Surviving PB4Y-2 Privateer

[MIflyer]

One of the very few surviving PB4Y-2 Privateers, shown at Reno. This one was modified with a new nose and other modifications. I think this may have been one modified for missile testing. I also think the engines and cowls may be from a B-25, a popular modification for forest fire bomber versions. Photo from Av Week.

 

[Snautzer01]

Its awsome.

 

[GregP]

Yank's Air Museum in Chino also has a PB4Y2 and it also has the R-2600 modification consisting of B-26 cowlings.

Just FYI.

 

[cammerjeff]

The Yankee Airforce in Ypsilanti Michigan also has a Privateer, but not airworthy yet. All I have isa a Picture taken in 2018 at the open house at what was left of the old Ford Willowrun assembly plant.

 

[Spitfire Steve]

I know one used to be at Casa Grande, AZ. Not sure if it's still there though

 

[special ed]

Number 6302 is the one also in post #1.

 

[MIflyer]

I believe there is a museum in TX that has one that is more original, with the ERCO nose turret.

It's been said that one of the drawbacks of the B-24 was that there was no good space for the navigator to look out a window and see where he really was. I guess that especially applied to the later models with the nose turret. On at least some of the postwar Privateers that problem seems to have been addressed with that new nose. It sure is ugly, though.

 

[SaparotRob]

But she has a nice personality.

 

[MIflyer]

And of course, Privateers can be seen in the background of one of our favorite pictures. I wonder when they went to the ugly noses. On the planes.

 

[cammerjeff]

As far as I know they replaced the nose turret during the conversion to fire bombers. There is also a more original example on display at the Navel aviation museum in Pensacola Florida

Source Wiki

 

[GrauGeist]

There used to be a PB4Y languishing at Orange County Airport (SNA) along with quite a few other warbirds along the south-west part of the property.

 

[cammerjeff]

I just stumbled on this video that has some good vintage pictures and footage of Privateer air tankers

Looking back at Hawkins & Powers and the early days of fire aviation - Fire Aviation

As told by Bob Hawkins

fireaviation.com

 

[John D. Voss]

There used to be a PB4Y languishing at Orange County Airport (SNA) along with quite a few other warbirds along the south-west part of the property.

 

[cammerjeff]

That is the only no Air Tanker converted Privateer I have seen still in existance! Thanks for posting it! Looks to still have the original engines & cowlings, along with the turrets.

 

[MIflyer]

Notice that the one at Reno as well as the one in the Pensacola museum has bulged out side windows in the cockpit. I recall reading where a USAAF B-24 pilot said that all of a sudden they started getting new B-24's that had bulged out cockpit side windows. They hated them, since they really distorted the view and made formation flying more difficult, so they replaced them with flat side windows. It is not hard to see that for PB4Y-1 and PB4Y-2 ASW and patrol missions such windows would be useful, and there was little or no close formation flying for those missions. So I guess some genius decided to simplify logistics and give them all the bulged out windows.

 

[John D. Voss]

One of the very few surviving PB4Y-2 Privateers, shown at Reno. This one was modified with a new nose and other modifications. I think this may have been one modified for missile testing. I also think the engines and cowls may be from a B-25, a popular modification for forest fire bomber versions. Photo from Av Week.
View attachment 738245

The highly modified nose indicates to me that the aircraft was last used by the USCG and was known as the PB4Y-2G.

 

[John D. Voss]

And of course, Privateers can be seen in the background of one of our favorite pictures. I wonder when they went to the ugly noses. On the planes.

View attachment 738339View attachment 738341

Any idea as to where these photos were taken? Looking at the background I would say "somewhere in California"...

 

[John D. Voss]

It's my understanding that ithis well-worn PB4Y-2 ended up in Central America with the Honduran Air Force.

 

[MIflyer]

Any idea as to where these photos were taken? Looking at the background I would say "somewhere in California"...

I've been wondering that as well. The trees are planted as windbreaks, like they did in locations along the Central Coast of CA. I would suspect Pt Mugu.

 

[GrauGeist]

I've been wondering that as well. The trees are planted as windbreaks, like they did in locations along the Central Coast of CA. I would suspect Pt Mugu.

The southland had Eucalyptus windbreaks all over, due to the vast tracts of citrus groves: Los Angeles, Orange and San Diego Counties all had them.

However, Consolidated was based in San Diego (the other three plants were back east), so this may narrow down the photo's location.