A Catalina Amphibian on the Ramp at Oshkosh

AVweb's photo of the day for October 8 shows a Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina at Oshkosh, Wisconsin. The -5A suffix identifies the amphibious version of the type, which pairs the boat hull with retractable wheels so it can operate from pavement as readily as from water. Parked, the airplane is unmistakable from across any ramp: the wing sits high on a central pylon, the two radial engines are mounted close together on top of it, and the glazed blisters aft of the wing define the fuselage profile. For an owner used to seeing a row of light jets on the Oshkosh line, a flying boat with its gear down is a reminder of how wide the range of airframes that turn up there actually is. The image carried no further information about the aircraft or who operates it.

With reporting from AVweb.