Searching for Info on 'Standard' Kit Carried by WWll PBY Crews

[P-59A]

B-24 navigator's seat.

[FJMIV]

Not sure about the B-24 but these pictures show the standard configuration of a non-flight crew seat used in the PBY 5A by the US during WWII.

[FJMIV]

Pic-2

[P-59A]

I understand what you are saying. The seat pictured has it roots in the prewar civilian PBY. While it was in use early in the war, production modifications and simplifications rendered this type seat too time consuming and costly for war time production. All WW2 era production aircraft used prefix numbers on the majority of the major parts. They were used to build the aircraft. As I mentioned before the 32- or GK32- was the prefix number for all B-24 and PB4Y aircraft made. It didn't matter if the B-24 was made at Willow Run or San Diego all company's that made B-24's used the 32- prefix and all 32- numbered parts could be used any B-24 no matter who made it so long as it was compatible with the bomber model number. Having said this the PBY had its own unique prefix number.

[P-59A]

The B-24 and PBY were made by Consolidated in San Diego. The seat I own and posted is not from a B-24, it is different in a number of ways. The most notable is the 28- prefix number stamped on the back of the back rest. If you research aircraft prefix numbers you will find the 28- prefix is unique to the PBY and the PBY alone. No other WW2 U.S. made aircraft be it Army or Navy used that Prefix number. The seat I have looks like the B-24 Navigators seat and I assume this is what my seat was used for. I could be wrong about that. I have not found a period photo showing this seat. That is why I piggy backed on this post. Maybe someone has a photo, maybe not...I don't know. What I do know is this seat has a 28- prefix stamped on it and only PBY's used that prefix number. As for the seat from the Collin's Foundation B-24, rest assured that seat is the Navigators seat and that type seat was used in the majority of the over 10,000 B-24 bombers made. I have found parts of that seat at B-24 crash sites. That is another reason I know my seat is not from a B-24...It looks like, but it's made different. Yours David

[Lee Ragan]

Just for the record P59A, there were over 18,000 B-24's built.

[Jumpin Jack]

Thank you Dustin! Most informative. I enjoyed the entire presentation. Jack

[P-59A]

Just for the record P59A, there were over 18,000 B-24's built.

Thank you. I was too lazy to pull the book down and look up the production runs. So, the total production run for all B-24 and altered types is 19,401 to be exact.