Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Consolidated Aircraft · United States · first flew 1943 · transport aircraft
The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer was the US Navy's dedicated maritime patrol bomber version of the B-24 Liberator, extensively redesigned with a longer fuselage, single large fin, and deleted turbo-superchargers for low-altitude patrol operations over the Pacific.
Recognition (WEFT)
| W — Wings | High-mounted, tapered |
|---|---|
| E — Engines | 4 × piston, wing-mounted |
| F — Fuselage | Lengthened fuselage, no twin tail — single large oval fin unique to this variant |
| T — Tail | Conventional |
WEFT is AircraftIQ's four-point recognition method — how it works.
Spot it by:
- Navy patrol bomber derived from B-24 Liberator with single tall fin
- Lengthened fuselage, no twin tail — single large oval fin unique to this variant
- Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp engines without turbo-superchargers
Distinguished from the B-24 Liberator by its single large oval fin (replacing the twin oval fins), the longer fuselage with additional gun positions, and the absence of the B-24's prominent twin-fin twin-tail assembly.
Specifications
- The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer has a length of 22.73 m (75 ft).
- It has a wingspan of 33.53 m (110 ft).
- Its maximum speed is 383 km/h (238 mph).
- Typical crew: 11.
Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.
History
First flown in September 1943, the Privateer entered service in 1944 optimised for long-range maritime patrol rather than high-altitude bombing. After WWII it continued in US Navy reserve and Coast Guard service into the 1950s, and was exported to Honduras and Uruguay where it remained operational into the 1960s. A Privateer was shot down by Soviet fighters over the Baltic in 1950.
Variants
The PB4Y-2 was the production designation; a small number became P4Y-2S with advanced submarine detection equipment. Post-war some were converted for drone control (P4Y-2K) or fire-bombing operations.
Where you'll see it
Operated by the US Navy in Pacific patrol roles 1944–1945 and in reserve service post-war; exported to Honduras and Uruguay, and used by several fire-fighting operators in the 1960s–70s.
Related aircraft
- Consolidated P4Y-2K Privateer
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- Consolidated B-32 Dominator
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