Catalina Mk I, Ah565 / WQ-H.
Tha Incident:
RAF Catalina MK I Flying boat Buno AH565 (WQ-H) from RAF 209 Squadron was coming back from convoy patrol N of Iceland. Reykjavík Airfield was reported closed due to extremely bad weather. The flying boat landed at sea by Akranes (small town 22 Km N of Reykjavík) at 20:00 hours. The flying boat was parked at mooring made for smaller fishing boats. During the night the mooring broke. The crew was onboard and with the engines running was steering the flying boat into the wind. A nearby fishing Wessel tried to help to save the flying boat by sending a small boat with a rope to tow (or hold) the flying boat. The pilot had to shut down the flying boat engines while hooking up the towing gear. With the engines shut the pilot lost control of the flying boat and she beached in an area named Teigavör. The hull of the flying boat was heavily damaged. The flying boat was dismantled at the site and written off.
Source: Costal Command History website. Updated: March 22. 2015
The Crew:
Crew survived (Normal RAF Catalina Mk. I crew was 10)
The Aircraft:
Consolidated Mk I. Catalina.
Direct purchase aircraft for the Royal Air Force, same as the PBY-5 with six 0.303 in guns (one in the bow, four in waist blisters and one aft of the hull step) and powered by two 1,200 hp R-1830-S1C3-G engines, 109 built.
Buno: AH565
Aircraft Identifier: WQ-H
Operator: No. 209 (City of Hong Kong) Squadron RAF.
The squadron operated Catalina in Iceland from July 30. 1941 to Oct. 10. 1941.
