I thought you or Keith would have the information at your finger tips. I was basing my impressions/understanding on conversations with a long time friend who had done a tour of duty with No 11 Squadron as flight engineer.

Although not clarified by direct questioning (he died some years ago) he never mentioned anything but flying boats and the bases they operated from such as Rathmines and Lake Boga. I seem to recall they operated out of Townsville, Darwin and Port Moresby but don't know which were bases or through ports.

What doesn't fit is that Lindsay's service with the Cats must have been before any of the conversions were carried out for he went on to do a tour of duty with No 24 Squadron on Liberators mostly operating out of Fenton.

I'm certain his time with No 11 Squadron predated that with No 24 because he had moved on when his old crew were involved in the loss of a Cat trying to deliver a part to a ship broken down in the Coral Sea. They crashed on take off and all got out except the skipper who was killed. His name was Coventry.

Are you sure Mike that the conversions were not carried out to make those aircraft conform with the rest of the fleet?
Cheers

Dave