World War II Database

1.  Bill says:
20 Nov 2014 03:34:21 PM

FOUR-ENGINE DOGFIGHT: IN THE MIDDLE OF NOWHERE

During the Pacific War both the Japanese and U.S.
sent out patrol planes to search for enemy ships,
convoys or for reconnaissance of enemy buildup.
During a chance encounter an allied four-engine
patrol bomber would sight a Japanese Mavis or Emily four-engine flying boat, and the fight was on!

DUKE IT OUT!

The PB4Y-2 Privateer was armed with twelve twin fifty caliber machine guns, the Mavis or Emily carried 20mm cannons, 7.7 machine guns and the heavy 13.2 mm machine gun.
Whoever could get a good shot could bring it down.
One can imagine such a fight between these type of aircraft with gunners firing hundreds or thousands of rounds that crisscrossed between them, somebody was going down, these four-engine dogfights happened both crews came upon each other by chance or design.

Imperial Japanese Navy: U.S.Navy/U.S.Marines:

Kawanishi H6K (Mavis) PB4Y-1 and PB4Y-2
Kawanishi H8K (Emily)

2.  Bill says:
27 Nov 2014 01:33:18 PM

GO NAVY:

In 1943 Consolidated started development on the long-range Privateer PB4Y-2 (PB-Patrol Bomber,
4-Four Engine Y, Model 1) Three B-24s were taken
off the assembly line, and modified to XB4Y-2
standards.
The B-24 wings and landing gear were kept, the fuselage was lengthened by seven feet, with a single fin/rudder that was 29feet, 1 5/8inches tall. Other changes, the engine supercharges were deleted as the PB4Y-2 would now operate at lower altitudes, and engine nacelles were changed.
The Privateer carried air to surface radar with
improved electronic and ECM equipment operated in the Pacific Theater of Operations.

IMPROVED FIREPOWER: A BROADSIDE OF TEN .50cals

The Privateer was armed with two twin mounted .50 cal. machine guns in Martin A-3 power turrets w/800rounds per gun, located on dorsal spine.

Twin mounted .50 cal. ERCO 250 turrets in tear drop waist blisters each side of fuselage w/800 rpg. Twin mounted .50 cal machine guns w/800rpg in Consolidated A6B tail turret, and ERCO 250 nose mounted ball turret w/800rpg.
The PB4Y-2 could also carry depth charges, bombs or torpedoes. The Privateer entered service in
1944, its mission was a long-range reconnaissance
patrol bomber attacking shipping, enemy bases,
submarine hunting, air search rescue and targets of opportunity. The last PB4Y-2 was delivered to the US Navy October 1945. After WWII she served
in front-line service and later transferred to the reserves. Also served with the US Coast Guard and phased out of military service by 1964.

POST WAR: TWILIGHT SERVICE

Continued to serve with the US Navy as ELINT and
reconnaissance aircraft, air sea search rescue,
anti-submarine and hurricane hunter, target drone control aircraft and other duties before being retired from service.