Catalina - the flying yacht

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Discussion

ChemicalChaos

10,360 posts

159 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
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Fantastic article, what a way to travel!
I cannot believe the attacks thought a plane with children playing around it was an Israeli military operation, and how the hell did their government's refusal to accept things not cause a huge diplomatic incident?

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
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If anyone had spoken severely to the Saudis what do you think would have happened?

"Begone infidel swine and forget taking any Arab Oil with you

And forget those nice shiny aeroplanes/ tanks/ ships/ holiday home builds you thought we would buy off you

Ah, you are sorry for that evil insinuation, good

So here's an order for twenty more shiny aeroplanes for your good manners

infidel!"

No one dares tell them to do anything

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,150 posts

264 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
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Things may be changing now that shale oil/gas is coming onstream. The Arabs have had it too cushy for too long.

perdu

4,884 posts

198 months

Tuesday 20th January 2015
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Simpo Two said:
Things may be changing now that shale oil/gas is coming onstream. The Arabs have had it too cushy for too long.
I hope I live long enough to see that happen

Huntsman

8,028 posts

249 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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What would it cost to buy a Catalina now?

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,150 posts

264 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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Huntsman said:
What would it cost to buy a Catalina now?
I believe a PHer owns part of one - perhaps you could buy another part of it?

Eric Mc

121,785 posts

264 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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The UK based Catalina offers part shares for anyone who is interested.

Fishtigua

9,786 posts

194 months

Friday 23rd January 2015
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Eric Mc said:
The UK based Catalina offers part shares for anyone who is interested.
£17.5k a go.

http://www.catalina.org.uk/buy-a-catalina-share

K50 DEL

9,227 posts

227 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Is my brain having a fart or did Dirk Pitt not have and fly one of these in the Clive Cussler books?

Huntsman

8,028 posts

249 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Fishtigua said:
That's cheaper than running my boat! What a bargain.

Hooli

32,278 posts

199 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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K50 DEL said:
Is my brain having a fart or did Dirk Pitt not have and fly one of these in the Clive Cussler books?
He did indeed. Now I'm trying to remember which book, I think it might have been several. Doesn't he dogfight with a WW1 Albatross at the start of one book?

K50 DEL

9,227 posts

227 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Hooli said:
K50 DEL said:
Is my brain having a fart or did Dirk Pitt not have and fly one of these in the Clive Cussler books?
He did indeed. Now I'm trying to remember which book, I think it might have been several. Doesn't he dogfight with a WW1 Albatross at the start of one book?
Definitely has a mention in many of the books, the dogfight scene is in Mayday, one of the earlier (and hence better) books.

ChemicalChaos

10,360 posts

159 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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K50 DEL said:
Hooli said:
K50 DEL said:
Is my brain having a fart or did Dirk Pitt not have and fly one of these in the Clive Cussler books?
He did indeed. Now I'm trying to remember which book, I think it might have been several. Doesn't he dogfight with a WW1 Albatross at the start of one book?
Definitely has a mention in many of the books, the dogfight scene is in Mayday, one of the earlier (and hence better) books.
It's at the start of Mayday. He manages to down an Albatros with Giordino sniping at its engine with a carbine. At one point he slightly implausibly does a loop in it!
I've got every single Pitt book and sadly the Catalina doesn't make another appearance as Pitt's transport. The Ford Trimotor stars several times in later books though, if that's what you're thinking of

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,150 posts

264 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Albatros downed by a Catalina? Was the Albatros flown by a vegetarian civil servant?

ChemicalChaos

10,360 posts

159 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Simpo Two said:
Albatros downed by a Catalina? Was the Albatros flown by a vegetarian civil servant?
Not sure if you're aware, but this is a work of fiction not a true story book.
And yes, in the story, the Catalina's greater speed is used to repeatedly get alongside the Albatros, to put several rifle rounds into its engine out of one of the hull windows. The Albatros then staggers off out to sea (the battle having taken place over a Mediterranean island) and crashes.

The Catalina's pilot is a daredevil ex-USAF major, and the Albatros is being flown by the amateur pilot henchman of a Blofeld-like evil villain

Edited by ChemicalChaos on Sunday 25th January 17:54

Simpo Two

Original Poster:

85,150 posts

264 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Yep, I know it's fiction but even fiction has to be believeable... it was nice of the Albatros pilot to fly straight and level and let the other guy shoot him down with a rifle spin

Fishtigua

9,786 posts

194 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Simpo Two said:
Yep, I know it's fiction but even fiction has to be believeable.spin
It's Dirk Pitt, THE most unbelievable hero ever written. Dross by any measure.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

260 months

Sunday 25th January 2015
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Fishtigua said:
It's Dirk Pitt, THE most unbelievable hero ever written. Dross by any measure.
+1

Swallows and Amazons for grown ups, but rather less intelligent.

K50 DEL

9,227 posts

227 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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Dr Jekyll said:
Fishtigua said:
It's Dirk Pitt, THE most unbelievable hero ever written. Dross by any measure.
+1

Swallows and Amazons for grown ups, but rather less intelligent.
Ooh, come on now, they're not that bad.... the early ones are a great read.. Night Probe and Raise the Titanic are still 2 of the books I enjoy reading the most even if it is probably nearly 25 years since I first read them.

I will agree that they went downhill once Clive Cussler started actually putting himself as a character into them but I still wouldn't call them dross, there's a lot worse out there!

A Bit like Tom Clancy, his later books (the Op Force series) are garbage compared to the early ones.

Dr Jekyll

23,820 posts

260 months

Monday 26th January 2015
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K50 DEL said:
Dr Jekyll said:
Fishtigua said:
It's Dirk Pitt, THE most unbelievable hero ever written. Dross by any measure.
+1

Swallows and Amazons for grown ups, but rather less intelligent.
Ooh, come on now, they're not that bad.... the early ones are a great read.. Night Probe and Raise the Titanic are still 2 of the books I enjoy reading the most even if it is probably nearly 25 years since I first read them.
I agree that providing you can tolerate Dirk Pitt some are worth reading for the plot or because the initial situation is so bizarre you want to find the explanation. But DP is an utterly ridiculous hero and that is distracting.

Not sure I'd read any twice though.