Talyn
SAINT
the PB4Y-2
First...
While the B-17 Flying Fortress of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, pulverizing German industrial targets, is iconic in the European war, and the B-29 Superfortress earned its own place in history in the Pacific, the B-24 seems to fall between the cracks. That is despite the Liberator's superior speed, longer range, and heavier bomb load capacity, compared to the B-17.
Further, the B-24 was the most prolific bomber ever produced, with more than 18,000 delivered – compared to 12,000 B-17s and only 4,000 B-29s. This left the big B-24 as a globe trotter, serving in every theater from North Africa to Europe, as well as India and China to the Pacific Islands.
A Consolidated B-24 Liberator Bomber of the 15th AAF releases Its bombs on the rail yards at Muhldorf, Germany, on March 19, 1945. Note the gun arrangement, including nose turret, top turret (hidden by the wing angle), tail guns, ball turret underneath, and waist guns. (Photo: National Archives.)
Second...
The Navy began the war in 1941 with its primary long-range patrol bomber being the PBY Catalina flying boat, which provided yeoman service throughout the conflict, but the service also immediately found the need for a large land-based patrol bomber. A variant of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, dubbed the PB4Y-1 Liberator in Navy service, was soon flying, with over 900 produced.
Nonetheless, the Navy still wanted something more navalized than the Liberator, and in 1943, Consolidated cooked up a new plane based on the Liberator but optimized for low-altitude patrol missions.
This led to the PB4Y-2 Privateer, which was approximately 7 feet longer, had more powerful engines that added another 600 horsepower to the aircraft's powerplant, and featured a large (30-foot-high) single tail rather than the B-24's 17-foot-high twin-tailed format.
Oh yeah, and it had much better guns.
First...
While the B-17 Flying Fortress of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, pulverizing German industrial targets, is iconic in the European war, and the B-29 Superfortress earned its own place in history in the Pacific, the B-24 seems to fall between the cracks. That is despite the Liberator's superior speed, longer range, and heavier bomb load capacity, compared to the B-17.
Further, the B-24 was the most prolific bomber ever produced, with more than 18,000 delivered – compared to 12,000 B-17s and only 4,000 B-29s. This left the big B-24 as a globe trotter, serving in every theater from North Africa to Europe, as well as India and China to the Pacific Islands.
A Consolidated B-24 Liberator Bomber of the 15th AAF releases Its bombs on the rail yards at Muhldorf, Germany, on March 19, 1945. Note the gun arrangement, including nose turret, top turret (hidden by the wing angle), tail guns, ball turret underneath, and waist guns. (Photo: National Archives.)
Second...
The Navy began the war in 1941 with its primary long-range patrol bomber being the PBY Catalina flying boat, which provided yeoman service throughout the conflict, but the service also immediately found the need for a large land-based patrol bomber. A variant of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, dubbed the PB4Y-1 Liberator in Navy service, was soon flying, with over 900 produced.
Nonetheless, the Navy still wanted something more navalized than the Liberator, and in 1943, Consolidated cooked up a new plane based on the Liberator but optimized for low-altitude patrol missions.
This led to the PB4Y-2 Privateer, which was approximately 7 feet longer, had more powerful engines that added another 600 horsepower to the aircraft's powerplant, and featured a large (30-foot-high) single tail rather than the B-24's 17-foot-high twin-tailed format.
Oh yeah, and it had much better guns.
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