The List of Consolidated PBY Catalina operators lists the countries and their naval aviation and air force units that have operated the aircraft:

Military operators

Argentina Argentine Naval Aviation 17 "Canso" received 1946-48Histarmar website, Consolidated Catalina page (retrieved 2015-01-24)

Australia

The Royal Australian Air Force operated the PBY Catalina extensively. The Royal Australian Air Force ordered its first 18 PBY-5s (named Catalina) in 1940, around the same time as French purchase. Some of these would be used to re-establish the British-Australian airlink through Asia as the Double Sunrise. By the end of the war the RAAF had taken delivery of 168 Catalinas. The RAAF used Catalinas in a wide range of roles including reconnaissance and anti-submarine patrols, offensive mine-laying and air-sea rescue, the deployment of folboats (collapsible canoes), notably the Hoehn MKIII military type for Commando raids.Deployment and retrieval of Australian Hoehn folboats during the Pacific War, Hoehn 2011, pp.2, 66, 69, 70. The rescue of personnel and closer visual observation, as well as psychological warfare. In addition, RAAF PBYs were used to transport Australian personnel home at the end of the war. The RAAF retired its last Catalina in 1952.A24 Consolidated PBY Catalina, RAAF Museum

Royal Australian Air Force No. 11 Squadron RAAF No. 20 Squadron RAAF observation No. 40 Squadron RAAF had aircraft placed on establishment, but not actually issued. No. 42 Squadron RAAF No. 43 Squadron RAAF No. 6 Communication Unit RAAF No. 8 Communication Unit RAAF No. 111 Air-Sea Rescue Flight RAAF No. 112 Air-Sea Rescue Flight RAAF No. 113 Air-Sea Rescue Flight RAAF Seaplane Training Flight RAAF No. 3 Operational Training Unit RAAF Search and Rescue Wing RAAF

Brazil 1st Air Transport Squadron (ETA-1)

Canada Canada had its own close associations with the PBY, both as a manufacturer and customer. Under an agreement reached between the Canadian and U.S. governments, production lines were laid down in Canada, by Boeing Aircraft of Canada (as the PB2B-1) in Vancouver, and by Canadian Vickers (PBV-1) at the Canadair plant in Cartierville. Canadian manufactured aircraft serving with the RCAF were known as Canso A, and were equivalent to PBY-5A (with retractable landing gear). Eleven Canadian Home War Establishment squadrons flew Cansos and Lend Lease Catalinas and on both sides of the North Atlantic and on the Pacific West Coast of Canada. Two "overseas" squadrons flew from the British Isles, as well as over the Indian Ocean.

Royal Canadian Air Force Article XV squadrons serving under direct command and control of the RAF, with RAF owned aircraft. No. 413 Squadron RCAF Catalina I/IB/IV (Jul 41 - Dec 44) (UK and Ceylon). No. 422 Squadron RCAF Catalina IB/III/IV (Jul 42 - Nov 42) (while working up to operational status). Operational Squadrons of the Home War Establishment (HWE) (Based in Canada) Eastern Air Command No. 5 Squadron RCAF Catalina I (Jun 41 - Jul 41); Canso A (Oct 41 - Jun 45)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, pp. 25-26 No. 116 Squadron RCAF Catalina I/IB (Jul 41 - Aug 43); Canso A (Sep 43 - Jun 45)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 49 No. 117 Squadron RCAF Catalina I/IB/IVA (May 42 - Dec 43); Canso A (May 42 - Aug 43)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 50 No. 160 Squadron RCAF Canso A (May 43 - Jun 45)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 67 No. 161 Squadron RCAF Canso A (Nov 43 - May 45) No. 162 Squadron RCAF Canso A (May 42 - Aug 45)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 68 Western Air Command No. 4 Squadron RCAF Canso A (Dec 42 - Aug 45); Catalina IB/IVA (Apr 44 - Aug 44)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, pp. 24-25 No. 6 Squadron RCAF Canso A (Apr 43 - Nov 43); Catalina IB/IVA (Sept 43 - Aug 45)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 27 No. 7 Squadron RCAF Catalina IVA (Jan 44 - Jul 45); Canso A (Apr 44 - Jul 45)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 28 No. 9 Squadron RCAF Canso A (Apr 43 - Aug 44); Catalina I/IB/IVA (Feb 44 - Aug 44)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 31 No. 120 Squadron RCAF Canso A (Apr 43 - Sep 43); Catalina IVA (Sep 43 - Apr 44)Kostenuk and Griffin, 1977, p. 55 103 Search and Rescue Squadron

Chile Chilean Air ForceCreed 1986, pp. 289, 292

Colombia Colombian Air Force SATENA Avianca AIDA Aeropesca VIARCO

Cuba Cuban Navy 1952-1961Hagedorn (1993)

Denmark

Royal Danish Air Force No. 721 Squadron RDAF received aircraft from No. 722 Squadron RDAF in 1965. No. 722 Squadron RDAF transferred aircraft to No. 721 Squadron RDAF in 1965.Schrøder, Hans (1991). "Royal Danish Airforce". Ed. Kay S. Nielsen. Tøjhusmuseet, 1991, p. 1–64. .

Dominican Republic

Ecuador

France Soon after the receipt of Britain's first order for production aircraft, a French purchasing mission ordered 30 aircraft in early 1940. Allocated the Consolidated identification Model 28-5MF, none of these were delivered before the Battle of France.

Iceland Icelandic Coast Guard ICG Aeronautical Division

Indonesia Indonesian Air Force"Indonesian aviation 1945-1950." adf-serials.com. Retrieved: 20 March 2021.

5th Air Squadron

Israel

Israeli Air Force 69 Squadron

Japan

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force No. 91 Squadron JMSDF

Mexico Mexican navy 6 units

Netherlands Netherlands ordered 48 planes for use in the Dutch East Indies. Royal Netherlands Navy No. 321 Squadron RAF (1942-1945) squadron transferred to the Royal Netherlands Air Force

Dutch Naval Aviation Service

New Zealand From 1942 New Zealand used 56 non-amphibious PBY-5 and PB2B-1 Catalinas in the South Pacific, to replace the Short Singapore with the Royal New Zealand Air Force's 5 Squadron and 6 Squadron, initially operating out of Hobsonville and Fiji on maritime patrol and air-sea rescue roles. Additional RAF-owned aircraft were used by 490 (NZ) Squadron in the anti submarine role during the battle of the Atlantic. 490 squadron operated Catalinas out of Jui, West Africa, from 1943 until they were superseded by Short Sunderlands in 1944. The last RNZAF Catalinas were retired in 1953 and all had been sold or scrapped by the end of 1956. An airworthy PBY-5A Catalina amphibian in 6 Squadron markings is privately owned.Consolidated PBY5a Catalina article at the Kiwi Aircraft Images website The Royal New Zealand Air Force Museum is restoring a former fire training Catalina.

Royal New Zealand Air Force No. 5 Squadron RNZAF No. 6 Squadron RNZAF No. 490 Squadron RNZAF (1943-1945)

Nicaragua Nicaraguan Air Force

Norway Royal Norwegian Air Force No. 330 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF (1942-1943) No. 333 (Norwegian) Squadron RAF (1943-1945) transferred to the Royal Norwegian Air Force in November 1945

Paraguay Paraguayan Air Force originally ordered three PBY-5As in 1955. One was destroyed in the U.S. before delivery. The other two reached Paraguay and received serials T-29 and T-31. T-29 rescued ex-President Perón in October 1955 in Argentina. Both aircraft were transferred to Líneas Aéreas de Transporte Nacional (LATN) in 1956.

Peru

Philippines The Philippine Air Force used the boats during the early independence fro commonwealth government .The PBY-5A Catalina that fulfilled the air-sea rescue role. All scrapped upon retirement.

South Africa Consolidated Catalina PBY's were flown by 6, 10 and 43 Squadrons of the South African Air Force during World War II. The squadrons and aircraft were placed under command of SAAF Coastal Command and operated on the South African Indian and Atlantic coastlines. After World War II, Catalinas were utilized by 35 Squadron from 1945 to 1957.Becker (1991) p.117

Spain

The Spanish Air Force used one unit, under DR.1 designation and 74-21 indication, as a patrol bomber and firefighter plane between 1949 and 1954. This aircraft was a United States Army Air Forces unit, which landed by accident in the Spanish Sahara in 1943, and finally it was sold to the Spanish Air force for approximately US$100,000. It is currently on display at the Museo del Aire (Madrid). Spanish Air Force

Sweden

Three Canso amphibians, built by Canadian-Vickers, were bought by the Swedish Air Force in 1947. The Swedish designation was Tp 47. After modifications for their new post-war missions, they were based at Wing F2 at Hägernäs near Stockholm and were used mainly for air and sea rescue service. Also reconnaissance missions were flown.

The Tp 47 was equipped with PS-19/A radar. The aircraft had a crew of five and had also room for six stretchers. It was powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial engines of 1.200 hp each. It was unarmed. Swedish Air Force

Soviet Union The Soviet Union had shown an interest, resulting in an order for three aircraft and the negotiation of a licence to build the type in USSR. When these three machines were delivered they were accompanied by a team of Consolidated engineers who assisted in establishment of the Soviet production facilities. This aircraft model, designated GST, was powered by two Wright R-1820-derived, nine-cylinder Shvetsov M-62 or ASh-62IR single-row radial engines of 900 to 1,000 hp (671 to 746 kW). The first GST entered service towards the end of 1939. It is estimated hundreds more served with the Soviet Navy. Soviet Union also received 138 PBN-1 Nomad variant of the Catalina built by the Naval Aircraft Factory in Philadelphia along with 48 PBY-6As under the Lend-Lease Act. Soviet Naval Aviation

Taiwan The Republic of China Air Force operated PBY-5A as search and rescue (SAR) plane from 1952 to 1954.The aircraft operation history ROCAF At least one of these PBY-5A were later transferred to China Airlines in the 1959.The first aircraft of China airlines , News of China Airlines

United Kingdom The British Air Ministry purchased a single aircraft for evaluation purposes, the Model 28-5. This was flown across the Atlantic Ocean to the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felixstowe, in July 1939. With the outbreak of war anticipated, the trials were terminated prematurely, and an initial 50 aircraft were ordered under as "Catalina I"s. These aircraft were similar to the PBY-5, except for installation of British armament. The name Catalina had been used by Consolidated for their commercial sales prior to the British order, and was eventually adopted by the US Navy on October 1, 1941.

Initial deliveries of the Royal Air Force's Catalinas began in early 1941 and these entered service with No. 209 and No. 240 squadrons of Coastal Command. In all, nine squadrons of Coastal Command were equipped with the Catalina, as were an additional 12 squadrons overseas. The total acquisition was approximately 700 spread over the following designations: Catalina Mk I, Mk IA (PBY-5A amphibian in RCAF service only), Mk IB, Mk II, Mk III, Mk IVB (Canadian built PBY-5, the PB2B-1), Mk IV, and Mk VI (a PBN-1 style tall tail version built in Canada). The Catalina Mk Vs, which would have been PBN-1s, were cancelled.

The RAF also acquired a former Soviet Navy GST which landed in Cyprus in November 1941, although it probably was not used before it was beached in a gale at Aboukir in February 1943.

In British service, the Catalina was fitted with .303 machineguns, typically a Vickers K in the bow and Browning Model 1919 in the waist. Some received the Leigh light to aid anti-submarine warfare by night.

Royal Air Force No. 119 Squadron RAF (1941 and 1941) No. 190 Squadron RAF (1943) No. 191 Squadron RAF (1943-1945) No. 202 Squadron RAF (1941-1945) No. 205 Squadron RAF (1941-1945) No. 209 (Hong Kong) Squadron RAF (1941-1945) No. 210 Squadron RAF (1941-1945) No. 212 Squadron RAF (1942-1945) No. 240 Squadron RAF (1941-1945) No. 259 Squadron RAF (1943-1945) No. 262 Squadron RAF (1942-1943) squadron transferred to South African Air Force as No. 35 Squadron. No. 265 Squadron RAF (1943-1945) No. 270 Squadron RAF (1942-1944) No. 357 Squadron RAF (1944) No. 628 Squadron RAF (1944) No. 4 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (1941-1943) No. 131 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF (1942-1945)