[modern]

For anyone who has this model, do you know if the wheels are supposed to stay on for in-flight appearence?
When you remove these front wheels all that is left is two holes with no parts to cover it. So where should these wheels actually go once it takes off???

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by modern

For anyone who has this model, do you know if the wheels are supposed to stay on for in-flight appearence?
When you remove these front wheels all that is left is two holes with no parts to cover it. So where should these wheels actually go once it takes off???

IIRC, The Pembrooke Cat version is a "flying boat" which means that the wheels were only mounted when it was on land and removed as soon as it went back into the water.. The later Cats were amphibious, which means they had retractable landing gear..

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by modern

For anyone who has this model, do you know if the wheels are supposed to stay on for in-flight appearence?
When you remove these front wheels all that is left is two holes with no parts to cover it. So where should these wheels actually go once it takes off???

They would stay at the base until the aircraft returned to the beaching ramp.

[modern]

Thanks for the info - so were the front wheels in a fixed position when in-flight, when land based?

Cheers!

[Hoverbug]

Originally Posted by modern

Thanks for the info - so were the front wheels in a fixed position when in-flight, when land based?

Cheers!

The amphib (5A/6A versions) had retractable nose gear. The standard versions carried no gear whatsoever when airborne. They had the two mains and a tail wheel installed in the water before they taxied up the ramp.

http://uscgaviationhistory.aoptero.o...seq_number=371

[mapleflag]

Just to help clarify, plane enters the water from land and wheels are removed once it floats. when it returns wheels are re-attached at shoreline and it taxis or is towed up ramp.
Quite common on a lot of the 30's era flying boats. Amphibians came along in late 30 early 40's. All of the Shorts flying boats used beaching gear.

[modern]

Thanks for that.

So its worth keeping this model then?!

[dilligafocau]

Originally Posted by modern

Thanks for that.

So its worth keeping this model then?!

Check out Tricatus Unofficial Corgi Aviation Archive site http://www.tricatus.co.uk/catalina72.htm The later Snafu & Black Cat PBY 5 versions had retractable gear. I bought the earlier versions 'cos they were RAF