This beautifully detailed set of three 1/700 scale U.S. Navy patrol bomber models includes one model of three different aircraft:

(1) B-24D Liberator (Photo #2)

(1) PB4Y-1 Liberator - (Photo #3) The navalized B-24J complete with an Erco nose turret.

(1) PB4Y-2 Privateer (Photo #4)

In the summer of 1942, the U.S. Navy needed long-range aircraft to search the vast reaches of the Pacific. The PBY Catalina, PBM Mariner and PB2Y Coronado in use at the time proved to be too slow and lightly armed for missions near heavily fortified enemy held islands. In July of that year the Navy assumed the Atlantic long-range maritime patrol duty that had previously been performed by USAAF including the acquisition of the B-24D Liberator bombers assigned to the role. Initially the Navy continued to operate the B-24's without any significant changes but began to incorporate improvements in 976 navalized PB4Y-1 variants including the installation of the Erco nose turret in later aircraft. Finally in January 1945, the fully navalized PB4Y-2 Privateer began to enter service. The Privateer featured a huge single fin that gave the aircraft considerably better stability than the twin fins of the original B-24 design. By war's end, 739 of these lethal aircraft had been received and used with devastating results against enemy shipping, installations and aircraft including fighters.

These 3D printed models require no assembly but compare favorably with injection molded kits and exceed the detail of most comparable resin and white metal models by a good measure.Photography of these little gems is a challenge for our equipment and limited skills, but check out the well proportioned models including the detailed canopies, wings, engines, tail assemblies and turrets (especially the Erco ball nose turrets on the PB4Y models and the Erco teardrop waist gun positions on the Privateer).

Although the surfaces are not perfectly smooth (3D printing is done in layers), the plastic used can be sanded and painted much the same way you would handle resin or styrene. These are gear up, 'in flight' models but it should be fairly straightforward to add PE landing gear for a very convincing air base diorama.

NOTE: While we currently maintain limited inventories of most items, some items may be "printed on demand", which usually requires 10-15 business days from order to shipment.