02-05-2020, 04:21 AM | #16 | |||
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Iceland*
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Re: PBY Catalina
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I'd think that formally getting permission was far too difficult. Now, having law enforcement on Dominica and St. Lucia tacitly agree not to make trouble is another matter... In the continental United States, owning and operating vintage WWII 'Warbirds' is a pretty accepted hobby for well-off enthusiasts, complete with air shows and a thriving subculture around it. I wonder if there would be any interest in that sort of thing in the Caribbean? For example, if Kessler acquired and refurbished a PBY-5A Catalina that was once a part of VP-92, stationed in the Antilles or some other part of the Caribbean, could he plausibly have a local equivalent to the Commemorative Air Force? How about on Puerto Rico, which is under US authority, but culturally distinct from most of CONUS? Quote:
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The Sandringham is pretty good for Kessler's purposes in that it can take a whole team of 'Night Riders' (Monster Hunters) from the US to a Caribbean island (or vice versa) in about half a day (rather than 4+ days on a fast yacht) while still being anachronistic enough so that there is some chance that he might get those of his men who are magicians (e.g. the PCs) to step foot on it. It can deliver the team somewhere close to the target destination, without actually being at it, and maybe rendezvous with a boat or small yacht that has been locally chartered (or that Kessler happened to have access to nearby). I imagine that outside of situations where Kessler needs to get 12+ guys with serious occult leanings between the Antilles and the Gulf Coast relatively quickly, the Sandringham spends its time being pampered in a hangar and probably being displayed alongside some Grumman Geese as a living history exhibit, dedicated to aviation in the Antilles. Hell, let's say Kessler bought more than just the planes from the estate of Antilles Air Boats. He can have bought the livery and rights too, to use as cover, and because he is genuinely interested in the history of seaplanes in the Caribbean. So he can operate Antilles Air Boats (having bought four Grumman Geese and one Sandringham) as a fairly exclusive, reservations required, living history museum, mostly kept on St. Lucia and Dominica, but visiting other Antillean destinations periodically. It will lose money, obviously, but it's not all that implausible an endeavour for a billionaire who has had a home on these islands since the airline actually was in operation. Especially given that real people have tried to do this (but not being billionaires, are still stuck at the fund-raising stage). Edit: This reveals a pretty obvious role for a PBY-5A Catalina even if Kessler also owns a Short S.25 Sandringham. The Sandringham is stored on the islands in the Antilles where Kessler has retreats and many allies living locally while the Catalina lives in Galveston/Houston. So if necessary, occultists in his employ can always travel between them in less than 24 hours, without needing to wait to be picked up.
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Za uspiekh nashevo beznadiozhnovo diela! Last edited by Icelander; 02-05-2020 at 04:28 AM. |
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aircraft, caribbean, monster hunters, seaplane, vile vortices |
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