Consolidated PB4Y Privateer
The PB4Y-1 was the
B-24 Liberator in naval
use. The PB4Y-2 Privateer was a development of the late single-tail B-24N Liberator. It
could be recognized by its single tail, waist gunner bulges, and different positioning of
the oil coolers.
The PB4Y-2 Privateer was designed for a 1943 U.S. Navy contract to develop a naval
variation of the
B-24 Liberator. It was
distinguished from the B-24 by having a new tail unit (with a tall single tail fin and
rudder), a lengthened forward fuselage, changes in armament (two Martin dorsal turrets, an
Erco nose ball turret and Erco two-gun 'teardrop' blisters on each side of the fuselage),
and different engines (which had round instead of oval cowlings). The Privateer survived
long after WWII, seeing service in the Korea. A few examples still remain in use today as
fire-fighting bombers.
| General characteristics
PB4Y-2 |
| Primary function |
Reconaissance |
| Power plant |
Four Pratt&Whitney R-1830-94 or Wright R-1860-52 Cyclone
radial engines |
| Thrust |
4x 1,350 HP |
4x 1,007 kW |
| Length |
74 ft 7 in |
22.73 m |
| Height |
30 ft 1 in |
9.17 m |
| Wingspan |
110 ft |
93.53 m |
| Wingarea |
1,048 sq ft |
97.36 sq m |
| Weight |
empty |
37,485 lb |
17,003 kg |
| max. |
65,000 lb |
29,483 kg |
| Speed |
237 mph |
381 km/h |
| Ceiling |
20,670 ft |
6,300 m |
| Range |
2,800 miles |
4,500 km |
| Armament |
12x 12.7mm machine gun; up to 5,806 kg bombs |
| Crew |
Eleven |
| Date deployed |
1944 |
Source: David Hanson´s American Aircraft of World War II
Jirka Wagner (If
you find some other photo, send it to me, please)
Copyright © All Rights Reserved