The Rathmines Catalina Festival is an annual celebration of the rich history of the WWII RAAF Base. Now in its 6th year, the festival promotes the significance of the base both locally and nationally. The Rathmines RAAF base reached its peak strength of almost 3,000 RAAF personnel in 1944-45. It comprised 230 buildings and marine facilities and there were forty aircraft in service. The event serves to commemorate the significance of the former RAAF Base during WWII and pay respect to those who served at the Base and lost their lives through the war effort.
Date: Saturday 3 November 2012
When: 10 AM to 3.00 PM
Where: Rathmines Park Dorrington Road Rathmines
Cost: $5 for adults, children under 12 are free
Visit the website on www.catalinafestival.com.au
Or Like it on Facebook: Rathmines Catalina Festival
The Historical Aircraft Restoration Society (HARS) plans to fly its fully restored Consolidated PBY Amphibious Catalina (Registration VH-PBZ) from Albion Park to the 2012 Rathmines Catalina Festival. HARS plan to alight the Catalina on Lake Macquarie at approximately 10:30am, and then taxi up the ramp onto the hard stand at the former RAAF base. HARS will open the Cat to the public for inspection at the Festival. The aircraft will depart from Lake Macquarie at approximately 3pm for its return flight to Albion Park.
There will be RAAF Balloon and an authentic Beaufighter cockpit section, along with 10 light amphibious seaplanes flying in and parking on the hard stand at the Festival. These will include Lake Buccaneers, Super Petrels, and Seareays. De Havillland Tiger Moths from Luskintyre plan to flypast the Festival as a salute to the former RAAF base. Paul Bennet will fly an aerobatic display in his Pitts Special aircraft. All this and food stalls, playground for the kids and live music. The day has something for everyone.
Other places the flying boats flew from or to in Australia.
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