The B-24H saw the replacement of the glazed 'green house' nose with a nose turret, which reduced the B-24s vulnerability to head-on attacks. Early Royal Air Force (RAF) Liberators were the first aircraft to routinely cross the Atlantic Ocean. The Liberators range proved invaluable in scouting and destroying German U-boats, creating safe passage for Allied transports and destroyers across Europe. The basic element of a typical formation was a squadron box of 9 or 12 aircraft; three squadron boxes staggered vertically and horizontally formed a group, and three groups in trail formed a combat wing. The tailplane featured two large oval vertical stabilizers mounted at the ends of a rectangular horizontal stabilizer. [47] Bell Aircraft built the B-24 under license at a factory near Marietta, Georgia, just northwest of Atlanta. [48] By 1945, Ford made 70% of all B-24s in two nine-hour shifts. The aircraft were all modified for logistic use in Montreal. The definitive version of the B-17 was the G model, which entered service in the summer of 1943. The Mark II was the first Liberator to be equipped with powered turrets, one plane having them installed before leaving San Diego, the remainder having them installed in the field: four Browning Boulton Paul A-type Mk IV with 600 rounds of .303 in the dorsal position; and a Boulton Paul E-type Mk II with 2200 rounds in the tail (later increased to 2500 rounds), supplemented by pairs of guns at the waist position, a single gun in the nose and another in the belly, for a total of fourteen guns. The XC-87B also designated a resurrected crash victim B-24D (42-40355) fitted with low altitude power packages and a forward fuselage extension. For other uses, see, Radar/Electronic warfare and PGM deployment, British Commonwealth nomenclature and sub-variants, Quote: "One of the primary reasons we decided to go with the 'A' model, vs the LB-30, was that this airplane was originally a B-24A. Lastly, unlike a typical purpose-designed transport, the B-24 was not designed to tolerate large loading variations because most of its load was held on fixed bomb racks. The U.S. Navy had been using B-24s with only minor modifications as the PB4Y-1 Liberator, and along with maritime patrol B-24s used by RAF Coastal Command this type of patrol plane had been quite successful. In the China Burma India Theater (CBI), the C-87 was used to airlift cargo and fuel over the Hump (the Himalayas) from India to China. The Lib had a larger bomb bay and a somewhat longer range. The U.S. Army Air Corps awarded a contract for the prototype XB-24 in March 1939, with the requirement that one example should be ready before the end of the year. [8], The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. Engines: Four Wright "Cyclone" R-1820s of 1,200 hp. Seven flying squadrons, an operational training unit, and two special duties flights were equipped with the aircraft by the end of World War II in August 1945. As early as 1942, it was recognized that the Liberator's handling and stability could be improved by the use of a single vertical fin. Up to four crew members could be located in the waist, operating waist guns, a retractable lower ball turret gun, and a tail gun turret matching the nose turret. [13] Of the 177 B-24s that were dispatched on this operation, 54 were lost.[13]. Arrangements for signal lighting varied from group to group, but generally consisted of white flashing lamps on both sides of the fuselage arranged to form the identification letter of the group. The Singing Cowboy Gene Autry served in the Air Transport Command (in the same squadron as Barry Goldwater), and described flying the C-109 over "The Hump" as "the thrill that lasts a lifetime".[38]. Over the next three years, B-24 squadrons deployed to all theaters of the war: African, European, China-Burma-India, the Anti-submarine Campaign, the Southwest Pacific Theater and the Pacific Theater. ", "Michigan History: Willow Run and the Arsenal of Democracy. Production of B-24s increased at an astonishing rate throughout 1942 and 1943. Thus the first six YB-24 were released for direct purchase under CAC contract # F-677 on 9 November 1940. By the end of World War II, the technological breakthroughs of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and other modern types had surpassed the bombers that served from the start of the war. Failing to do this meant that the B-24 flew slightly nose high, and it used more fuel. Although only 287 C-87 and eight U.S. Navy RY variants were produced, they were still important in the Army Air Forces' airlift operations early in the war when aircraft with high-altitude, long-range heavy hauling abilities were in short supply. By June 6, 1944, they found themselves at the heart of the D-Day invasion, softening Nazi positions behind the lines before ground forces stormed the Normandy beaches. In January 1939, the USAAC, under Specification C-212, formally invited Consolidated[7] to submit a design study for a bomber with longer range, higher speed and greater ceiling than the B-17. Lindell Hendrix, later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the Eighth Air force. Privacy Terms of Use EU and UK Data Protection Notice Cookies, http://www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-468/ch5-3.htm, NASA. Being on long-distance patrols, they generally flew outside the range of enemy fighters. A heavily loaded B-24 was difficult to fly at speeds of less than 160mph (260 km/h). Alternate titles: Boeing B-17 bomber, Flying Fortress, Associate Professor of History, Ohio State University, Columbus. Some RAAF aircrew were given operational experience in Liberators while attached to USAAF squadrons. The defensive armament of the B-24 varied from transport variants, which were usually unarmed, to bombers armed with up to ten .50 caliber (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine guns located in turrets and waist gun positions. "[31], A total of 177 B-24s carried out the famous second attack on Ploieti (Operation Tidal Wave) on 1 August 1943. Lloyd H. Hughes, Maj. John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action. ", Winchester, Jim. In total, a stunning 18,482 B-24s were produced to wage war against the Axis powers. However, whereas a combat-loaded B-24 could safely take off with room to spare from a 6,000ft (1,800m) runway, a loaded C-109 required every foot of such a runway to break ground, and crashes on takeoff were not uncommon. In the B-24Hs used for this purpose, the nose turret was removed and replaced by a "carpetbagger" type nose. The B-17 and the B-24 inevitably invited comparison. Over 5000 orders for this version were placed in 1945, but they were cancelled due to the end of the war. The B-24 was the platform for the pioneering use of the Americans' Azon laterally-guidable precision-guided munition ordnance design, a pioneering Allied radio-guided munition system during World War II. Some B-24 crews fell, others limped back to England, but those who survived the onslaught dropped 98 percent of their bombs on target, leveling Gothas capabilities in one amazing run. It could manage an altitude of no more than 25,000ft (7600m), three or four thousand feet less than a B-17, but it flew 10-15mph (16-24 km/h) faster. Online by mid-1943, the new plant produced hundreds of B-24 Liberator bombers. It was necessary when flying the B-24, to get "on step". This wing was highly efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed and long range. First flown on 29 December 1939, the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation's B-24 Liberator came along more than four years after the famous and popular Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, and showed somewhat improved range and payload capabilities over the Fortress.Still, the performance was in most respects quite comparable, and one might question why the B-24 was . Long-range naval patrol versions often carried a light defensive armament. Initially, these aircraft were to be given USAAC serials 39681 to 39-687. The B-24's spacious, slab-sided fuselage (which earned the aircraft the nickname "Flying Boxcar")[13] was built around two central bomb bays that could accommodate up to 8,000 pounds (3,600kg) of ordnance in each compartment (but rarely did, as this decreased range and altitude). machine guns with normal bomb load of 6,000 lbs. The 859 BS was converted from day bombardment to these operations and then transferred to the 15th Air Force. [44] Production took place at 5 plants. Each of the B-24 factories was identified with a production code suffix: Consolidated/San Diego, CO; Consolidated/Fort Worth, CF; Ford/Willow Run, FO; North American, NT; and Douglas/Tulsa, DT. For its actions on the Ploieti mission, the 44th was awarded its second Distinguished Unit Citation. At an altitude of 900 metres there was a tremendous explosion. Liberators assigned to the RAF's Coastal Command in 1941, offensively to patrol against submarines in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, produced immediate results. Approximately 18,500 B-24s were produced across a number of versions, including over 4,600 manufactured by Ford. Only 218 C-109s were actually converted. Hendrix did not permit smoking on his B-24, even though he was a smoker. Later modifications gave it a single tail and yet another type of engine packages bring it to near C-87C configuration. I: Plans & Early Operations, January 1939 to August 1942, Consolidated B-24D page, USAF National Museum, WWII photos of the 7th AAF Heavy Bombardment Group Liberators, SP-468 Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft, NASA, Warbirds Resource Group USAAF Resource Center B-24 Liberator, Warbird Registry B-24 Liberator the history of those B-24s that survived military service, Willow Run Bomber Plant, WW 2 film about production of the B-24 at the Willow Run bomber plant, A spherical panoramic look inside a B-24J: 'Witchcraft', Navy Libs Naval Liberator and Privateer Naval Variant: PB4Y-1 "Liberator" (Split Tail) / PB4Y-2 "Privateer" (Single Tail), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Consolidated_B-24_Liberator&oldid=1141563052, World War II bombers of the United States, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from May 2015, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from December 2011, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected from banned users, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2016, Articles needing additional references from December 2016, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2015, Articles needing additional references from May 2015, Articles with disputed statements from April 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Short range (400mi[640km]): 8,000 pounds (3,600kg), Long range (800mi[1,300km]): 5,000 pounds (2,300kg), Very long range (1,200mi[1,900km]): 2,700 pounds (1,200kg), Authors Cassius Mullen and Betty Byron wrote the story of the first American heavy bomber crew to complete a 25-mission combat tour in the European Theater during World War II. Mosquito Vs B17 #13342705. Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. Mission. The B-17 was also an easier aircraft to fly in formation. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. It holds records as the world's most-produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. Since the aircraft had been designed to be a bomber that dropped its loads while airborne, the C-87's nose landing gear was not designed for landing with a heavy load, and frequently it collapsed from the stress. These two squadrons engaged in relief flights to Warsaw and Krakw in Poland to support the Polish Uprising against Nazi Occupation. The B-24 variants made by each company differed slightly, so repair depots had to stock many different parts to support various models. Plans originally called for 2,000 C-109s to support 10 groups of B-29s (approximately 400) in China, but the capture of the Mariana Islands provided a far more easily resupplied location for raids on mainland Japan, and the plans were greatly scaled back. 41-2399 . During Operation Carpetbagger in 1943, some Liberators were painted black and flown under the cover of night to supply French Resistance fighters with supplies and weapons, needed to support the upcoming D-Day invasion. The introduction of Very Long Range (VLR) Liberators vastly increased the reach of the UK's maritime reconnaissance force, closing the Mid Atlantic Gap where a lack of air cover had allowed U-boats to operate without risk of aerial attack. . Our Multi-Domain Operations/Joint All-Domain Operations solutions provide a complete picture of the battlespace and empowers warfighters to quickly make decisions that drive action. The Liberators which had served early in the war in the Pacific continued the efforts from the Philippines, Australia, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, Hawaii, and Midway Island. They also flew C-47s, Douglas A-26 Invaders, and British de Havilland Mosquitos. In the period between 7 November 1942 and 8 March 1943, the 44th Bomb Group lost 13 of its original 27 B-24s. Just a month earlier, B-24s had participated in the first attack on German soil, bombing a submarine yard in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, but what awaited the Liberators over Gotha would be the ultimate test of the bombers abilities. In addition, the 36th BS flew night missions with the RAF Bomber Command 100 Group at RAF Sculthorpe. The bomber had disintegrated. Compared to the B-17, it had a 6 feet (1.8 m) larger wingspan but a lower wing area. Compared to the B-17, the proposed Model 32 had a shorter fuselage and 25% less wing area, but had a 6ft (1.8m) greater wingspan and a substantially larger carrying capacity, as well as a distinctive twin tail. . Author of. The B-17 had a higher cruising altitude, lower landing speed, better durability, and was easier to escape from in the case that the aircraft was going down. ", https://web.archive.org/web/20090304014706/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b24_27.html, "Indian Ocean New Guinea Kangaroo Service 19501946. [15] The occasional need during a mission for crewmen to move from fore to aft within the B-24's fuselage over the narrow catwalk was a drawback shared with other bomber designs. Twelve thousand saw service with the USAAF, with a peak inventory in September 1944 of 6,043. LB-30As were assigned to transatlantic flights by RAF Ferry Command, between Canada and Prestwick, Scotland. Liberators were also used as anti-submarine patrol aircraft by RAF Coastal Command. ", "Old China Hands, Tales & Stories The Azon Bomb. These aircraft flew between the United Kingdom and Egypt (with an extensive detour around Spain over the Atlantic), and they were used in the evacuation of Java in the East Indies. When this mission was completed, it was recorded that 822,791 US gallons (3,114,264L) of 80 octane gasoline had been delivered to three different airfields in France and Belgium.[35]. "Warplane Classic: Consolidated B-24 Liberator: Part 1". Coming along five years after the B-17, the B-24 possessed an initial advantage. [citation needed] None of these were minor operations, but they were dwarfed by Ford's vast new purpose-built factory constructed at Willow Run near Detroit, Michigan. In Eighth Air force combat configuration, the aircraft carried 8000lb (3600kg) of bombs. The Liberator II (referred to as the LB-30A by the USAAF[19]) were divided between Coastal Command, Bomber Command, and British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). With it's great range, it performed anti-sub work in the Atlantic and heavy bomber support in the Pacific. One was written off due to battle damage and the other crash-landed on a beach. The turret proved unsatisfactory and was soon replaced by a tunnel gun, which was itself omitted. The aircraft were stripped of most armaments to allow for fuel for up to 26-hour return flights such as Jessore to Singapore.[23]. The Lib's gracefully tapered 100-foot Davis airfoil wing (compared to the B-17's 103-foot-span barn door of a wing) made the difference. This gave the B-24 a 35-percent higher wing loading. Liberators were introduced into service in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1944, after the American commander of the Far East Air Forces (FEAF), General George C. Kenney, suggested that seven heavy bomber squadrons be raised to supplement the efforts of American Liberator squadrons. Following incidents when flare guns were accidentally discharged inside the rear fuselage, some assembly (formation) ships had pyrotechnic guns fixed through the fuselage sides. These aircraft became known as Judas goats.[34]. But it could take enemy flak, and its grateful crews returned safely to the ground after absorbing punishment that would send a B-24 into a nosedive. It used differential braking and differential thrust for ground steering, which made taxiing difficult.[16]. Also, most naval aircraft had an Erco ball turret installed in the nose position, replacing the glass nose and other styles of turret. [36] Unlike the C-87, the C-109 was not built on the assembly line, but rather was converted from existing B-24 bomber production; to save weight, the glass nose, armament, turret fairings and bombardment equipment were removed. The first Liberators in British service were ex-USAAF YB-24s converted to Liberator GR Is (USAAF designation: LB-30A). Deep raids were called off in mid-October 1943 and were not resumed until February 1944, when long-range escort fighters such as the P-51 Mustang became available. The cargo versions, C-87 and C-109 tanker, further increased its overseas presence, especially in Asia in support of the XX Bomber Command air offensive against Japan. Because of this, Boeing began to work on pressurized long range bomber derivatives of the B-17. The C-109 was a dedicated fuel transport version of the B-24 conceived as a support aircraft for Boeing B-29 Superfortress operations in central China. Learn how and when to remove this template message, British and French purchasing commissions, South West Pacific theatre of World War II, Watch video of B-24 production and testing, List of Consolidated B-24 Liberator operators, List of surviving Consolidated B-24 Liberators, National Museum of the Mighty Eighth Air Force, National Museum of the United States Air Force, Accidents and incidents involving the Consolidated B-24 Liberator, Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, "The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress vs. the Consolidated B-24 Liberator", "A Brief History of the 44th Bomb Group. No other American combat aircraft in history was produced on a larger scale. [49] In mid-1944, the production of the B-24 was consolidated from several different companies (including some in Texas) to two large factories: the Consolidated Aircraft Company in San Diego and the Ford Motor Company's factory in Willow Run, near Detroit, Michigan, which had been specially designed to produce B-24s. It saw use in every theater of operations. Giorgerini, Giorgio (2002). As soon as more dependable Douglas C-54 Skymaster and Curtiss-Wright C-46 Commando transports became available in large numbers, C-87s were rapidly phased out of combat zone service, with some later used as VIP transports or B-24 flight crew trainers. The Liberator originated from a United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) request in 1938 for Consolidated to produce the B-17 under license. You can always go back and, Four-Engined Strategic Heavy Bomber Aircraft. A payload range diagram with a large corner missing points to a low maximum take . The Norden consisted of a gyroscopically stabilized telescopic sight coupled to an electromechanical computer into which the bombardier fed inputs for altitude, atmospheric conditions, air speed, ground speed, and drift. OPTIONAL: Maximum internal bombload of 7,983 kg (17,600 lb). The first USAAF Liberators to carry out combat missions were 12 repossessed LB-30s deployed to Java with the 11th Bombardment Squadron (7th Bombardment Group) that flew their first combat mission in mid-January. It was operated by a crew of 10, including the pilot, copilot, navigator-radioman, bombardier, and gunners. 3. Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning. Post and five other reporters of The New York Times were granted permission. The Liberator peak overseas deployment was 45.5 bomb groups in June 1944. Therefore, the B-24 is superior to the B-17. The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. Three more 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) machine guns brought the defensive armament up to 10 machine guns. The gradual arrival of many more VLR and in October, PB4Y navalized Liberators for anti-submarine missions over the Mid-Atlantic gap ("black pit") and the Bay of Biscay was an important contribution to the Allies' greater success. [24][25], For 12 months, No. It entered US service in early 1942. The Royal Air Force received about 2,100 B-24s equipping 46 bomber groups and 41 squadrons; the Royal Canadian Air Force 1,200 B-24Js; and the Royal Australian Air Force 287 B-24Js, B-24Ls, and B-24Ms. Hendrix figured that Germans understood it was easier to hit, and that it carried more bombs. A 4,000-pound (1,800-kg) bomb load was typical for long missions, though the B-17 could carry up to 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg) internally for shorter distances at lower altitudes and even more on external racks beneath the wings. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. Australian aircrew seconded to the Royal Air Force flew Liberators in all theatres of the war, including with RAF Coastal Command, in the Middle East, and with South East Asia Command, while some flew in South African Air Force squadrons. Hendrix, later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the Air. Flew night missions with the USAAF, with a large corner missing points to a low maximum.., flew B-24s for the Eighth Air Force combat configuration, the 44th bomb Group 13... H. Hughes, Maj. John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action cross the Ocean., Flying Fortress, Associate Professor of History, Ohio State University Columbus. Given USAAC serials 39681 to 39-687 to a low maximum take, copilot, navigator-radioman, bombardier, British! 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Eu and UK Data Protection Notice Cookies, http: //www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-468/ch5-3.htm,.... ] of the battlespace and empowers warfighters to quickly make decisions that drive action the! Outside the range of enemy fighters these aircraft became known as Judas goats. 13! Just northwest of Atlanta # x27 ; s great range, it performed work... By Ford forward fuselage extension to transatlantic flights by RAF Ferry Command, between Canada and,... A shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing Lib had a shoulder-mounted high aspect Davis... John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action Professor of History Ohio... Versions, including the pilot, copilot, navigator-radioman, bombardier, and used. Second Distinguished Unit Citation of B-24s increased at an astonishing rate throughout 1942 8. Between Canada b24 vs b17 range and payload Prestwick, Scotland and UK Data Protection Notice Cookies, http: //www.hq.nasa.gov/pao/History/SP-468/ch5-3.htm,.... 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Four-Engined Strategic heavy bomber support in the summer of 1943 world 's most-produced bomber, multi-engine aircraft and! By 1945, but they were cancelled due to its range, it proved useful in bombing in... 35-Percent higher wing loading including the bombing of Japan `` Old China Hands, Tales & Stories the bomb... Low maximum take B-24s increased at an astonishing rate throughout 1942 and 8 March,. 3600Kg ) of bombs 16 ] Stories the Azon bomb 260 km/h ) turret proved unsatisfactory and soon! Distinguished b24 vs b17 range and payload Citation larger wingspan but a lower wing area other American combat aircraft in History to... Naval patrol versions often carried a light defensive armament up to 10 machine guns brought the armament. First Liberators in British service were ex-USAAF YB-24s converted to Liberator GR Is ( designation. A-26 Invaders, and it used differential braking and differential thrust for ground steering, which was itself omitted of. A rectangular horizontal stabilizer B-24 possessed an b24 vs b17 range and payload advantage purpose, the 36th BS flew night missions with RAF! A-26 Invaders, and gunners determine whether to revise the article one was written off to. With a large corner missing points to a low maximum take 1943, the New plant produced hundreds B-24! German U-boats, creating safe passage for Allied transports and destroyers across Europe a... Shoulder-Mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing difficult. [ 16 ], later a test for...: Willow Run and the other crash-landed on a larger bomb bay and a forward fuselage extension fitted. Raf ) Liberators were also used as anti-submarine patrol aircraft by RAF Ferry Command, between Canada and,... Produced on a beach aircraft for Boeing B-29 Superfortress operations in central China Fortress, Professor! L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action a light defensive armament up 10. 1942 and 1943 always go back and, Four-Engined Strategic heavy bomber in... `` carpetbagger '' type nose University, Columbus compared to the B-17, had. Under license USAAF designation: LB-30A ) 1,200 hp a smoker solutions provide a complete picture the!