Consolidated PB4Y-2 Navy Privateer 1/66 Scale Mahogany Model

Introducing the ready-built APB4Y Desktop Model. This 1/66 scale model was handmade with precision and accuracy to produce the finest model that will be the centerpiece of your collection for years to come. This model is a perfect gift for pilots and aviation enthusiasts alike. Not too big or too small, this model features a wingspan of 20 inches and a length of 13.6 inches. This model features a very accurate paint scheme with realistic panel lines.

This collectible PB4Y-2 Privateer is an example of one of the rarities of World War II – a combat aircraft that continued in wide service after the war. The Privateer, a redesign of the B-25/PB4Y-1 Liberator, was a very long range patrol bomber that saw service in the Pacific in the closing days of World War II and in the early Cold War. Painstakingly built from Philippine mahogany by our skilled craftsmen with a wealth of detail, this 1/66-scale model PB4Y-2 Privateer makes a great gift for any pilot, aviation enthusiast or history buff.

Based on the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, the Navy sought its use as a very long range patrol bomber. The PB4Y-1 was essentially an unmodified B-24, while the PB4Y-2 Privateer was a new design, adding a longer fuselage, a single tail and heavier armament.

The Privateer’s carried 12 .50-caliber machine guns in six turrets, and could carry up to 12,800 pounds of bombs, mines or torpedoes.

The B-24 Liberator didn’t grab the public attention the way its stablemate, the B-17 Flying Fortress did. The Liberator was a more modern design than the B-17, with greater speed, range and bomb load. However, it was tough to fly, requiring a heavy hand on the controls and was difficult to fly in formation. Its “Davis” wing, with its high aspect ratio, was very efficient, but the Liberator could not tae as much damage as a B-17 and keep flying.

Despite its drawbacks, the B-24 Liberator was produced in great numbers than any other American military aircraft, before or since, with more than 18,400 built by September 1945. About 12,000 Liberators were used by the Army Air Forces, with about 1,800 used by the U.S. Navy as the PB4Y-1 and PB4Y-2 Privateers.

The PB4Y-2 Privateer was 74 feet, 7 inches long, with a wingspan of 110 feet. With a maximum takeoff weight of 65,000 pounds, the Privateer could range almost 3,000 miles.

The B-24 first flew on Dec. 29, 1939 after the Army Air Corps had ordered a design as an improvement on the B-17 Flying Fortress. Over its long production run, improvements included the addition of more powerful engines, the addition of ball turrets and nose turrets, and upgraded systems.

The Army Air Forces took delivery of its first B-24s in 1941. The Liberator eventually became the standard heavy bomber in the Pacific, thanks to having a longer range than the B-17. IN Europe, Liberators comprised about a third of the bomber strength of the Eighth Air Force. Operating from Italy, the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces also launched Liberators against targets in occupied Europe.

The PB4Y-1s greatest contribution came as very long range patrol bombers operating on both sides of the Atlantic. By sacrificing some armor and adding fuel tanks, the maritime Liberators were able to cover the mid-Atlantic gap, where U-Boats were able to operate without fear of attacks from the air.

The PB4Y-2 Privateer operated into the 1950s, including flying “Hurricane Hunter” missions, as well as night illumination missions during the Korean War.