Powerhouse to unveil new iconic Catalina exhibition

By ELLIOT HEATH

The iconic Catalina flying boat ‘Frigate Bird II’ will be presented in a new exhibition opening on the 6^th of October at the Powerhouse Museum. The exhibition aims to tell story of the plane’s historic ventures across the Pacific.

The Catalina will be lowered from the ceiling for the first time in over 30 years to facilitate it being the focal point of the new exhibition.

Captained by early aviation pioneer Sir P G Taylor, the Catalina undertook the first return flight from Australia to South America, stopping at 7 Pacific Island nations along the way, en route to Chile.

Taylor isn’t only known for his work on the Catalina. In 1935 he gained heroic status across the nation, saving the lives of his crew on the failed Southern Cross flight from Australia to New Zealand.

Taylor donated the plane to the Powerhouse Museum in 1988 for its opening, and it has been suspended 10 metres in the air as the centerpiece of the Transport Exhibition located in the Boiler room since then.

The new exhibition will feature never seen before artifacts provided by Taylor’s daughters, Susie and Gai, such as a thermos flask which Taylor used to transfer oil to the failing engine on the doomed 1935 flight, a selection of photographic images from the flight, a navigation instrument set, a handcrafted photograph album presented to the crew on arrival in Chile, flags flown by the Catalina in Australia and Chile, and the remnants of a uniform cap destroyed by the aircraft’s propeller during wild conditions departing Easter Island on the outward journey.

The decision to lower the Catalina for the upcoming exhibition has reignited controversy surrounding the preservation of the plane.

The announcement in 2020 that the Powerhouse Museum would be moved to a new site in Parramatta brought the future of the Catalina into question, ultimately forcing the Powerhouse Museum to backflip on its plans to move the Catalina to its new site over concerns about the ability to preserve the plane whilst relocating it.

The lowering of the plane has again sparked rumours that it could be on the move, despite the backlash received in 2020.

The exhibition will open on the 6^th of October this year with Powerhouse Chief Executive Lisa Havilah describing the exhibition as a rare opportunity for the public.

“The Catalina flying bird Frigate Bird II is one of the most iconic objects in the Powerhouse collection and one much loved by the public for over 30 years. This exhibition presents a rare opportunity for our audiences to connect with the stories of this piece of Australian aviation history.”