G-PBYA Catalina at Dublin Weston Executive Airport

On Saturday 24th August 2013 Catalina PBY-5A G-PBYA made an historic visit to Dublin Weston as part of it’s Circuit of Britain 100th Anniversary Commemorative Flight touching down just after 1.10pm . The 2013 Circuit of Britain challenge is lead by Australian Catalina Pilot Jeff Boyling.

The aircraft flew down the North East of Ireland entering Irish airspace at Kilkeel routing along the coast via Skerries, Loughshinny, Rush, Baily Lighthouse and performed a number of fly-bys at Dun Laoghaire.
The routed over Dublin City Centre up the river Liffey prior to landing at Weston for fuel departing again at 2.01pm for Dale and Pembroke Dock.

See Catalina’s display at Dun Laoghaire courtesy of Eva Szilagyi.

                                         

Captain Jeff Boylng and crew 

The 70 year old aircraft was built in 1943 by Canadian Vickers at Cartierville, Quebec, it served with the Royal Canadian Air Force from 1943 until 1961. It was then struck off charge and continued life for many years as a fire bomber in Canada and France. It was flown from Canada to the UK in 2004 and is now based at the Imperial War Museum Duxford.

The aircraft is to make return to Dublin Weston Executive Airport to part-take in FlightFest on 15th September.

For more information see Project Hawker 2013.
                           
Irish Aviation Research Institute © 26th August 2013 All Rights Reserved.