Arara, PBY-5A Catalina ‘2’ as painted after the naming ceremony of August 28, 1943, following the sinking of the U-Boat U-199.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

PBY-5A (CA-10) 6509 in the final FAB colours. Note the °ETA badge on the fin, with the unit’s famous flying turtle cartoon.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

US Navy Catalina PBY-5A seen at Fernando de Noronha, an archipelago off northeast coast of Brazil, during the war, probably from VP-94, which sent a four-aircraft section to the island late in 1943.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

FAB Catalina PBY-5 ‘2’, BuNo 08166, the aircraft that sank U-199, later named Arara, at Galedo Air Base in Rio armed with depth charges about the time of the naming ceremony.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

Then Capitao Almir Polycarpo (left) and Tenente Sergio Schnoor in front of a PBY-5 of the Galeao patrol group, probably ‘1’, as the number on the fuselage appears to indicate.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

U-Boat killer, PBY-5 ‘2’ seen after it was named Arara, in Guanabara Bay, with downtown Rio de Janeiro behind.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

PBY-5A ‘10’probably taken in 1945, showing the aircraft repainted in blue colours, as those that came in 1944 were mostly white. Note radar and the unusual postwar blue circle with the FAB star.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

FAB PBY-5A ‘26’, one of the Canadian-built versions that were purchased after the war. Note two-tone camouflage, radar and the exhaust angled upwards.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

Number ‘16’, landing at Galeao Air Base. Note black numbers, small star on the fuselage and green and yellow rudder. Not yet equipped with radar.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

Brazilian Air Force CA-10 Catalina 6509 the final form of a long line of Cats operated by the country.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

A bow view of Arara. Note the cockade under the wing.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

Catalina ‘2’ during the baptism at Galedo Air Base, August 28, 1943. On the right, delivering a speech, is the press baron, Assis Chateaubriand.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

Ground crew pose with FAB PBY-5A ‘14’, immediately after the war in one of the Rio air bases. P-47 Thunderbolt and B-25 Mitchell in the background. This was one of the 15 received in 1944 from the US Navy.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935North American B-25J Mitchell / PBJ-1G - СШАUSA - 1943Republic P-47D-25 / P-47N Thunderbolt - СШАUSA - 1943

FAB Catalina ‘01’ taken in late 1943 at Belem, in Amazonia, showing the three colour camouflage.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Consolidated PBY Catalina - СШАUSA - 1935

Alberto Martins Torres, reserve officer with the Brazilian Air Force, at his home in July 1993. Behind is a poster of a P-47 and the personnel of the First Brazilian Fighter Squadron in Italy.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Republic P-47D-25 / P-47N Thunderbolt - СШАUSA - 1943

Crew of the Tracker S-2E (P-16E) and two air force public relations officers that participated in the ceremony of July 31, 1993, 50 years after the sinking of U-199. Pilot of the Tracker was Capitao Ronald Fleming Gonzaga (extreme right). Aircraft was number 7030, from the 1° Esquadrao of the 1° Grupo de Aviacao Embarcada (1st Carrier Aviation Group).

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Grumman S-2 Tracker / TF-1 Trader - СШАUSA - 1954

Sergio Schnoor, reserve officer of the Brazilian Air Force, in front of the Embraer P-95A 7057, of the 2° Esquadrao of the 1° Grupo de Aviacao Embarcada (First Carrier Aviation Group), on the morning of July 31, 1993. Schnoor went in this aircraft to the location where, 50 years previously, he had helped sink U-199. This time he carried a flower wreath.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Embraer EMB-110 Banderiante - БразилияBrazil - 1968

View of a wartime Brazilian Hudson, ‘31’. A name appears to be written forward of the number. It is possible that, like the Catalina Arara, some Hudsons received names of ships, but photos of Hudsons are rare.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Lockheed Hudson A-28 / A-29 - СШАUSA - 1938

Brazilian officers pose in front of FAB Hudson ’73’. According to Sergio Schnoor, this was the aircraft he piloted during the U-199 attack. From left to right, Segundo-tenente Medeiros, Primeiro-tenente Freitas, Segundo-tenente Schnoor and Capitao Rohm.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Lockheed Hudson A-28 / A-29 - СШАUSA - 1938

Wartime picture of the Hudson successor, the Ventura, in FAB service. Note the painted-over American marking on the rear fuselage and the FAB star painted behind, with smaller arms than the versions that used to be applied directly over the American insignia. This too, carries a name on the nose, possibly NETTII.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Lockheed Hudson A-28 / A-29 - СШАUSA - 1938

Sergio C Schnoor (left) and Alberto M Torres during the first phase of primary flight training with the Fairchild PT-19 in Uvalde, Texas, in 1942.

Самолёты на фотографии: Aircrafts on the photo: Fairchild PT-19 / PT-23 / PT-26 Cornell - СШАUSA - 1939