Consolidated P4Y-2K Privateer

The Consolidated P‑4Y‑2K Privateer was a long‑range maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft developed in the late 1940s by Consolidated Aircraft, the successor to the famed B‑24 Liberator. First flown on 7 February 1945, the Privateer incorporated a stretched fuselage, a single vertical stabilizer, and a more powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engine delivering 2,000 horsepower. Its eight .50‑caliber machine‑gun nose turret, dorsal and tail turrets, and extensive radar and electronic‑search equipment made it ideal for anti‑submarine warfare, electronic intelligence gathering, and weather‑observation missions during the early Cold War. Over 600 units were built for the U.S. Navy and for allied services such as the Royal Australian Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force. The aircraft’s range of more than 4,000 miles and endurance of up to 14 hours allowed it to patrol vast oceanic expanses, filling the gap left by the aging Liberator fleet. The P‑4Y‑2K’s versatility and reliability cemented its role in post‑World II maritime patrol, influencing the design of later dedicated patrol aircraft and establishing standards for long‑range reconnaissance that persisted into the jet age.

Consolidated Aircraft

Consolidated P4Y-2K Privateer

Classification

Design & Classification