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The American PBY-5A Catalina was a flying boat and amphibious aircraft introduced to the service in late 1936. With over 3,300 aircraft produced in total, Catalinas played a major role in all branches of American armed forces during the Second World War. In the Aleutian Islands campaign, flying boats from the 4th Patrol Wing carried out not only reconnaissance patrols in the area but also attacked Japanese ground targets and encounteredships. In the thick mists and unstable weather conditions, Catalinas were the only reliable aircraft able to spy on the enemy. (Artwork by Jean-Marie Guillou)