Consolidated PB2Y Coronado (Naval Fighters 85)

About this book

The PB2Y Coronado was a large flying boat patrol bomber designed by Consolidated Aircraft. After deliveries of the PBY Catalina also a Consolidated aircraft began in 1935 the United States Navy began planning for the next generation of patrol bombers. Orders for two prototypes the XPB2Y-1 and the Sikorsky XPBS-1 were placed in 1936; the prototype Coronado first flew in December 1937. After trials with the XPB2Y-1 prototype revealed some stability issues the design was finalized as the PB2Y-2 with a large cantilever wing twin tail and four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engines. The two inner engines were fitted with four-bladed reversible pitch propellers; the outer engines had standard three-bladed feathering props. Like the PBY Catalina before it the PB2Ys wingtip floats retracted to reduce drag and increase range.