Modern aviation relies greatly upon computers and other time and labor saving applications, such as the auto-pilot function. But that was not always the case.

In the days before specialized computers, successful aviators depended purely upon skill, and the teamwork of all crewmembers, to accomplish the mission.

Such was the case of the storied PBY Catalina aircraft and its crew, said former Aviation Machinist Mate and World War II veteran Win Stites.

Stites served from 1943 to 1946. The last two years of his Navy career were spent as a flight engineer on PBYs.

“The job of the flight engineer was engine control operations,” said Stites. “That and the control of the floats, wheels and props.”

Stites said some other duties he remembers are now done in the Navy by the plane’s captain — duties such as safety checks and flight clearance.

“The flight engineer took a load off the pilot and co-pilot, so that they could concentrate on the flight itself,” said Stites.

Not that the pilots had it that easy, either.

“The PBY aircraft we flew during the war had very few hydraulic controls,” said Stites. “What that meant was that the pilot had to move the ailerons and other controls manually, all of which requires training and experience. And sometimes, training could be just as hazardous as war.”

PBY pilots and co-pilots assisted one another during the flight, Stites said. The airplane could fly 12 to 18 hours nonstop on patrols.

According to Stites, the crew’s navigation aids included slide rules and a sextant — quite a difference from what is used in modern naval aircraft.

The unique mission of the PBY aircraft, a seaplane initially used for patrol but used for rescue operations as well, required even more expertise. Weather conditions always factored into flight decisions, as they do now, but successful operation of seaplanes also depended greatly upon sea conditions.

Stites explained what that meant for the crew of their PBY, typically 7 to 9 members.

“When coming down for a landing, you couldn’t see the water surface — we did not have the sophisticated instruments then that would have allowed that.

“And the weather itself could be absolutely unforgiving — heavy seas and rough water were not the sort of things we wanted to take off or land in, obviously.

“On the other hand, you didn’t want to land on water that was smooth as glass either,” said Stites. He explained that water surfaces that are entirely smooth create suction to the plane hull during landing.

The ideal water landing took place on surfaces that “had a few white-caps” on them, he said.

“If there weren’t any, we would sometimes create our own waves and an ideal landing surface by circling low over the water,” said Stites.

One of the most dramatic and tragic events in which the PBY aircraft figured was during the closing days of World War II. The occasion was the sinking of the USS Indianapolis by a Japanese submarine. Though hundreds of sailors died, a PBY Catalina, piloted by Navy Lt. Adrian Marks, managed to land in heavy seas and rescue more than 50.

Although Stites did not participate in that rescue, he remembers the incident well.

“These planes were able to pick up many survivors during wartime,” he said. “They did a valiant job.”

And in spite of what may seem to some to be limitations of the PBY, Stites’ own affection for the airplane remains undiminished. Even as he downplays his own wartime experiences, he saw his share of close calls as well.

“I loved the PBYs — they were slow, noisy but they always got us home — even on one engine,” said Stites.

“I don’t have a real colorful history,” he continued. “But we patrolled and did our duty.”

Today, Stites and his wife, Donna, are active volunteers in their community. Win especially enjoys being a docent at the PBY Memorial Foundation’s Aviation History Center on the Seaplane Base. There, he sees visitors from all over.

“I met someone visiting from England the other day,” he said.

And it is not surprising to learn that he doesn’t think of age as being a limitation.

“We had an 88-year-old visitor come by last weekend. She wanted to see what it was like to be in the pilot’s seat of the static PBY aircraft we have parked outside our building. Guess what — she was able to crawl up in there by herself, no problem,” said Stites. “That was a thrill for us to see that.”