PBY tours to be offered during Labor Day Weekend

By Kathy Reed • August 25, 2011 11:15 am

This PBY Catalina will be open for tours Saturday, Sept. 3 at the PBY Memorial Foundation at the Seaplane Base on NAS Whidbey Island. The PBY was an American flying boat built by Consolidated Aircraft in the 1930s and 1940s. Photo courtesy of the PBY Memorial Foundation

Here’s something interesting to do this Labor Day weekend.

The PBY Memorial Foundation will be offering tours of the PBY Catalina aircraft it has on display outside its Naval History Center in Simard Hall (Bldg. 12) on Naval Air Station Whidbey Island’s Seaplane Base.

The PBY Catalina was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II and was the most successful aircraft of its kind.

The tours will be offered Saturday, Sept. 3 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Please note no high heels will be permitted on board.

In addition to the PBY outside the building, the Naval History Center features 11 display rooms dedicated to eras in history from World War II through Afghanistan and Iraq which are full of artifacts and memorabilia. There are also models of every plane ever flown out of NAS Whidbey.

The center is open every Wednesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Call 240-9500 for information.