"The Black Cats" polo

The “Black Cats” were Catalina squadrons hunting Japanese ships in the dead of night!

Although this heavy, slow aircraft was considered an easy target, the matte black paint transformed this giant into an invisible nocturnal predator. Equipped with torpedoes weighing over two thousand pounds each, the PBY had to be precise to hit its targets in the dead of night. 

The Black Cats would arrive discreetly, flying just above the surface of the water at mast height, and before the Japanese realized what had hit them, the PBYs would disappear, leaving behind only a path of destruction and sinking ships. Japanese fighter pilots couldn't see them from above, nor could they pass beneath them. Likewise, they could fly so slowly and so low that Japanese fighters would overtake them trying to come in from behind. Moreover, fighter pilots didn't like being so low to the water during a night attack. Most of the time, the Black Cats, which had nine lives, escaped.

Extremely dangerous, but highly effective, these missions earned Catalina crews dozens of commendations.