EAA’s Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet honors American Heritage Museum PBY Catalina on December 11

EAA AVIATION CENTER, OSHKOSH, Wisconsin — (October 12, 2026) — The annual EAA Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet on December 11 will pay homage to the American Heritage Museum’s Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina, which is currently on display in the EAA Aviation Museum’s Eagle Hangar. Attendees will be able to dine near the aircraft while Rob Collings, Executive Director and Chief Pilot of the Collings Foundation, speaks on the history of the aircraft and restoration process.

The American Heritage Museum’s Consolidated PBY Catalina is considered one of the most historic surviving PBYs and the most successful Allied patrol aircraft of WWII. Built in 1941 as one of the first PBY-5As, it flew anti-submarine patrol and air-sea rescue missions, earning a remarkable combat record that included 3.5 U-boat kills. Its extraordinary success and wartime service make this aircraft a standout example of the Catalina’s vital role in the Allied war effort. The Catalina also won the Grand Champion WWII Lindy award at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh 2026.

Rob Collings has been involved with the Collings Foundation for more than 30 years and currently serves as Executive Director and Chief Pilot. Collings oversaw the restoration of the PBY Catalina among several other aircraft in the foundation’s collection. The Collings Foundation is committed to supporting living history and the preservation of historical aircraft, automobiles, and artifacts. The foundation’s collection consists of more than 60 aircraft, 65 historically significant automobiles, and 85 military vehicles.

EAA’s annual Wright Brothers Memorial Banquet honors the Wright brothers’ successful flights at Kitty Hawk, North Carolina, on December 17, 1903, that began the era of manned flight. Tickets for the event are available online at EAA.org/WrightBrothers and are $85 for EAA members and $100 for nonmembers. Doors open on December 11 at 5 p.m., with the dinner starting at 6:30 p.m. and the presentation immediately following dinner.

About EAA

The Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) is based in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, and embodies The Spirit of Aviation through the world’s most engaged community of aviation enthusiasts. EAA’s 300,000 members and 900 local chapters enjoy the fun and camaraderie of sharing their passion for flying, building and restoring recreational aircraft. For more information on EAA and its programs, call 800-JOIN-EAA (800-564-6322) or go to www.eaa.org.