catalina

Developed as a naval patrol aircraft, the Consolidated PBY Catalina was a widely exported flying boat during World War II. Over the course of the conflict, it served a number of different nations in a variety of roles. In the Royal Australian Air Force, PBYs and PB2Bs (a variant built by Boeing in Canada) served as multi-role bombers and scouts, the type eventually earning great renown among Australian aircrews.[2][3][4][5][6] The motto of the Catalina squadrons was "The First and Furthest." Source: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consolidated_PBY_Catalina_in_Austra...

The WAAAF was the first military organisation in Australia for women which focused on skills other than tending the sick or injured. The establishment of the WAAAF paved the way for similar organisations in Navy and Army. Some women joined the WAAAF because they saw it as their patriotic duty, others to see the world and some to escape the social confines of life at home with the men away. Critics viewed the new organisation as a radical move and at least one national leader, the Minister for Defence, Harold C. Thorby, (right) opposed it. 'Aviation takes women out of their natural environment, the home and the training of the family,' he said. These fabric workers knew to an inch the amount of material required to cover their aircraft. It's no exaggeration to say that military life came as shock to some women: they had trouble adjusting. The WAAAF was designed and run as an efficient military organisation. In all areas, except pay and entitlements, women were treated the same as men in the Royal Australian Air Force. Pay and conditions were vastly different to men, women were only paid a percentage of the equivalent male wage and married women were not allowed to remain in the WAAAF. Source: www.radschool.org.au/magazines/Vol75/Page15.htm

Photo #: 80-G-19974 (Complete Caption) Battle of Midway, June 1942 Crew of the Patrol Squadron 44 (VP-44) PBY-5A "Catalina" patrol bomber that found the approaching Japanese fleet's Midway Occupation Force on the morning of 3 June 1942. Those present are (standing, left to right): Aviation Machinist's Mate 2nd Class R.J. Derouin; Chief Aviation Radioman Francis Musser; Ensign Hardeman (Copilot); Ensign J. H. Reid (Pilot)--on wheel-- and Ensign R.A. Swan (Navigator). Kneeling are (left to right): Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class J.F. Gammell (Naval Aviation Pilot); Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class J. Goovers and Aviation Machinist's Mate 3rd Class P.A. Fitzpatrick. Names are as given on the original photographic mount card, in the custody of the National Archives. From: www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/OnlineLibrary/photos/images/g100...

Flying as Garuda Indonesian Airways Flight #892, unfortunately this exact aircraft would crash just five years later, killing all on board on a flight segment between Mumbai and Karachi. The cause was never officially found, though misfueling in Mumbai is suspected.