CAF Warbird Tube - The American Heritage Museum’s PBY-5A Catalina
September 2, 2026 During World War II, the PBY Catalina became one of the Allies’ most important long-range patrol aircraft, searching for enemy submarines, protecting convoys, and rescuing downed airmen. But few surviving Catalinas can tell a story quite like PBY-5A BuNo. 2459.
Accepted by the U.S. Navy just weeks after Pearl Harbor, 2459 was among the first PBY-5A amphibians built and was soon sent to Iceland for combat operations over the North Atlantic. It became the first PBY credited with sinking a German U-boat and ultimately accounted for three U-boats destroyed during the War.
In this episode of CAF Warbird Tube, Rob Collings, President of the American Heritage Museum, shares the remarkable story of BuNo. 2459 and the years-long effort to return it to its 1942 wartime configuration. From reconstructing its nose turret to locating rare original equipment and recreating its combat markings, the project required extraordinary research and craftsmanship.
Hear the story behind this award-winning restoration and what it takes to preserve an aircraft that didn’t just represent history. It helped make it.
More Info: https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/register/1545292581918359641?source=Website
