Delivered to the US Navy as PB4Y-2 59819 in 1945. Sold as N3739G in 1960 and converted to a fire bomber then converted to a Super Privateer in 1968. Operated by T&G Aviation from 1977. To the Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston TX in 1991 and restored to military configuration. Badly damaged by Hurricane Ike in 2008. Moved to the Pima Air and Space Museum, AZ in 2015 and restored in US Navy colours as 59819.

By 1945 several squadrons of Privateers were conducting operations from the Philippines to the Aleutian Islands. The PB4Y-2 with its distinctive single tail was much better equipped than the earlier PB4Y-1, which was basically just an adapted B-24, and stayed in Navy service after the war for missions such as weather reconnaissance and signals intelligence, before being retired around 1955. Several were then modified as civilian air tankers used in fighting forest fires until 2002. This one was tanker 'C30', registered N3739G, now restored in the colours of VPB-120, Shemya Island, AK in 1945

Close-up of this lovely aircraft's nose.

Ex USN BuNo 59819

Luckily during my visit to the Lone Star Flight Museum many of the exhibits had been moved outside onto the ramp enabling me to get this shot of a fabulous, rare aircraft. Well done to all the volunteers who give their time to bring this aircraft (ex US Navy 59819) back to life.

In the 60s and 70s, private contractors flew mostly warbirds and piston airliners for fire suppression in the USA and Canada. This former US Navy Privateer was purchased circa 1965 by Sergio Tomassoni as a stripped airframe , installed Wright Cyclone engines, a B-24D nose and outfitted it as a fire bomber. Flying as tanker 30 until sold to the Lone Star Flight Museum in 1991 where the patrol bomber was restored to military configuration. The aircraft was transferred to Pima Air and Space Museum in 2016.

Built for US Navy as BuAer 59819. Converted for use as a tanker. Sister ship C50 is at right.

The Privateer entered Navy service during the late summer of 1944 with the last of 739 delivered in October 1945. It was developed from the B-24 Liberator as a maritime patrol bomber and had six gun turrets - note the deleted rear fuselage blisters in this view. N3739G was originally the USN's Bu no. 59819 and this identity is now quoted as the aircraft's msn. Retired as a fire bomber in 1991 and to the Lone Star Museum, Galveston, TX; now fully restorated to original military condition