PBY-5A Catalina N423RS

[DavidLegg]

Any idea as to who the new owners are and where in the US (it's a rather large place y'know ) ?

No idea I'm afraid MrWidgeon - it is still registered to the Wells Fargo Bank as trustee (which doesn't help a bit!).

[MrWidgeon]

Thanks David (can't blame a guy for trying).

Bill

[DavidLegg]

I have changed the subject header as the previous reference to North Weald is no longer appropriate. For the record, it departed Southampton Docks bound for Jacksonville FL on 25th January, the new owner being 'PBY Aviation'. Thus ends this Catalina's association with the UK. It arrived at Duxford from Hamburg in September 1998 and was cared for by Plane Sailing Air Display Ltd's engineer. Whilst there it was manually pulled down the runway one Sunday afternoon for fund-raising purposes. In due course it was sold and thereafter it only flew on three occasions - when it was ferried Duxford to Lee on the Solent; Lee to North Weald and North Weald to Biggin Hill.

[Rajay]

Bump!

David, any further clue as to the who the new owners in the US are, what their plans are, and exactly what the current status of the aircraft is? It was reportedly shipped to Port St. Lucie, FL; is it still there and is any work actively being done on it? I have not been able to find any additional information about "PBY Aviation Inc."

[DavidLegg]

Hi 'Rajay'. I have no further info on N423RS since my item published here http://www.catalina.org.uk/2015/07/31/w ... july-2015/

I would guess it is still at Port St Lucie but I have no information on progress. It is still registered with the FAA to Wells Fargo Bank which masks the true owner. Indeed, when in the UK it was registered to Southern Aircraft Consultancy for quite a while - again not the 'true' owner - see http://www.southernaircraft.co.uk

Any update welcomed!

[Rajay]

Always wondered what exactly the deal was with Southern Aircraft Consultancy. I always figured it was some kind of museum in its own right due to the number aircraft they have registered. I had no idea it was blind front similar to State of Delaware corporate tax shelters here in the US. Thanks for that info.

And I believe the other "PBY" we discussed recently, N9767, is also registered through them - although you told me that it is actually based in France and not very active of late.

And d@mn! Just did a name search for "Southern Aircraft Consultancy" in the FAA Registry and they have 856 different aircraft under their "name" registered in the US. What a racket.