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Consolidated PB4Y Privateer

Consolidated PB4Y

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)

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Last updated 01.10.2008