The Catalina will be visiting Oban on the 19th of July to commemorate two Victoria Crosses awarded to Catalina Pilots in 1944
Background : This year is the 80th anniversary of two VCs being awarded to Catalina Pilots.
On July 17th it will be 80 years since Flt Lt John Cruickshank won his VC for action flying a Catalina of 210 Squadron RAF out of Sullom Voe.
Previously on June 24th, 1944, Flt Lt David Hornell RCAF was awarded a posthumous VC for action flying a Catalina (Consolidated Canso amphibian) of 162 (Bomber Reconnaissance) Squadron RCAF out of RAF Wick.
These were the only Catalina VCs and so to commemorate the 80th anniversary a flight is planned from the Imperial War Museum Duxford (IWM Duxford) to overfly various RAF Coastal Command bases, landing in Aberdeen where John Cruickshank lives before continuing to Sumburgh, Shetland. A flight is planned over Lerwick New Cemetery and Sullom Voe before returning to Duxford via the west coast and a number of RAF Coastal Command stations: Wick, Invergordon, Alness, Inverness and Oban. The whole trip will take 5 days weather permitting.
Track the flight on the Catalina Society’s website – GPS Flight Tracker
Weather permitting the Catalina will be arriving on Friday the 19th, staying overnight before departing on Saturday the 20th back to Duxford
To support the funding of this commemorative flight a crowdfunding page has been set up by The Catalina Society. Here’s the link: https://gofund.me/9c48a414 (Key tip. The 16% tip can be set to any figure including 0%).
