Thanks to the PBY's daring pilots and their effective tactics, the slow outdated Catalina patrol bombers became the scourge of Japanese shipping in the South Pacific during World War II. Painted black and hunting at night, the Black Cats, as they were called, are credited with sinking or disabling hundreds of thousands of tons of cargo vessels, troop transports, and warships. Curiously their exploits were known to few outside the naval aviation community until the publication of this book in 1981.

This testimonial to their magnificent performance is told by an experienced flying boat pilot, who has pieced together the fascinating story from reminiscences of the men who flew the long, arduous missions and from official navy records. It is an inspiring tale of fearless men in machines ill-designed for combat who wreaked havoc on a dangerous and merciless adversary. Illustrated with more than sixty photographs and detailed line drawings, it is a book to be savoured by those who like their adventure stories to ring true.

About the Author
Capt. Richard K. Knott (Ret.) is the author of The American Flying Boat and A Heritage of Wings. He is a recipient of the Admiral Arthur W. Radford Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation History and Literature and the Alfred Thayer Mahan Award for Literary Achievement. He lives with his wife, Eleanor, in Fairfax, Virginia.


Book Information
ISBN 9781557504715
Author Richard C. Knott
Format Paperback
Page Count 208
Imprint Naval Institute Press
Publisher Naval Institute Press
Weight(grams) 303g