History / Rare sight as Catalina flying boat lands in Sumburgh
A SECOND World War Catalina flying boat has landed in Shetland as it marks the 80th anniversary of Victoria Crosses (VC) being awarded to two Catalina pilots.
The plane landed at Sumburgh Airport at midday (Wednesday) after flying up from Aberdeen.
Earlier today it performed a flypast over the home of 104-year-old John Cruickshank in Aberdeen. He was awarded a VC in 1944 after flying a Catalina out of Sullom Voe to attack and sink the German submarine U-361.
During the engagement the Catalina had sustained damage and its navigator JC Dickson was killed. Cruickshank was hit in 72 places with two serious wounds to his lungs. He nevertheless brought the aircraft back to Sullom Voe, landed the aircraft and ran it ashore to stop it from sinking. Cruickshank is the last surviving WW2 Victoria Cross holder.
The Catalina plane – the only one in the UK still in operation, and which started its trip in Duxford, England – is also due to fly over the Lerwick new cemetery as well as the site of the former RAF base at Sullom Voe on Thursday.
A wreath laying ceremony was also held at the Knab graveyard in Lerwick on Wednesday afternoon.
The Catalina amphibious aircraft was a common sight during WW2, and several were stationed at the Scatsta RAF base. They were mainly used in anti-submarine warfare, convoy escort and search and rescue missions especially at sea.
The second VC being commemorated was awarded posthumously to Flt Lt David Hornell who, flying out of Wick, sank the German submarine U-1225 on 24 June 1944.
Despite the aircraft being on fire Hornell managed to land it on a heavy swell with the crew taking to the only serviceable dinghy. By the time they were rescued 21 hours later flight engineers DS Scott and St Laurent had died and Hornell died shortly afterwards.
Hornell and Dickson are both buried at the Knab graveyard in Lerwick. Wreaths are also due to be laid at the Sullom Voe memorial on Wednesday afternoon, while the overfly of Lerwick and Sullom Voe is planned for Thursday.
Speaking after the wreath laying at the war graves at Lerwick cemetery, Catalina pilot Jeffrey Boyling said he wanted to thank everybody who had helped to make this “very emotional” trip possible.
He added: “It is moving, extremely moving. We are here because of them.
“My parents both served in the war and they instilled in me the importance of recognition. (…) They gave up five years of their lives to serve in the Second World War to give me the freedom that I enjoy today. They survived the war, and these chaps here they didn’t.”
Speaking about the aircraft, he said he learned to fly and ended up becoming flying instructor. ” The opportunity came along to fly the Catalina. I ticked all the right boxes – including a sea plane rating – and I have been flying the Catalina for 12 years now.
“The aircraft is airworthy, we work hard to maintain its airworthiness, and to keep her airworthy for as long as possible. And if we can keep our medicals and train younger pilots to fly her we will continue to do so.”
He confirmed that they would leave Sumburgh Airport at 10am on Thursday to conduct a fly over of Lerwick cemetery and then Sullom Voe before heading south for Wick and a number of other RAF coastal command stations in Scotland.
Boyling is also still raising funds to make the ‘Operation Shetland 2024’ trip possible. Donations can be made via this GoFundMe page.
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