History of the Aircraft

A rumor still exists that the Army gave the Navy B-24s that failed their inspection-not good enough for the Army but just right for the Navy.
The Navy's use of the Liberator made it possible to cover wider search sectors than before and, more importantly, extensive photographic reconnaissance could be made before a major operation. The squadrons to be established would be designated VB for Navy Bombing until October 1944 when the designation was changed to VPB for Navy Patrol Bomber.

The Navy Liberator had to be modified to suit the needs of long-range patrolling over the Pacific. The first Navy Liberators sent to the Pacific varied little from the Army B-24D, retaining the distinctive Plexiglas nose with free-hand machine guns mounted to protect against frontal attacks. This type of defensive armament would soon prove to be inadequate. Furthermore, a few of the earlier models were not equipped with the Sperry ball turret under the fuselage instead; they had twin-fifty caliber tunnel guns that were manually fired by a crewmember. This piece of equipment was all but useless in part because it gave the gunner vertigo bending over the guns while firing. By the summer of 1944, the tunnel guns were gone.

The distinctive Navy version of the Liberator was introduced when most of the conventional B-24's were modified with the Erco bow turret in the nose that extended the length of the aircraft by three feet. The bow turret had twin .50-caliber guns and carried twice the ammunition supply of other turrets-800 versus 400. It also had armor plating in front that gave the pilots additional protection. However, some squadrons, such as VPB-111, received J, L, and M models with the Emerson nose turret. A total of 977 PB4Y-1 Liberators (the majority being D and J models) were received by the Navy before the war's end.


PB4Y-1 Liberator Specifications


Length 67'3"

Wingspan 110'
Height 17'11"
Wing Area 1,048 square feet
Empty Weight 36,950 pounds
Gross weight 60,000 pounds
Power Plant R-1830-43/65
Armament 10 x .50 caliber
Bomb load 8,800 pounds
Maximum speed 279 mph
Cruising Speed 200 mph
Service ceiling 31,800 ft
Range 2,960 miles
PB4Y-2 Privateer

The Liberator served the Navy well from 1943 to 1945, however, the Navy questioned the time and cost of modifying ex-Army B-24s for over-sea patrolling. In 1942, it was reasoned that the Liberator would be more stable with a single fin and three XPB4Y-2's were built and tested with the single fin and rudder modification. In May 1943, the Navy contracted with Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Company for the new bomber.
At first, the aircraft was named the Sea Liberator. However, since approximately 50 percent of the bombers internal components were changed and the belly turret deleted, it was essentially a new model and was finally called the Privateer. In addition to the single fin, seven feet was added to the length, and two Martin upper turrets and twin Erco waist blisters were installed.
Although the belly turret was deleted, the defensive armament of the Privateer was not diminished with it having twelve 50-caliber machine guns compared to ten on the Liberator. Therefore, the PB4Y-2 was a heavily armed gun platform and could readily defend itself from fighter attack while unleashing punishing blows on Japanese shipping and shore installations. In April 1945, some Privateers were modified to carry the Bat and were designated as the PB4Y-2B.
In January 1945, the first squadron outfitted with the Privateer arrived in the Pacific. By the end of WWII, the Navy received 739 single-tailed PB4Y-2 Privateers. Unlike the PB4Y-1, which were scrapped, The PB4Y-2 continued serving with the United States military and other countries well into the 1950s and into civilian use as fire bombers. Examples of it can be found in aviation museums and will be seen for generations to come, unfortunately, the same can not be said of the PB4Y-1 Liberator. The only known example of this plane lies under the Pacific Ocean off Maui, Hawaii.

PB4Y-2 Privateer Specifications

Length 74' 7"
Wingspan 110'
Height 29'2"
Wing Area 1,048 square feet
Empty Weight 37,765 pounds
Gross weight 65,000 pounds
Power Plant R-1830-94
Armament 12 x .50 caliber
Bomb load 12,800 pounds
Maximum speed 250 mph
Cruising Speed 200 mph
Service ceiling 19,600 ft
Range 2,630 miles