With the PBY Catalina firmly entrenched but aging, the US Navy looked to the newer Coronado floatplane design to help carry the torch through World War 2.
By the middle of the 1930's America was no longer blind to the real possibility that the war would sooner or later be waged along its shores. As such, the United States Navy took action in the requirement for a new generation of flying boat aircraft capable of long range reconnaissance. The Consolidated PB2Y Coronado series reflected just that - a planned replacement for the 1930's era yet successful Consolidated PBY Catalina design already in place.
The PB2Y Coronado first appeared in the XPB2Y-1 prototype form in 1937 - beating out a Sikorsky design - and suffered almost immediately with poor water-based handling and equally dangerous in-air instability issues related largely to the single fin tail design. As such, the tail section was redesigned to incorporate twin-rounded vertical fins which helped iron out the handling issues. The US Navy took this redesigned model as the PB2Y-2 and continued testing as needed. Results necessitated the addition of better armor protection and self sealing fuel tanks which further produced the PB2Y-3. This model would go on to become the definitive production model and also join service in limited numbers with the British RAF.
Design-wise, the Coronado was characterized by its rather stout look, in some ways looking like a shortened Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber with a ship's hull meshed into the design. The flight deck was perched high and forward of the fuselage and adorned on either side by twin Pratt & Whitney type radial engines (these would vary in model types from variant to variant). The rather large looking ASV radome was clearly visible just aft of the cockpit. Wings were high mounted and forward on the tall fuselage and featured retractable wing-tip floats which helped in building better aerodynamic tendencies (this function was similar to the PBY Catalina). The twin fin tail section was also mounted high on the design at rear.
Armament of the Coronado was a well-balanced battery of offensive and defensive implements. Twin 12.7mm (.50 caliber) M2 machine guns were housed in a bow turret, a dorsal turret amidships and a rear turret just aft and between the twin tail fins. An additional 12.7mm machine gun was positioned to fire from hatches in the beam position on either side. To compliment this armament, the Coronado could fulfill an offensive role by being fitted with up t0 1,000 pounds of bombs (held internally in the wing roots) or two Mark 13 type torpedoes held externally.
Despite being of sound design, the Coronado simply was not up to the task of dislodging the favored PBY Catalinas in long distance reconnoitering sorties. Additionally, the Coronado was not implemented greatly as a bomber or anti-ship element, being superseded in this role by the equally capable Consolidated PB4Y-1 series, and aircraft similar in scope but dedicated to land bases and thus not needing any specialist training for water operations.
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(OPERATORS list includes past, present, and future operators when applicable)
✓Ground Attack (Bombing, Strafing)
Ability to conduct aerial bombing of ground targets by way of (but not limited to) guns, bombs, missiles, rockets, and the like.
✓Maritime / Navy
Land-based or shipborne capability for operating over-water in various maritime-related roles while supported by allied naval surface elements.
✓Intelligence-Surveillance-Reconnaissance (ISR), Scout
Surveil ground targets / target areas to assess environmental threat levels, enemy strength, or enemy movement.
Length
79.4 ft (24.20 m)
Width/Span
115.0 ft (35.05 m)
Height
27.5 ft (8.38 m)
Empty Wgt
40,935 lb (18,568 kg)
MTOW
68,002 lb (30,845 kg)
Wgt Diff
+27,066 lb (+12,277 kg)
(Showcased structural values pertain to the Consolidated PB2Y-3 Coronado production variant)
Installed:
4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-88 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder air-cooled radial engines developing 1,200 horsepower each.
(Showcased performance specifications pertain to the Consolidated PB2Y-3 Coronado production variant. Performance specifications showcased above are subject to environmental factors as well as aircraft configuration. Estimates are made when Real Data not available. Compare this aircraft entry against any other in our database or View aircraft by powerplant type)
STANDARD:
2 x 12.7mm machine guns in bow turret
2 x 12.7mm machine guns in dorsal turret
2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail turret
1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left beam position
1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right beam position
OPTIONAL:
8 x 1,000lb (454kg) bombs held internally in wings OR 2 x Mark 13 torpedoes (externally held)
Supported Types
(Not all ordnance types may be represented in the showcase above)
Hardpoint Mountings: 2
XPB2Y-1 - Prototype Model Designation; single tail fin; retractable wing-tip floats.
PB2Y-2 - Revised XPB2Y-1 Prototype Design; fitted with 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial engines; twin tail fin design.
PB2Y-3 - Self-Sealing Fuel Tanks; improved armor protection; extended rear hull.
PB2Y-3R - Dedicated Transport Model; accommodations for up to 45 passengers or equivalent cargo.
XPB2Y-4 - Prototype Model fitted with 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-2600 type radials; slightly increased performance capabilities.
PB2Y-5 - Low-Altitude Variant; fitted with single-stage R-1830-92 radial engines; PB2Y-3 models modified to this standard; extended rear hull.
PB2Y-5R - Air Ambulance Model
Coronado Mk I - British Designation for PB2Y-3 models.
Ribbon graphics not necessarily indicative of actual historical campaign ribbons. Ribbons are clickable to their respective aerial campaigns / operations / aviation periods.
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