Meet the site
This is one of the US Navy PBY Catalinas destroyed in Darwin Harbour, identified by DSAC as aircraft No. 41 of the US Navy. Darwin Harbour was a major flying-boat base during the Second World War. US Navy Patrol Wing 10 PBYs were moored in the harbour when the Japanese attacked on 19 February 1942, and from 1944 the RAAF operated Catalina squadrons from the harbour on long-range minelaying and patrol missions into the Netherlands East Indies. At least three RAAF and six US Navy Catalinas were lost in the harbour, and DSAC numbers the known wrecks Catalina 1 to 6. The PBY Catalina had a 31.7 m wingspan, a 19.4 m hull and an empty weight of about 9,500 kg, so even a broken wreck covers a surprising area of seabed. DSAC records that the aircraft was strafed by Japanese aircraft, then bombed, caught fire and eventually sank. The club's page gives the year as 1945, but the description matches the Japanese raids of February 1942, when US Navy Patrol Wing 10 Catalinas at their moorings were shot up and burned; the date should be treated as unconfirmed.
The wreck lies in about 12 m. Like the other US Navy flying boats it burned before it sank, so what remains is a broken airframe with engines and wing structure on a muddy bottom rather than an intact aircraft. Pieces of framework stand a few metres off the seabed on some of these sites, and corrosion is advanced. In 2008 Inpex survey work led local divers to what was then described as the last of six American Catalina wrecks to be found in the harbour, in East Arm at 18 m. For divers the attraction is historical: these are among the few physical traces of the American presence in the first raid, when the harbour was full of Allied ships and aircraft. It suits divers comfortable with low visibility who are content with an exploratory, archaeological style of dive.
Research this site before booking Stored site notes may be historical. These questions highlight gaps without turning old instructions into a current dive plan.
US Navy Catalina No.41 (Catalina 4) is recorded as Aircraft Wreck in Darwin Harbour. The listed access is boat (day trip). Confirm the actual meeting point, route and permission to visit; a map pin does not establish any of these.
Topics flagged by the stored research
These are questions prompted by the existing notes, not a verified or complete hazard assessment.
- Current and timing
- Ask how the operator assesses the current window for the actual route. Historical tide notes are not a departure instruction.
- Other water users
- Ask about vessel activity, exclusion areas and the agreed surface arrangements.
- Water movement
- Ask how swell and local exposure affect the proposed entry, exit and route.
Historical access notes exist for this record, but have not been independently verified for current use. Request current directions from the operator or site manager rather than following an old entry description.
Questions, answered
Is US Navy Catalina No.41 (Catalina 4) suitable for my certification?
The record lists Open Water. That does not establish suitability for every route or day. Share your training, recent experience and equipment needs with the operator and ask about the specific proposed dive.
Can I book US Navy Catalina No.41 (Catalina 4) through YouDive?
YouDive is an independent research directory. Contact an operator directly to confirm whether it currently runs the trip, the inclusions and the booking terms.
What you might see
Estuary cod, snapper, batfish, small reef fish, sponges and hydroids on wreckage
Location
Darwin Harbour, at the 1942 US Navy flying-boat moorings; exact position held by DSAC and NT Heritage.
Before you make plans
Conditions, access and operator schedules can change. This is a location guide, not a dive plan. Ask a local operator about current conditions and suitability for your training and experience.
Sources & further reading
dsac.com.auww2aircraft.netRecord updated 26 Sept 2026. Source claims are being reviewed.