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| The PB4Y-2 was a long-range oversea bomber-reconnaissance development of the PB4Y-1 Liberator. The original contract was placed with Consolidated by the US Navy in May 1943 and work on three prototypes started almost immediately. Four months later, on 20 September, the first prototype flew. It used the same Davis wing and landing gear as the Liberator but was otherwise a new design embodying most of the structural features of its predecessor. The most obvious change was the single fin and rudder. The fuselage forward of the wings was lengthened and armament was rearranged to include a Consolidated nose turret, two Martin dorsal turrets, a Consolidated tail turret and two Erco 'blister'-type waist turrets on the fuselage sides, all with 12.7mm Browning machine-guns. A total of 740 were built. A transport version was also built as the RY-3, of which a small number found their way into US Navy and RAF service.
| MODEL | PB4Y-2 |
| CREW | 11 |
| ENGINE | 4 x 1,350hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94 |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 29510 kg | 65059 lb |
| Empty weight | 17018 kg | 37518 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 33.53 m | 110 ft 0 in |
| Length | 22.73 m | 75 ft 7 in |
| Height | 9.17 m | 30 ft 1 in |
| Wing area | 97.36 m2 | 1047.97 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 382 km/h | 237 mph |
| Cruise speed | 225 km/h | 140 mph |
| Ceiling | 6309 m | 20700 ft |
| Range | 4508 km | 2801 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 12 x 12.7mm machine-guns |
 | A three-view drawing (948 x 836) |
| David Wayne, e-mail, 14.02.2024 23:09 Any photos of the Vagrant Virago available? reply | | Brian A Christiansen, e-mail, 24.02.2023 22:07 I am looking for information about my dad's Navy service. His name is Leon "Chris" Christiansen AMM3 /c, a tail gunner in VPB-116 in 1945. He flew primarily out of Iwo Jima and Tinian at the end of the war. I don't know if he flew PBY4-1's or -2's, maybe both. I would like to know who his crew members were and what bureau number plane he flew.
He was flying wing to R482 on 6-29-45 when it went down. He has a photo of the smoke plume. reply | | Brian A Christiansen, e-mail, 24.02.2023 22:07 I am looking for information about my dad's Navy service. His name is Leon "Chris" Christiansen AMM3 /c, a tail gunner in VPB-116 in 1945. He flew primarily out of Iwo Jima and Tinian at the end of the war. I don't know if he flew PBY4-1's or -2's, maybe both. I would like to know who his crew members were and what bureau number plane he flew.
He was flying wing to R482 on 6-29-45 when it went down. He has a photo of the smoke plume. reply | | Carroll Cookk, e-mail, 16.02.2023 10:20 My father, CDR Carroll T. Cook, USN attached to Vp-24 at NAS Patuxent River, Md, 1951-1954 flying the PB4Y-2 aircraft. He enjoyed flying those birds. He was on the island of Malta in Nov 1951 when I was born in Nov 1951 at the invitation of the British Armed Forces. In 1954, was transferred to NAS Hutchinson, Kansas for Aerial navigation duty at NAS Hutchinson, Kansas 1954-1957 ATU-604. Instructor duty flying the SNB -2and -5 BeechCraft. I’m sure he got some PB4y-2 time whilE at Hutchinson. reply |
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| | James W Tarleton III, e-mail, 01.12.2021 23:45 My Dad was a radioman /gunner on PB4Y-2 (BuNO 59484). Flew with VPB 121, Crew 6 ('44-'45) - pic of crew on VPNavy website. Nose art was "Lotta Tayle". If anyone has info on VPB 121, etc,. please contact me. reply |
| JIM MILLER, e-mail, 18.03.2020 02:27 MIKE TURNER, CONTACT ME, I MAY BE ABLE TO GIVE YOU SOME INFO ON SHIRLEY TURNER. I HAVE TWO BOOKS ON VPB108, WITH STORIES AND PICTURES.
TELE; 816 761 8724 reply |
| VAnce Kirkpatrick, e-mail, 01.09.2017 05:58 I transferred from Kwajalein to ATU 600, about. January 1954. I worked on a check stand for a few weeks, went to plane captain school and was then assigned a plane and was a plane captain. Later we flew the 4 Ys to Arizona for storage and was assigned to ATU 601 and a P2 V 2. I was discharged 10 12 1955 and went back to California., went into law enforcement. I had started learning to fly when I went thru AD A school at NAS Memphis.I ended up flying airplanes and helicopters on the job , we had probably the largest police air unit in the nation.
After 34 years on the job I retired. ONe of the best things I ever did was joining the Navy in 1951. reply | | Tom Dailey, e-mail, 04.05.2017 18:16 Uncle Bill - William J. Smatla AD(j)-1 ret was plane captain on several - at Hutchison NAS (KS) they trained French Aeronavelle pilots & crews to fly the acft. in Fr. Indochina (Vietnam). Later went into P2Vs, but always like the "Lib"... but said working on them in the Winter was brutal. Fair Winds & Following Seas - Tom, former RMC USN (the only "blackshoe" in the family!) reply | | Klaatu83, e-mail, 07.09.2016 16:16 Although designed as a high-altitude strategic bomber, the B-24 had proved to be equally effective in the roles of long-range maritime patrol and Anti-submarine warfare. The PB4Y was essentially a B-24 optimized for the maritime roles. The most obvious in external differences were that the supercharged high-altitude engines of the B-24 were exchanged for un-supercharged engines optimized for operation at lower altitudes, the belly gun turret was deleted and large side blisters added both as observation posts and gun platforms. The single tail fin was a feature that had already been developed for a version of the B-24 that was never placed into production. Of course, inside there were a lot of other changes made to adapt the aircraft from operation by the AAF to operation by the Navy. reply | | Dan Otto, e-mail, 28.06.2016 20:01 My dad, Bob Otto, was the tail gunner on the Daisy May and was awarded the DFC for the actions detailed in the painting "Blue Raiders Triumph" and was also awarded the purple heart when wounded on Tinian. I have many pictures my dad took if anyone wants to see them posted. reply | | Zech Falcon, e-mail, 12.02.2016 20:40 My grandfather was with VBP-116 (Blue Raiders) on the "Worrybird" serial #38960. I would love to hear from anyone who has information about his crew. reply | | Scott Dykstra, e-mail, 21.11.2015 18:35 My grandfather flew the consolidated PB4Y-2 in either VPB 120 OR 122 out of shemya. His name was Jerome Bolda though he liked to go by Jay. Please contact me if you have served with him or know someone who did. My email is apache1747@gmail.com thank you. reply | | Marty, e-mail, 28.09.2015 03:16 There was a crash of a PB4Y Privateer on May 1, 1945, piloted by Lt J.W. Holt. It was shot down after doing a strafing run on a Jap garrison just outside Lingshui, on Hainan Island in China. The bodies were recovered in 1949. That location is in the jungle about 1.5 km from my house. Somewhere there is a website with the crash location on it. Can anyone direct me to that website? reply | | steve piper, e-mail, 08.08.2015 15:17 Hello...Yankee Air Museum is restoring Buno 59876 in the markings of ATU-12 during the lard '40's. Does anyone have pictures or offer help with markings and insignia? Thank you reply | |
| | Ken Hayward, e-mail, 02.08.2015 05:39 My father in law, Robert J Britton, was on board a Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer when it was forced down by bad weather at night in 1947. The aircraft crash landed at Barin Field,near Foley Alabama. My father in law was the only person injured, sustaining a very serious gash to the palm of one hand. He always praised the skill of the pilot in saving everyone's lives. We have pictures of the crash and some of the crew, but have no idea how to find out about the incident. We would like to find out as much as we can about the crash.Does anyone know where we could look for that information? reply | | John Evans, e-mail, 03.07.2015 13:09 My Dad, John Evans, was with Crew M-26 of VPB-197. He was a radioman and trained in PB4Y-1 and then went to Pacific where he flew on PB4Y-2. This was from late 1944-1946.
His flight log listed many Bureau #'s but mainly #59636 & 59666.
Would love to hear from anyone regarding this.
Roadstarpony@yahoo.com reply | | Jack Wing, e-mail, 19.06.2015 18:43 Flew as a radioman in VP-22 in 49-50 out of NAS Barber's Point Hawaii. Transitioned to P2V-4's when Korea broke out.
Great and reliable plane. reply | | Mellinda Baillieul, e-mail, 03.05.2015 03:28 My dad, then Lt. William M.Miller, flew with VPB-116 "Blue Raiders". Received Navy Cross. Would love to hear from anyone still around who knew him. He passed away in 1965 when I was only 16. Melinda Baillieul reply | | Dan Karraker, e-mail, 02.05.2015 04:11 My Dad flew as a plane captain, (flight engineer?) in Korea in the early 1950's. I believe he was in VP 9. His name was Larry Karraker. He didn't talk alot about his experience there, would love to hear from anyone that has any information. Thank You. reply | | Hank Rausch, e-mail, 07.03.2015 01:56 Enlisted in January 55,graduated boot camp Apr55, went to NAS Glenview. Wanted to fly. Became an on the job (OJT) striker /trainee for the Radioman-Gunner rate [Aviation Electronicsman (AL) rate] which was disestablished in late 55 /early 56. Flew as top gunner /2nd radioman in rear compartment. Don't remember BuNO, but flew on #203. Plane had large red stripe completely surrounding rear of plane with name "GLENVIEW" in white letters amidships. Tail (rudder) letter was "V" indicating Glenview. Main function was training /maintaining skills of multi-engine crews and the aviators attending CIC school at Glenview. Wentto Hspital corps School at Grt.Lks. in Jun 56 and returned to Glenview in Dec 56. All PB4Y-2s gone, replaced by P2Vs. There is a Privateer being reconditioned at Chino Airport /Museum, CA and there is another one still owned by the Navy on the bottom of Lake Washington, Seattle WA (ran off runway at NAS Sand Point). Retired Jun 85 as a MACM. reply |
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JIM MILLER
My Grandfather was Oscar W. Hanson
NAS Hutchinson, Kansas for Aerial navigation duty at NAS Hutchinson, Kansas 1954-1957
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