TL6_PBY-5A

This is the first amphibious version of the Patrol Bomber built by Consolidated Aircraft Company.  (Their company code was Y, hence the PBY.)

Previous versions lacked wheels and were rolled into the water with special gear.  The 6A version would later add a radar.

All four hardpoints would carry bombs or depth charges,  or a pair of torpedoes would be carried on only the inner hardpoints, depending on the mission.

The flight engineer operated the engines from inside the wing.

The two dedicated .50 caliber MG gunners had clear blisters around their open mounts on either side of the waist of the aircraft which they used in spotting ships and other aircraft.  In addition the bomber manned a pair of 7.62mm machineguns in the nose, while the radio operator had a single 7.62mm machinegun facing to the rear.

PBYs were most often used for reconnaissance, with their long endurance they could survey vast stretches of ocean.  A PBY in royal navy service (they called it the Catalina) spotted the Bismark, while a US Navy "Cat" spotted the IJN fleet attacking Midway Island.

The BPY's slow speed left it vulnerable during daytime, but special black painted "Black Cats" patroled at night and were especially effective during the Solomon islands campaign at intercepting Japanese convoys.

Crew: pilot, copilot, radio operator, bomber, navigatior, flight engineer, two gunners.

Subassemblies: Vehicle +5, Wheels +2, Body +5, 2xOpen Mount +2, Wings +4. 

P&P: two 900-kW gasoline engines (turbo/super charger, short term access) [Wings], two 900-kW aerial propellers [Wings]. 

Fuel: 1,450 gal aviation gas (fire 13) [Wings], 1,450 gal light fuel tank (fire modifier 2) [Wings]. 

Occ: five roomy crew stations (improved access), roomy crew station (improved access) [2xOpen Mount], roomy crew station (improved access) [Wings], four folding bunks	Cargo: 25-cf cargo hold

Armor  F   RL  B   T   U
Wheels 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3
Body   2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3
Wings  2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3 2/3

Weaponry                        Malf  Type Damage   SS Acc 1/2D yds Max yds RoF TL
7.62mm forward rifled automatic Crit. Cr   7d       17 13  700      3,900   20  6
7.62mm aft rifled automatic     Crit. Cr   7d       17 13  700      3,900   20  6
12.7mm rifled automatic         Crit. Cr   11d+2    20 13  900      4,500   13  6
12.7mm AP ammo                  -     Cr   11d+2(2) -  13  900      4,500   -   6
7.62mm AP ammo                  -     Cr   7d(2)    -  13  700      3,900   -   6

Equipment
Body: set of precision navigation instruments; long range radio communicator (100-mile range); improved bombsight; two 7.62mm forward rifled automatics (long barrel; heavy auto); 7.62mm aft rifled automatic (long barrel; heavy auto); 2,000 rounds 12.7mm AP ammo; 1,000 rounds 7.62mm AP ammo.  Open Mount: universal mount; 12.7mm rifled automatic (long barrel).  Wings: two 1,000 lbs. untapped, unloaded outer hard points; two 2,000 lbs. untapped inner hard points.  

Statistics
Size: [LxWxH] 64’x20’x20’	Payload: 16,100 lbs.	Lwt.: 37,667 lbs.
Volume: 1,792 cf	Maint.: 34 hours (2.83 mh/day)	Price: $346,932 

HT: 9	HP: 50 each [3xWheels], 600 [Body], 400 each [2xOpen Mount], 375 each [Wings]. 

Ground Performance: Motive Power 1,350-kW, Top Speed 140 mph, gAcc 5 mph/s, gDec 10 mph/s, gMR 0.25, gSR 3, Ground Pressure 18,833 lbs./sf, Off Road Speed 0 mph.

Water Performance: Top Speed 30 mph, wAcc 3 mph/s, wDec 0.25 mph/s (1.75 mph/s), wMR 0.05, wSR 3, Draft 3 ft, Drag 56, Flotation 45,185 lbs.

Air Performance: Motive Thrust 5,400 lbs., Stall Speed 70 mph, Top Speed 145 mph, Terminal Velocity 385 mph, Glide Speed 154 mph, Glide Ratio 5.06:1, aAccel 3 mph/s, aMR 3.58, aSR 3, aDecel 14.3 mph/s, Take off 245 yds, Water Take off 408 yds, Landing 123 yds, Water Landing 4,900 yds.

Design Notes: 
TL6 light frame expensive materials [Vehicle].
TL6 DR 3 advanced metal [Vehicle].
Operating Duration:  17 H 54 M 4 S.
Payload Cost: $3,764
Vehicle Features: mechanical controls, duplicate controls, waterproofed, fair streamlining, 1000 sf of surface area on all externally carried craft.
Air Features: STOL wings, air speeds not clamped.
Water Features:  very fine lines, flotation, hydrodynamic.
Body: heavy compartmentalization.
Wheels: quantity 3, retract into body.
Open Mount: limited rotation.
Volume: 50.2 cf [Wheels], 1,004 cf [Body], 67.2 cf [2xOpen Mount], 603 cf [Wings].
Area: 100 sf [Wheels], 800 sf [Body], 100 sf [2xOpen Mount], 1,000 sf [Wings].
Book Options: Vehicles Expansion stall speed.