The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat / amphibious aircraft. During World War II, it served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces as well as those of many other nations.
Designed for maritime patrol bomber and search and rescue duties, the Catalina has a very long range of over 2,500 miles. Along with its ability to operate from water made the Catalina very versatile. It was adapted for many roles during the war. One such role was that of interdiction of Japanese supply convoys which were known as the Tokyo Express. The aircraft were painted matte black which made them nearly invisible when operating at night. Known as Black Cats, they became legendary for their effectiveness in sinking enemy shipping.
Taking off at dusk, Black Cats would patrol the night skies in search of enemy cargo ships and vessels transporting men and supplies to Japanese garrisons in the Solomon Islands. Water operations at night are inherently risky and it took very skilled pilots to handle the airplane in such conditions.
Black Cats would search for the glowing trails left by the bacteria in the water left by passing enemy ships. During an attack, the engines would be cut and the airplane would glide silently and unseen to the target and release its bomb load. Missions were dangerous but highly successful. The effectiveness and stealthy nature of the Black Cats caused confusion among the Japanese, who spread rumors of advanced super plane to explain their losses.
Black Cat operations were active from September 1942 to the spring of 1945. This is my depiction of a well-worn Black Cat getting airborne at dusk at the start of another nighttime mission.