Difference between revisions of "PB4Y-2"

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{{Specs-Card|code=pb4y-2}}
 
 
{{About
 
{{About
 
|about=American bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
|about=American bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
|usage=other versions
 
|usage=other versions
 
|link=B-24/PB4Y (Family)
 
|link=B-24/PB4Y (Family)
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=pb4y-2
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
During the early stages of the Pacific war, the United States Navy pressed the largely unmodified [[B-24D-25-CO|B-24 Liberator]] into service as the "PB4Y-1 Liberator" to fulfilling their urgent need for long range maritime patrol aircraft. Observing these developments and the success of the PB4Y-1, the Consolidated Aircraft Company made a proposal to the US Navy in 1943 for a purpose-built maritime version of the Liberator, to which the US Navy accepted as it deemed the dedicated naval version of the Liberator to be a significant improvement. To accomplish its duty, the '''Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer''' featured several drastic changes compared to the original Liberator, most noticeably its lengthened fuselage to accommodate the flight engineer position to reduce the crew's overall fatigue in long range missions, and a tall single tail fin modified from the cancelled B-24N prototype of the USAAF as opposed to the twin tails of the Liberator, intended to give better stability at low altitudes. Other notable changes including the removal of superchargers from the engine to optimize them for maritime operations, as well as several changes in the arrangements of the defensive turret positions. The Privateer would enter service in late 1944 and go on to serve in various roles, such as maritime and ASW patrol, weather tracking, reconnaissance flight, and signal tracking with the US Navy until 1954, with some unarmed Privateers retired from the US Coast Guard four years later. In total, 739 Privateers were built, with some were supplied [[PB4Y-2 (France)|to France]] [[PB4Y-2 (China)|and Taiwan]] as a part of defensive pact.
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{{Break}}
 
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]].
 
  
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Historically a maritime patrol/reconnaissance aircraft derived from the B-24 Liberator, the Privateer in War Thunder is unfortunately not able to be used in this role. Instead, it performs the function of a heavy bomber, optimized for dumping large amounts of high explosive on enemy bases.
+
Introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]], the '''{{PAGENAME}} Privateer''' is a maritime patrol/reconnaissance aircraft derived from the [[B-24D-25-CO|B-24 Liberator]]. With several changes to better fit its new roles such as the removal of superchargers and longer fuselage, the Privateer is noticeably much slower than the Liberator. High-altitude bombing is a struggle, as the engine loses output the higher it gets. As such, Privateer pilots will often be forced to descend to lower altitudes to get to the enemy bases, effectively exposing them to enemy's attention in the process. Since the plane would usually be flying at lower altitude, the Privateer comes with 14 Browning machine guns covering the upper portion of the plane as its defensive armaments. However, these turrets have a rather mediocre coverage at the rear and can be easily bypassed by enemy fighters at certain angles, especially below the plane.
  
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The Privateer carries the most potent payload (4 x 2,000 lb bombs) of any American bomber until the B-29 Superfortress. These will do more damage to a base than the equivalent weight in 1,000 lb bombs that the B-17 Flying Fortress or B-24 Liberator can carry.
+
Because of this, the only truly positive quality of the Privateer is its ridiculously heavy payload in the form of eight Type A naval mines, each with as much explosive as an average 1,000 kg bomb. Since these mines behave like a normal air-dropped bombs in-game (save for when being dropped into water), the Privateer can easily destroy several bases or level off enemy ground vehicles with ease, provided that you are not intercepted by enemy planes or shot down by anti-aircraft fire.
−
 
 
−
It also features a large amount of .50 cal heavy machine guns as defensive armament. However, even when all of them can be brought to bear, it may not be sufficient to protect the bomber against determined and/or skilled fighter opposition. It is also very important to note that only the tail turret can engage enemies attacking directly behind the Privateer, as the vertical stabilizer blocks the dorsal turrets (gunner dead-zone).
 
−
 
 
−
The Privateer's manoeuvrability is unsurprisingly poor since it is a heavy four-engine bomber. Unfortunately, it is also very slow, at nearly 100 km/h slower than the B-17E Flying Fortress. Its maximum speed in a dive is 580 km/h, and it has absolutely no chance of evading any of the fighters it might face using its speed or diving away. As a maritime patrol aircraft, the engines are optimized for low-level performance, thus its performance will suffer noticeably above 6,000 m.
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Flight performance ===
 
=== Flight performance ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
  
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|-
 
|-
 
! Stock
 
! Stock
−
| 385 || 370 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 39.4 || 41.0 || 1.3 || 1.3 || rowspan="2" | 950
+
| 385 ||369|| rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 39.4 || 41.0 || 1.3 || 1.3 || rowspan="2" | 950
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Upgraded
 
! Upgraded
−
| ___ || 404 || __._ || 38.0 || __._ || 3.5
+
| 427 || 404 || 36.7 || 38.0 || 6.5 || 3.5
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
Since it is a heavy four-engine maritime bomber, the Privateer's manoeuvrability is unsurprisingly poor, it is also agonizingly slow, at nearly 100 km/h slower than the B-17E Flying Fortress (only 404 km/h top level speed). Its maximum speed in a dive is 580 km/h, and it has absolutely no chance of evading any of the fighters it might face using its speed or diving away. As a maritime patrol aircraft, the engines are optimized for low-level performance, thus its performance will suffer noticeably above 6,000 m while it can retain its energy gained form a dive reasonably well at below 3,000 m.
  
 
==== Details ====
 
==== Details ====
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! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
−
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 390 || 260 || ~3 || ~1
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| 599 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 360 || 263 || ~4 || ~2
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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|-
 
|-
 
| < 200 || < 180 || < 180 || > 300
 
| < 200 || < 180 || < 180 || > 300
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
 
−
|-
 
−
! Optimal altitude
 
−
! 100% Engine power
 
−
! WEP Engine power
 
−
|-
 
−
| 2,346 m || 1,100 hp || 1,331 hp
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
 
−
|-
 
−
! Optimal altitude
 
−
! 100% Engine power
 
−
! WEP Engine power
 
−
|-
 
−
| 4,389 m || 1,000 hp || 1,133 hp
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
  
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* 9.5 mm Steel plate in front of the tail gunner
 
* 9.5 mm Steel plate in front of the tail gunner
  
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
The first priority for the Privateer pilots is to unlock its best payload; the naval mines, which can be unlocked early on by researching "Mk 13 Mod 0" modification at rank II. After this, you can either choose between flight performance or survivability upgrade. The other payload options is less effective compared to the mines and can be left until spaded.
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
−
{{main|AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|AN-M66A2 (2,000 lb)}}
+
{{main|AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|AN-M66A2 (2,000 lb)|Type A Mark I mine}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
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* 8 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (8,000 lb total)
 
* 8 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (8,000 lb total)
 
* 4 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (8,000 lb total)
 
* 4 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (8,000 lb total)
 +
* 4 x Type A Mark I mines
 +
* 8 x Type A Mark I mines
 +
 +
 +
 +
When stock, the Privateer is loaded with 20 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs, which are near useless at anything other than picking off light stationary targets. Fortunately, the Privateer gets its best payload option once you've researched the "Mk 13 Mod 0" modification at rank II: 8 x Type A Mark I naval mines, with 508 kg of TNT equivalent each (compared to 4 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs). This is the most potent payload for any American bomber until the B-29 Superfortress. These will do more damage to a base than the equivalent weight in 2,000 lb bombs that the B-17 Flying Fortress or B-24 Liberator can carry. Against ground targets, the Type A naval mine will work like an ordinary bomb (will explode upon ground contact after the fuse timer is up). Due to quantity of bombs and explosives, the Privateer can be used to either destroy the base or destroy a column of heavy vehicles.
 +
 +
Against naval targets, however, the naval mines will not explode when missed but instead armed itself underwater and wait for enemy contact. This reduces the overall effectiveness against stationary naval targets (as it requires a direct hit to trigger a detonation) but provides an additional use in naval battles, as you can lay these mines on various choke points and capture zones, as well as trapping any moving enemy vessel that comes too close to it.
  
 
=== Defensive armament ===
 
=== Defensive armament ===
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Defensive}}
 
<!-- ''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available, remove this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available, remove this subsection.'' -->
 
{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}
 
{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}
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* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2 x beam turrets (400 rpg = 1,600 total)
 
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2 x beam turrets (400 rpg = 1,600 total)
 
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, tail turret (400 rpg = 800 total)
 
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, tail turret (400 rpg = 800 total)
 +
 +
 +
The PB4Y-2 features a large amount of .50 cal heavy machine guns as defensive armament. However, even when all of them can be brought to bear, it may not be sufficient to protect the bomber against determined or skilled fighter opposition. Only the tail turret can engage enemies attacking directly behind the Privateer, as the vertical stabilizer blocks the dorsal turrets (gunner dead-zone).
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
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The other approach is to fly at very low altitude. This has two advantages: it makes it extremely difficult for enemies to attack from below, and the engines are optimized for this altitude. It will also tempt enemy fighters to dive on an "easy" target, which will, in turn, make them easy targets for your own fighters. Unfortunately, flying at low altitude will make the aircraft very vulnerable to anti-aircraft guns.
 
The other approach is to fly at very low altitude. This has two advantages: it makes it extremely difficult for enemies to attack from below, and the engines are optimized for this altitude. It will also tempt enemy fighters to dive on an "easy" target, which will, in turn, make them easy targets for your own fighters. Unfortunately, flying at low altitude will make the aircraft very vulnerable to anti-aircraft guns.
  
−
Shallow diving:
+
;Shallow diving:
  
 
Diving is probably the most risky way of trying to bomb but it is the quickest if you do it right. Start by spawning in then dive at about -10 degrees. This will make sure you will not overspeed before reaching the bombing point. However enemy interceptors with air spawn can potentially catch you in a head on, which is an extremely dangerous situation.
 
Diving is probably the most risky way of trying to bomb but it is the quickest if you do it right. Start by spawning in then dive at about -10 degrees. This will make sure you will not overspeed before reaching the bombing point. However enemy interceptors with air spawn can potentially catch you in a head on, which is an extremely dangerous situation.
  
−
Steep diving:
+
;Steep diving:
  
 
Upon spawning, dive at an angle of about -40 degrees. The PB4Y will gradually pick up speed to around 500 km/h. Once you reach 580 km/h, cut throttle to avoid over speeding. If you are close to the bomb base, turn into shallow diving or level out and prepare for the bombing. Once bombs are out, bank towards your airfield while keep diving, you should fly at no more than 100 m above the ground.
 
Upon spawning, dive at an angle of about -40 degrees. The PB4Y will gradually pick up speed to around 500 km/h. Once you reach 580 km/h, cut throttle to avoid over speeding. If you are close to the bomb base, turn into shallow diving or level out and prepare for the bombing. Once bombs are out, bank towards your airfield while keep diving, you should fly at no more than 100 m above the ground.
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In general, when engaged by fighters, one should attempt to force them to attack from oblique angles from above. This will allow the largest amount of machine guns to engage the attacker. Only the rear turret can engage aircraft directly behind the Privateer; thus, one should turn the Privateer or use the rudder to "wag the tail" which will allow other gunner positions to engage tail-chasing fighters. Under no circumstances should the belly be exposed to enemy fire; it usually becomes quickly fatal for the bomber.
 
In general, when engaged by fighters, one should attempt to force them to attack from oblique angles from above. This will allow the largest amount of machine guns to engage the attacker. Only the rear turret can engage aircraft directly behind the Privateer; thus, one should turn the Privateer or use the rudder to "wag the tail" which will allow other gunner positions to engage tail-chasing fighters. Under no circumstances should the belly be exposed to enemy fire; it usually becomes quickly fatal for the bomber.
  
−
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
+
;Enemies worth noting:
  
 
* [[Do 335 (Family)|Do 335]]: this interceptor posts a huge threat to the PB4Y due to its destructive firepower. An experienced Do 335 player might open fire from a far distance of 2.5 km away, at this range its MK108/MK103 shells still have adequate accuracy and damage to cripple the PB4Y, while the PB4Y's Browning M2 can barely do any damage. The PB4Y's tail is also prone to being blown off by a few HE cannon shells.
 
* [[Do 335 (Family)|Do 335]]: this interceptor posts a huge threat to the PB4Y due to its destructive firepower. An experienced Do 335 player might open fire from a far distance of 2.5 km away, at this range its MK108/MK103 shells still have adequate accuracy and damage to cripple the PB4Y, while the PB4Y's Browning M2 can barely do any damage. The PB4Y's tail is also prone to being blown off by a few HE cannon shells.
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|-
 
|-
 
| Controllable || Controllable<br>Auto control available || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Combined || Controllable<br>2 gears || Not controllable
 
| Controllable || Controllable<br>Auto control available || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Combined || Controllable<br>2 gears || Not controllable
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
 
−
=== Modules ===
 
−
{| class="wikitable"
 
−
! Tier
 
−
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
 
−
! Survivability
 
−
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
 
−
|-
 
−
| I
 
−
| Fuselage repair
 
−
| Radiator
 
−
| Protective vest
 
−
|
 
−
| SBC mk.I
 
−
|-
 
−
| II
 
−
|
 
−
| Compressor
 
−
| Airframe
 
−
|
 
−
| LBC-24
 
−
|-
 
−
| III
 
−
| Wings repair
 
−
| Engine
 
−
|
 
−
| Turret 12 mm
 
−
| FLBC mk.1
 
−
|-
 
−
| IV
 
−
|
 
−
| Engine injection
 
−
| Cover
 
−
| New 12 mm MGs (turret)
 
−
| LBC-17
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
  
−
* Best payload of any American bomber before the B-29
+
* Large payload (8 x naval mines) allows the plane to be used for area denial in ground and naval battles
−
* Side turrets can fire down giving 360° coverage in all directions, meaning full coverage of the bomber, with no blindspots whatsoever
+
* Great defensive coverage except from below
−
* Waist turrets can swivel nearly 180° vertically and horizontally
+
* Tricycle landing gear helps the plane to land without the risk of nosing over
−
* Nose and tail turrets have excellent fields of fire
 
−
* Large amount of .50 cal machine guns, the same as the B-29
 
−
* No fuel tanks in the fuselage and fuel tanks are self-sealing
 
−
* All payload options are internal, barely affecting performance
 
−
* Has two pilots who are protected by multiple layers of armour behind, meaning it is hard to pilot snipe it from behind
 
−
* Tricycle landing gear allows continuous braking until full stop, without having to worry about flipping over
 
−
* Critical parts such as gunners/cooling systems are quite spread out, which helps to soak up damage
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Extremely slow, even for a heavy bomber
+
* Mediocre stock payload
−
* Near-useless stock payload
+
* Mediocre survivability
−
* No ventral turrets
+
* The tail can come off very easily due to enemy attacks, causing the destruction of the vehicle
−
* Very poor climb rate
+
* Extremely slow and sluggish, even for a heavy bomber
−
* Easily damaged, a large vertical stabilizer which blocks (gunner dead zone) the dorsal turrets from firing directly to the rear
 
 
* Poor engine performance at high altitude (optimized for low altitude)
 
* Poor engine performance at high altitude (optimized for low altitude)
 +
* Huge vertical stabiliser can be easily damaged
 +
* Gear retraction and lowering is rather slow
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
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The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer is a variant of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator made for the US Navy. The Privateer was powered by four 1,200 HP Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines. The aircraft also included a twin tail design and tricycle landing gear.
+
The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer was a heavy bomber & maritime patrol aircraft used by the United States Navy developed from the PB4Y-1, a minor modification of the B-24 Liberator used by the United States during WWII. The aircraft was a fully-navalized version of the B-24 featuring a taller single vertical stabilizer, a flight engineer's station and modified armament. The aircraft were used towards the end of the Second World War, and were used after the war as patrol aircraft by various countries. Some converted Privateers served as firefighters into the early 2000s; all aircraft are now retired from service, though two airframes are still fully airworthy.
 +
 
 +
The PB4Y-2 Privateer was a heavy modification on the previous PB4Y-1, which had been developed from the B-24 Liberator for the United States Navy and featured only minor changes from its air force cousin. The navy had been seeking a fully-navalized version of the B-24, and as a result, the aircraft featured numerous improvements over the previous PB4Y-1. The aircraft was similar in appearance to the B-24 but featured several defining features: first, the aircraft had a single vertical stabilizer compared to two smaller stabilizers on the B-24. The aircraft also had a longer fuselage accommodating a flight engineer's station, and a rebuilt armament suite consisting of twelve .50 caliber machine guns in two beam & dorsal turrets and one fore & aft turret. The ventral "ball" turret of the B-24 was removed, considering that the PB4Y was designed for low-altitude operations; the engine's superchargers were also removed for this purpose.
 +
 
 +
The Navy would eventually acquire 739 PB4Y-2 Privateers, though most of these aircraft arrived after the end of the war. The few aircraft that did serve during WWII provided maritime patrol and bombing capabilities. Notably, the aircraft dropped the ASM-N-2 Bat guided-bomb, similar to the German Fritz-X guided weapon, and was used with some success against Japanese vessels. For example, the Japanese coastal defence ship Aguni was damaged from a distance of 37 km by a Bat guided bomb dropped from a PB4Y Privateer. Effectively, the Bat was the first guided missile in United States service.
 +
 
 +
Following the end of the Second World War, the remaining PB4Ys were used as maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bombers and even hurricane hunters (several aircraft were lost in this role). The aircraft was used once again during the Korean War as a patrol bomber, and sold to both France and the Republic of China. All American PB4Ys were retired by 1954; small numbers of these aircraft were used as firefighting aircraft all the way until 2002, when a converted PB4Y disintegrated in mid-air while firefighting; as a result, the last of the firefighting PB4Ys were retired as well. Eight PB4Y-2 Privateers survive to this day, mostly in museums in the United States. Two aircraft are fully airworthy and a third is under restoration to become fully airworthy.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=pb4y-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
 
* ''other literature.'' -->
  
 
* [[wt:en/news/4723-development-pb4y-2-privateer-pirate-of-the-skies-en|[Devblog] PB4Y-2 Privateer: Pirate of the Skies]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/4723-development-pb4y-2-privateer-pirate-of-the-skies-en|[Devblog] PB4Y-2 Privateer: Pirate of the Skies]]
 +
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/365067-consolidated-pb4y-2-privateer/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
  
 
{{AirManufacturer Consolidated}}
 
{{AirManufacturer Consolidated}}
 
{{USA bombers}}
 
{{USA bombers}}

Latest revision as of 08:13, 28 April 2024

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
This page is about the American bomber PB4Y-2. For other versions, see B-24/PB4Y (Family).
PB4Y-2
pb4y-2.png
GarageImage PB4Y-2.jpg
ArtImage PB4Y-2.png
PB4Y-2
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Battle rating:
AB RB SB
4.7 4.7 5.7
Class:
Research:40 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:135 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

During the early stages of the Pacific war, the United States Navy pressed the largely unmodified B-24 Liberator into service as the "PB4Y-1 Liberator" to fulfilling their urgent need for long range maritime patrol aircraft. Observing these developments and the success of the PB4Y-1, the Consolidated Aircraft Company made a proposal to the US Navy in 1943 for a purpose-built maritime version of the Liberator, to which the US Navy accepted as it deemed the dedicated naval version of the Liberator to be a significant improvement. To accomplish its duty, the Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer featured several drastic changes compared to the original Liberator, most noticeably its lengthened fuselage to accommodate the flight engineer position to reduce the crew's overall fatigue in long range missions, and a tall single tail fin modified from the cancelled B-24N prototype of the USAAF as opposed to the twin tails of the Liberator, intended to give better stability at low altitudes. Other notable changes including the removal of superchargers from the engine to optimize them for maritime operations, as well as several changes in the arrangements of the defensive turret positions. The Privateer would enter service in late 1944 and go on to serve in various roles, such as maritime and ASW patrol, weather tracking, reconnaissance flight, and signal tracking with the US Navy until 1954, with some unarmed Privateers retired from the US Coast Guard four years later. In total, 739 Privateers were built, with some were supplied to France and Taiwan as a part of defensive pact.

Introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica", the PB4Y-2 Privateer is a maritime patrol/reconnaissance aircraft derived from the B-24 Liberator. With several changes to better fit its new roles such as the removal of superchargers and longer fuselage, the Privateer is noticeably much slower than the Liberator. High-altitude bombing is a struggle, as the engine loses output the higher it gets. As such, Privateer pilots will often be forced to descend to lower altitudes to get to the enemy bases, effectively exposing them to enemy's attention in the process. Since the plane would usually be flying at lower altitude, the Privateer comes with 14 Browning machine guns covering the upper portion of the plane as its defensive armaments. However, these turrets have a rather mediocre coverage at the rear and can be easily bypassed by enemy fighters at certain angles, especially below the plane.

Because of this, the only truly positive quality of the Privateer is its ridiculously heavy payload in the form of eight Type A naval mines, each with as much explosive as an average 1,000 kg bomb. Since these mines behave like a normal air-dropped bombs in-game (save for when being dropped into water), the Privateer can easily destroy several bases or level off enemy ground vehicles with ease, provided that you are not intercepted by enemy planes or shot down by anti-aircraft fire.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 7 620 m404 km/h
Turn time38 s
Max altitude10 000 m
Engine4 х Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94
TypeRadial
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight29 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 7,620 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 385 369 10000 39.4 41.0 1.3 1.3 950
Upgraded 427 404 36.7 38.0 6.5 3.5

Since it is a heavy four-engine maritime bomber, the Privateer's manoeuvrability is unsurprisingly poor, it is also agonizingly slow, at nearly 100 km/h slower than the B-17E Flying Fortress (only 404 km/h top level speed). Its maximum speed in a dive is 580 km/h, and it has absolutely no chance of evading any of the fighters it might face using its speed or diving away. As a maritime patrol aircraft, the engines are optimized for low-level performance, thus its performance will suffer noticeably above 6,000 m while it can retain its energy gained form a dive reasonably well at below 3,000 m.

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
X ✓ ✓ X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
599 263 N/A 360 263 ~4 ~2
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 200 < 180 < 180 > 300

Survivability and armour

Crew8 people
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear263 km/h
  • 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of nose gunner
  • 12.7 mm Steel plate in front of nose gunner
  • 9.5 mm Steel plate underneath nose gunner
  • 9.5 mm Steel plates behind pilots
  • 9.5 mm Steel plates inside fuselage x 3
  • 9.5 mm Steel plates behind and under radial engines
  • 12.7 mm Steel plates behind dorsal gunners
  • 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of beam gunners
  • 9.5 and 6.35 mm Steel plates in front of beam gunners
  • 55 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the tail gunner
  • 9.5 mm Steel plate in front of the tail gunner

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB1 547 → 1 960 Sl icon.png
RB4 221 → 5 348 Sl icon.png
SB8 248 → 10 450 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications34 700 Rp icon.png
67 500 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 300 Ge icon.png
Crew training39 000 Sl icon.png
Experts135 000 Sl icon.png
Aces700 Ge icon.png
Research Aces390 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
90 / 180 / 420 % Sl icon.png
154 / 154 / 154 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
1 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 300 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
1 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 300 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 100 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 100 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
2 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 600 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
2 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 600 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
2 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
2 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods bulletproof vest.png
Protective vest
Research:
1 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 300 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
SBC mk.I
Research:
1 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 300 Sl icon.png
155 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods ammo.png
bmg50_turret_belt_pack
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 100 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
LBC-24
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 100 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mod arrow right 0.png
Mods air naval mine.png
Mk 13 Mod 0
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
3 100 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
FLBC mk.1
Research:
2 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 600 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods turret gun.png
bmg50_turret_new_gun
Research:
2 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
LBC-17
Research:
2 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
5 500 Sl icon.png
260 Ge icon.png

The first priority for the Privateer pilots is to unlock its best payload; the naval mines, which can be unlocked early on by researching "Mk 13 Mod 0" modification at rank II. After this, you can either choose between flight performance or survivability upgrade. The other payload options is less effective compared to the mines and can be left until spaded.

Armaments

Suspended armament

List of setups (7)
Setup 120 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bomb
Setup 28 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb
Setup 34 x 1000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb
Setup 48 x 1000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb
Setup 58 x 1000 lbs Type A Mark I aircraft laid magnetic mine
Setup 64 x 1000 lbs Type A Mark I aircraft laid magnetic mine
Setup 74 x 2000 lb AN-M66A2 bomb
Main articles: AN-M30A1 (100 lb), AN-M64A1 (500 lb), AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb), AN-M66A2 (2,000 lb), Type A Mark I mine

The PB4Y-2 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • 20 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
  • 8 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
  • 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
  • 8 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (8,000 lb total)
  • 4 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (8,000 lb total)
  • 4 x Type A Mark I mines
  • 8 x Type A Mark I mines


When stock, the Privateer is loaded with 20 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs, which are near useless at anything other than picking off light stationary targets. Fortunately, the Privateer gets its best payload option once you've researched the "Mk 13 Mod 0" modification at rank II: 8 x Type A Mark I naval mines, with 508 kg of TNT equivalent each (compared to 4 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs). This is the most potent payload for any American bomber until the B-29 Superfortress. These will do more damage to a base than the equivalent weight in 2,000 lb bombs that the B-17 Flying Fortress or B-24 Liberator can carry. Against ground targets, the Type A naval mine will work like an ordinary bomb (will explode upon ground contact after the fuse timer is up). Due to quantity of bombs and explosives, the Privateer can be used to either destroy the base or destroy a column of heavy vehicles.

Against naval targets, however, the naval mines will not explode when missed but instead armed itself underwater and wait for enemy contact. This reduces the overall effectiveness against stationary naval targets (as it requires a direct hit to trigger a detonation) but provides an additional use in naval battles, as you can lay these mines on various choke points and capture zones, as well as trapping any moving enemy vessel that comes too close to it.

Defensive armament

Turret2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun
Ammunition1200 rounds
Fire rate750 shots/min
2 х Turret2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun
Ammunition760 rounds
Fire rate750 shots/min
3 х Turret2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun
Ammunition800 rounds
Fire rate750 shots/min
Main article: M2 Browning (12.7 mm)

The PB4Y-2 is defended by:

  • 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, nose turret (600 rpg = 1,200 total)
  • 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2 x dorsal turrets (380 rpg = 1,520 total)
  • 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, 2 x beam turrets (400 rpg = 1,600 total)
  • 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, tail turret (400 rpg = 800 total)


The PB4Y-2 features a large amount of .50 cal heavy machine guns as defensive armament. However, even when all of them can be brought to bear, it may not be sufficient to protect the bomber against determined or skilled fighter opposition. Only the tail turret can engage enemies attacking directly behind the Privateer, as the vertical stabilizer blocks the dorsal turrets (gunner dead-zone).

Usage in battles

There are two ways to play the Privateer. One of them is as a conventional heavy bomber, attempting to gain as much altitude as possible while utilizing cloud cover to evade enemy fighters. Unfortunately, the Privateer does not have very good high altitude performance, and it will struggle to climb to high altitude. This approach will also expose the aircraft to attacks from below, against which the Privateer has very little protection.

The other approach is to fly at very low altitude. This has two advantages: it makes it extremely difficult for enemies to attack from below, and the engines are optimized for this altitude. It will also tempt enemy fighters to dive on an "easy" target, which will, in turn, make them easy targets for your own fighters. Unfortunately, flying at low altitude will make the aircraft very vulnerable to anti-aircraft guns.

Shallow diving

Diving is probably the most risky way of trying to bomb but it is the quickest if you do it right. Start by spawning in then dive at about -10 degrees. This will make sure you will not overspeed before reaching the bombing point. However enemy interceptors with air spawn can potentially catch you in a head on, which is an extremely dangerous situation.

Steep diving

Upon spawning, dive at an angle of about -40 degrees. The PB4Y will gradually pick up speed to around 500 km/h. Once you reach 580 km/h, cut throttle to avoid over speeding. If you are close to the bomb base, turn into shallow diving or level out and prepare for the bombing. Once bombs are out, bank towards your airfield while keep diving, you should fly at no more than 100 m above the ground.

During an encounter with enemy aircraft, if you have time to adjust your position, try putting the enemy plane at your 10 / 2 o'clock. This way you can utilise up to 8 M2 Brownings scattered across your fuselage (2 x dorsal turrets, beam turret & nose turret) against the enemy, at the price of presenting a huge silhouette to it. This is a very dangerous tactic, but sometimes it is worth a try.

In general, when engaged by fighters, one should attempt to force them to attack from oblique angles from above. This will allow the largest amount of machine guns to engage the attacker. Only the rear turret can engage aircraft directly behind the Privateer; thus, one should turn the Privateer or use the rudder to "wag the tail" which will allow other gunner positions to engage tail-chasing fighters. Under no circumstances should the belly be exposed to enemy fire; it usually becomes quickly fatal for the bomber.

Enemies worth noting
  • Do 335: this interceptor posts a huge threat to the PB4Y due to its destructive firepower. An experienced Do 335 player might open fire from a far distance of 2.5 km away, at this range its MK108/MK103 shells still have adequate accuracy and damage to cripple the PB4Y, while the PB4Y's Browning M2 can barely do any damage. The PB4Y's tail is also prone to being blown off by a few HE cannon shells.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Controllable
Auto control available 		Not controllable
Not auto controlled 		Controllable
Not auto controlled 		Combined Controllable
2 gears 		Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Large payload (8 x naval mines) allows the plane to be used for area denial in ground and naval battles
  • Great defensive coverage except from below
  • Tricycle landing gear helps the plane to land without the risk of nosing over

Cons:

  • Mediocre stock payload
  • Mediocre survivability
  • The tail can come off very easily due to enemy attacks, causing the destruction of the vehicle
  • Extremely slow and sluggish, even for a heavy bomber
  • Poor engine performance at high altitude (optimized for low altitude)
  • Huge vertical stabiliser can be easily damaged
  • Gear retraction and lowering is rather slow

History

The Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer was a heavy bomber & maritime patrol aircraft used by the United States Navy developed from the PB4Y-1, a minor modification of the B-24 Liberator used by the United States during WWII. The aircraft was a fully-navalized version of the B-24 featuring a taller single vertical stabilizer, a flight engineer's station and modified armament. The aircraft were used towards the end of the Second World War, and were used after the war as patrol aircraft by various countries. Some converted Privateers served as firefighters into the early 2000s; all aircraft are now retired from service, though two airframes are still fully airworthy.

The PB4Y-2 Privateer was a heavy modification on the previous PB4Y-1, which had been developed from the B-24 Liberator for the United States Navy and featured only minor changes from its air force cousin. The navy had been seeking a fully-navalized version of the B-24, and as a result, the aircraft featured numerous improvements over the previous PB4Y-1. The aircraft was similar in appearance to the B-24 but featured several defining features: first, the aircraft had a single vertical stabilizer compared to two smaller stabilizers on the B-24. The aircraft also had a longer fuselage accommodating a flight engineer's station, and a rebuilt armament suite consisting of twelve .50 caliber machine guns in two beam & dorsal turrets and one fore & aft turret. The ventral "ball" turret of the B-24 was removed, considering that the PB4Y was designed for low-altitude operations; the engine's superchargers were also removed for this purpose.

The Navy would eventually acquire 739 PB4Y-2 Privateers, though most of these aircraft arrived after the end of the war. The few aircraft that did serve during WWII provided maritime patrol and bombing capabilities. Notably, the aircraft dropped the ASM-N-2 Bat guided-bomb, similar to the German Fritz-X guided weapon, and was used with some success against Japanese vessels. For example, the Japanese coastal defence ship Aguni was damaged from a distance of 37 km by a Bat guided bomb dropped from a PB4Y Privateer. Effectively, the Bat was the first guided missile in United States service.

Following the end of the Second World War, the remaining PB4Ys were used as maritime patrol aircraft, patrol bombers and even hurricane hunters (several aircraft were lost in this role). The aircraft was used once again during the Korean War as a patrol bomber, and sold to both France and the Republic of China. All American PB4Ys were retired by 1954; small numbers of these aircraft were used as firefighting aircraft all the way until 2002, when a converted PB4Y disintegrated in mid-air while firefighting; as a result, the last of the firefighting PB4Ys were retired as well. Eight PB4Y-2 Privateers survive to this day, mostly in museums in the United States. Two aircraft are fully airworthy and a third is under restoration to become fully airworthy.

Media

Skins

See also

Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the aircraft;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
Bombers  PBY-5 Catalina · PBY-5A Catalina
  PB4Y-2
  B-24D-25-CO
Export  ▄Catalina Mk IIIa · ▂PBY-5A Catalina · ▄PBY-5A Late · ␗PB4Y-2 · ▄PB4Y-2

USA bombers
Dive  SB2U-2 · SB2U-3 · SBD-3 · SB2C-1C · SB2C-4
Torpedo  TBD-1 · PBY-5 Catalina · PBY-5A Catalina · TBF-1C · BTD-1
Medium  B-10B · B-18A · B-34 · PV-2D · B-25J-1 · B-25J-20 · A-26C-45 · A-26C-45DT · B-26B
Heavy  B-17E · B-17E/L · B-17G-60-VE · PB4Y-2 · B-24D-25-CO · B-29A-BN
Hydroplanes  OS2U-1 · OS2U-3 · PBM-1 "Mariner" · PBM-3 "Mariner" · PBM-5A "Mariner"

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