PBY CATALINA MEMORIAL NAS WHIDBEY ISLAND SEAPLANE BASE OAK HARBOR The Memorial Project The PBY Memorial Foundation is currently in the fund raising phase of their extensive project to preserve the legacy of the PBY Catalina and the seaplane base from which the seaplane operated during the 1940's. The Association has a working Board of Directors and a large member base actively involved in the project. The PBYMA is a non-profit 501(c)3 corporation recognized by the IRS as a tax-exempt organization. Founded in September 1998, the Association continues to add to its membership and funding base by members themselves, but looks to corporate funding to obtain the larger components of the air museum.  To learn how you can make a contribution to this effort, click here. Our Historical Data & Artifacts Committee is in the process of recording crew and aircraft history from logs, files and personal interviews. The PBYMA library will have one of the most comprehensive files of PBY Catalina and seaplane history. Although the PBY is the focal point of the Memorial, a history of seaplanes from WWI to WWII is planned for the display area. Scale models of various seaplanes and amphibians will be displayed as a visual "story board" showing the evolution of Naval flying boats. Modelers will have a work area to build and display their creations. Seaplane model builders will put on their own modeler's shows and contests. The Memorial will house a Theater/Lecture Hall where films and videotape documentaries of the PBY will be shown. Prominent figures from Naval aviation and veteran pilots and crew members will share their experiences to school groups and history enthusiasts. The Meeting Room will be open to board meetings, membership meetings and other associations directly or indirectly associated with aviation. The Memorial Gift Shop and Book Store will inventory scale model aircraft, videotapes, CD's, pins, patches, caps, t-shirts, emblems, books, photos, ceramics, decals and an aviation art gallery. Surrounding the PBY itself in the main hangar area will be large visual aids and photos of the PBY in action. A diorama of the Catalina in each phase of its service will be a feature of the Memorial. The Memorial itself including the PBY Catalina is divided into the following components for fund raising purposes: 1. The PBY-5A or PBY-6A amphibian aircraft 2. The Memorial Hangar A. Office B. Conference Room C. Library/Archival Repository (Gene Guthrie Memorial Library) D. Staff Kitchen/Rest Rooms 3. Theater/Lecture Hall 4. Gift Shop/Book Store 5. Meeting Room 6. Models/Display Workshop 7. Storage 8. Hangar Maintenance 9. Aircraft Maintenance Other components of the Memorial include: Diorama exhibits Photo mural and large standing visuals Children's activity center Snack Bar Rest Area Public Rest Areas Click on an image to view a larger copy. To learn how you can make a contribution to this effort, click here.