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PICTURES: Book records Catalina's visit and unexpected stay at iconic Highland beauty spot Loch Ness


By Louise Glen

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Pilot Paul Warren Wilson with Catalina Down photobook..
Pilot Paul Warren Wilson with Catalina Down photobook..

A book has been published documenting the plight of a stricken aircraft which made an unplanned landing in Loch Ness.

Catalina Down: Loch Ness Rescue, produced by Plane Sailing Air Displays Limited and The Catalina Society, is a collection of photographs marking Miss Pick Up's unexpected stay in the Highlands last October.

Chief pilot and director Paul Warren Wilson said: "With this Catalina we are flying a historic aeroplane.

"But we think that keeping using her is the important part, because to keep her going – we need to fly her regularly.

Catalina being put back into the water at Loch ness, Drumnadrochit....Picture: Callum Mackay..
Catalina being put back into the water at Loch ness, Drumnadrochit....Picture: Callum Mackay..

"She will go wherever she is wanted, and where we can raise funds for her upkeep. She has been to northern Europe and to Russia. She was actually in Inverness for filming work, the weekend in October when her engine failed.

"She had done her job and when we went to fly her off the water her engine failed. At first we thought it was her starter motor. If she had been on the air strip it may have been possible to fly her away, but we could not do that from the water.

"But it wasn't her starter motor – it was her engine."

Catalina being put back into the water at Loch ness, Drumnadrochit....Picture: Callum Mackay..
Catalina being put back into the water at Loch ness, Drumnadrochit....Picture: Callum Mackay..


Mr Wilson praised the people of Inverness and Loch Ness for the support they had given the Catalina.

He continued: "It was an amazing recovery, there was no rush and there was no hassle. There are so many people to thank, including the RNLI, Stoddarts, Gordon Menzies, landowners, Ness Rib are some of the many who supported us.

"Our volunteers came and stayed there at Loch Ness and everyone made them so welcome."

The book that shares the story of the Loch Ness rescue was funded jointly by Plane Sailing Air Displays Limited and The Catalina Society.

Catalina being put back into the water at Loch ness, Drumnadrochit....Picture: Callum Mackay..
Catalina being put back into the water at Loch ness, Drumnadrochit....Picture: Callum Mackay..

The Catalina Society is the supporters club for Miss Pick Up and exists to fully support, in all respects, the Catalina aircraft which is owned by Catalina Aircraft Limited (CAL) and operated by Plane Sailing Air Displays Limited (PSADL).

The society are selling copies of this photo book for £12 from its website at https://www.catalina.org.uk/shop/ to raise ongoing funds.

Mr Wilson also wanted to encourage people to support the work of the Catalina Society by visiting its website at https://www.catalina.org.uk/the-catalina-society-membership/ for further details.

For more on the Catalina click here.


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