A B-24 could reach 290 miles per hour and carry a 5,000-pound bomb load for 1,700 miles, giving it a longer range, greater speed, and a bigger payload than its B-17 cousin." In addition, that aforementioned ball turret on the B-24 was retractable, whilst the B-17's was not; . By 1941, B-24s were being shipped to Great Britain, where they were given the name Liberator and adapted for a variety of purposes, including coastal patrol, protecting critical Atlantic cargo ship convoy crossings. However, in the ETO, the B-24 operated with the B-17 which constrained the aircraft's operating speed. [48] By 1945, Ford made 70% of all B-24s in two nine-hour shifts. This wing was highly efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed and long range. ", "Old China Hands, Tales & Stories The Azon Bomb. It had been sent to the Central Pacific for a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the Japanese attack. B-1B Lancer. 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. In 1943, the model of Liberator considered by many the "definitive" version was introduced. Kane and Johnson survived the mission but three other recipients of the Medal of Honor for their actions in the missionLt. Avro Lancaster Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Range (km) 4,070 3,220 CEILING 24,508 ft (7,470 m) [Diff.-11,089 feet] CEILING 35,597 ft (10,850 m) [Diff.+11,089 feet] Avro Lancaster Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Ceiling (m) 7,470 10,850 ARMAMENT STANDARD: 2 x 0.303 caliber (7.7mm) Browning machine guns in nose turret. Due to deferments of the US requirements, the US purchase was twice postponed, and the serial numbers were changed to 40696 to 40-702. 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. Knoke reported: "The fire spread out along the right wing. For its actions on the Ploieti mission, the 44th was awarded its second Distinguished Unit Citation. Omissions? 29th Apr 2007, 21:34. ", Winchester, Jim. The first prototype bomber flew in mid-1935, and the B-17 entered small-scale production in 1937. 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. That would make the total payload capability 134,000 lbs.! Such were the production numbers it has been said that more aluminum, aircrew, and effort went into the B-24 than any other aircraft in history.[45]. Online by mid-1943, the new plant produced hundreds of B-24 Liberator bombers. Conceived in 1938 by Consolidated Aircraft, a Lockheed Martin legacy company, the original B-24 prototype was designed to fly faster and carry a larger payload than the US Army Air Corpss B-17 Flying Fortress. In his autobiography, Fate is the Hunter, the writer Ernest K. Gann reported that, while flying air cargo in India, he barely avoided crashing an improperly loaded C-87 into the Taj Mahal. The bomber had disintegrated. Its lower altitude made it more vulnerable to flak. 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. [43] The regiment concerned appears to have been the 890th Bomber Aviation Regiment at Baranovichi until 1944, and then Kazan. Mosquito Vs B17 #13342705. Crashed B-24s were the source of the landing gear units for the strictly experimental Junkers Ju 287 V1 first prototype jet bomber airframe in 1945. Early Royal Air Force (RAF) Liberators were the first aircraft to routinely cross the Atlantic Ocean. Two RAF bomber squadrons with Liberators were deployed to the Middle East in early 1942. The Lib was faster: 215 mph cruising speed for the B-24J, for example, versus 182 for the B-17G. It was operated by a crew of 10, including the pilot, copilot, navigator-radioman, bombardier, and gunners. 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. pp. Ferry Command's Atlantic Return Ferry Service flew civilian ferry pilots, who had delivered aircraft to the UK, back to North America. The US policy at the time, despite neutrality, was that American requirements could be deferred while its Allies could immediately put US production into the war effort. Later D models were fitted with the retractable Sperry ball turret. Some RAAF aircrew were given operational experience in Liberators while attached to USAAF squadrons. 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. Taking action to help you protect what matters most. The XC-87B also designated a resurrected crash victim B-24D (42-40355) fitted with low altitude power packages and a forward fuselage extension. As these aircraft normally returned to base once a formation had been established, a skeleton crew of two pilots, navigator, radio operator and one or two flare discharge operators were carried. In the hands of a skilled bombardier, the Norden was a remarkably accurate sight. The extended nose earned it the name Pinocchio. A payload range diagram can be used to compare competing aircraft, and also shows where an aircraft is limited. Twelve thousand saw service with the USAAF, with a peak inventory in September 1944 of 6,043. [9] The wing was also more susceptible to damage than the B-17's wing, making the aircraft less able to absorb battle damage. Many of the surviving Liberators originated in this Command. 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. Post was the only reporter assigned to a B-24-equipped group, the 44th Bomb Group. Early model Liberators were fitted with a top-mounted turret, a tail turret and single machine guns located in the waist and in the glazed nose. Two were shot up by Japanese fighters, but both managed to land safely. Liberators were also used as anti-submarine patrol aircraft by RAF Coastal Command. [citation needed], In all, 18,482 B-24s were built by September 1945. The B-17 had a notably smaller bomb bay than the Lanc (impressive though the B-17's payload was at the time of its design) - although the 22,000lb figure is for the Grand Slam carrying Lancs rather than the standard maximum load (which was, IIRC, about 14,000lb). This role was dangerous, especially after many U-boats were armed with extra anti-aircraft guns, some adopting the policy of staying on the surface to fight, rather than submerging and risking being sunk by aerial weapons such as rockets, gunfire, torpedoes and depth charges from the bombers. 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. Lindell Hendrix, later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the Eighth Air force. It entered US service in early 1942. It used differential braking and differential thrust for ground steering, which made taxiing difficult.[16]. The B-17 was designed by the Boeing Aircraft Company in response to a 1934 Army Air Corps specification that called for a four-engined bomber at a time when two engines were the norm. Uomini sul fondo: storia del sommergibilismo italiano dalle origini a oggi. US-based Liberators entered combat service in 1942 when on 6 June, four LB-30s from Hawaii staging through Midway Island attempted an attack on Wake Island, but were unable to find it. 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. The navigator's position was relocated behind the pilot. 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]. The RAF and later American patrols ranged from the east, based in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Iceland and beginning in mid-1943 from the Azores. At its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. It proved to be quite vulnerable to icing conditions, and was prone to fall into a spin with even small amounts of ice accumulated onto its Davis wing. And then, suddenly, the whole wing broke off. Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. Learn how we are strengthening the economies, industries and communities of our global partner nations. The Secret War, by Brian Johnson, Pen And Sword Military Classics, 1978. The Americans persisted, however, at great cost in men and aircraft. The planes service ceiling of 25,000 to 35,000 feet (7,500 to 10,500 metres), depending on the bomb load, put it above the worst of the German antiaircraft artillery, but, firepower notwithstanding, formations of B-17s proved unable to fight their way unescorted to targets deep inside Germany in the face of determined fighter opposition without incurring excessive losses. Although the B-24 did not meet Project A goals, it was a step in that direction. Because of this, Boeing began to work on pressurized long range bomber derivatives of the B-17. Author of. Radar Counter Measures (RCM) was code-named CARPET, however, this should not be confused with agent and supply drops, code-named "Carpetbaggers". As built, the XB-24 top speed was only 273mph instead of the specified 311mph. The radio/radar operator sat behind the pilots, facing sideways and sometimes doubled as a waist gunner. Engines: Four Wright "Cyclone" R-1820s of 1,200 hp. [29] The B-24 came to dominate the heavy bombardment role in the Pacific because compared to the B-17, the B-24 was faster, had longer range, and could carry a ton more bombs.[30]. The B-24 was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity. Consolidated finished the prototype and had it ready for its first flight two days before the end of 1939. . Additionally, the Liberator equipped a number of independent squadrons in a variety of special combat roles. The Ninth Air Force moved to England in late 1943. This model introduced self-sealing fuel tanks, a 2ft 7in (79cm) plug in the forward fuselage to create more space for crew members and, more vitally, ever more equipment such as ASV Mark II radar (anticipated early in the Liberator's development when Reuben Fleet told the engineering team he had a gut feeling the nose was too short). A total of 287 B-24D, B-24J, B-24L and B-24M aircraft were supplied to the RAAF, of which 33 were lost in action or accidents, with more than 200 Australians killed. The low-altitude, nighttime operation was extremely dangerous and took its toll on these airmen. Intercepted just short of the target, the B-24 came under attack from JG1's Messerschmitt Bf 109s. 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. Robert B. The B-24 was used extensively in World War II where it served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies. [3][4] At approximately 18,500 units including 8,685 manufactured by Ford Motor Company it holds records as the world's most produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. 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. The PLAAF had two B-24Ms captured from the Chinese Nationalists during the Chinese Civil War and operated until 1952. Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning. RAF Liberators were also operated as bombers from India by SEAC and would have been a part of Tiger Force if the war had continued. 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. Failing to do this meant that the B-24 flew slightly nose high, and it used more fuel. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). [8], The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. OPTIONAL: Maximum internal bombload of 7,983 kg (17,600 lb). In late June 1943, the three B-24 Liberator groups of the 8th Air Force were sent to North Africa on temporary duty with the 9th Air Force:[13] the 44th Bomb Group joined the 93rd and the 389th Bomb Groups. During the bomb run, the sight was slaved to the automatic pilot to guide the aircraft to the precise release point. Helicopter widths include main rotor diameter. 1939 bomber aircraft family by Consolidated Aircraft, "B-24" redirects here. These narrow B-24 wings gave the plane speed and endurance but also vulnerability to damage. The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. B-17 data. 51820. Carrying the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1 is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The design MTOW for a B-24D was initially set at 56,000lbs. In the event, the need to keep such tight defensive formations over Europe compromised the accuracy of the Norden bombsight, since individual bomb runs were not possible without breaking the formation. 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. ", "B-24D-53-CO "Shady Lady" Serial Number 42-40369", US Army Air Forces in World War II: Vol. [22], Later in 1941, the first Liberators entered RAF service. [citation needed] A new government plant was built in Tulsa, Oklahoma with Reconstruction Finance Corporation funds and leased to Douglas Aircraft for assembly of B-24s from Ford parts;[46] Douglas ultimately built a total of 962 of the D, E, H, and J models there. Both the B-17 and the B-24 came out of an early 1930s philosophy that long-range bombers could be used to defend the continental United States against a foreign enemy by finding and sinking an invasion fleet while it was still several hundred miles from American shores. In some groups an observer officer flew in the tail position to monitor the formation. The program was run under the umbrella group, "Project A", an Air Corps requirement for an intercontinental bomber that had been conceived in the mid-1930s. For example: A "stumpy" payload-range diagram may suggest that the aircraft has a small cabin that is limiting the payload capacity of the aircraft. An American B-24 Liberator in flight. Milano: Mondadori. [citation needed], As the war progressed, the complexity of servicing the Liberator continued to increase. The Liberators made a significant contribution to Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic against German U-boats. Mission. A B-24 could reach 290 miles per hour and carry a 5,000-pound bomb load for 1,700 miles, giving it a longer range, greater speed and a bigger payload than its B-17 cousin. The turbocharged engines were the reason for the flattened oval shape of the nacelles that distinguished all subsequent Liberator models. From August 1943 until the end of the war in Europe, specially modified B-24Ds were used in classified missions. While RAF Bomber Command did not use B-24s as strategic bombers over mainland North West Europe, No. Only one B-24 was officially delivered to the USSR according to the Lend-Lease agreements, stranded in Yakutsk while flying a government mission to the Soviet Union in November 1942. Lloyd H. Hughes, Maj. John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action. ", https://web.archive.org/web/20090304014706/http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b24_27.html, "Indian Ocean New Guinea Kangaroo Service 19501946. 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. Maximum payload is the difference between maximum zero-fuel Weight and operational empty weight . 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. Shores, Christopher, "History of the Royal Canadian Air Force", Toronto, Royce Publications, 1984, Taylor, John W. R. "Consolidated B-24/PB4 Y Liberator. The B-24D initially featured upper, belly and tail turrets, plus swiveling single guns in the waist and on either side of the nose. In the B-24Hs used for this purpose, the nose turret was removed and replaced by a "carpetbagger" type nose. 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. Cruising speed: 170 mph. After the transfer of the B-29s, the C-109s were reassigned to the Air Transport Command. The B-24D was the Liberator III in British service. Later modifications gave it a single tail and yet another type of engine packages bring it to near C-87C configuration. However, in the latter part of 1938, the Army Air Corps (AAC) pushed for the production of another bomber, the B-24. [47] Bell Aircraft built the B-24 under license at a factory near Marietta, Georgia, just northwest of Atlanta. The first aircrews chosen for this operation came from the anti-submarine bomb groups because of their special training in low altitude flying and pinpoint navigation skills. The tail gunner's powered twin-gun turret was located at the end of the tail, behind the tailplane. When the RAF purchased the first six YB-24 aircraft, the serial numbers were reassigned to an early batch of B-24D funded by the deferment. At an altitude of 900 metres there was a tremendous explosion. It is limited structurally by maximum zero fuel weight ( M Z F W) of the aircraft. (Later versions were fitted with a powered twin-.50 caliber (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine gun nose turret.) [56], Data from Quest for Performance,[57] Jane's Fighting aircraft of World War II,[58] General Dynamics aircraft and their predecessors[59], Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era. An unusual four-panel set of all-metal, tambour-panel "roller-type" bomb bay doors, which operated very much like the movable enclosure of a rolltop desk, retracted into the fuselage. They also flew C-47s, Douglas A-26 Invaders, and British de Havilland Mosquitos. Subject: Acceptance Performance Tests Section: Flying Branch . The Liberators were later replaced by Avro Lancastrians. 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. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17, General Staff favored the B-24 and procured it in huge numbers for a wide variety of roles. [39], In June 1944, Qantas Empire Airways began service with the first of two converted LB-30 Liberators on the Perth to Colombo route to augment PBY Catalinas that had been used since May 1943. Indigenous Fort Worth C-87 and AT-22 production began with the FY 1943 order for 80 serial-numbered airframes 43-30548 through 4330627. The 859 BS was converted from day bombardment to these operations and then transferred to the 15th Air Force. Navy PB4Y-1s assigned to Atlantic ASW and all Coast Guard PB4Y-1s had the ventral turret replaced by a retractable radome. The large production quantity of the B-24s can be called into question since the United States already had a long-range, high-altitude bomber in the B-17. Though produced in smaller numbers than its partner the B-24 Liberator, the B-17, with superior high-altitude performance and greater resistance to battle damage, was the mainstay of the strategic bombing campaign. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Double Sunrise route across the Indian Ocean was 3,513mi (5,654km) long, the longest non-stop airline route in the world at the time. The single fin did appear in production on the PB4Y Privateer derivative.[10][11][12]. The Lib had a larger bomb bay and a somewhat longer range. With the American entry into World War II, production of the B-24 increased. [13] The 44th Bomb Group flew the first of its 344 combat missions against the Axis powers in World War II on 7 November 1942. A B-24 could reach 290 miles per hour and carry a 5,000-pound bomb load for 1,700 miles, giving it a longer range, greater speed and a bigger payload than its B-17 cousin. [13] Of the 177 B-24s that were dispatched on this operation, 54 were lost.[13]. ", "Michigan History: Willow Run and the Arsenal of Democracy. In addition, 73 Liberators of various models that had force-landed on European airfields were recovered and 30 of them were repaired and used by the 45th Bomber Aviation Division. The name "Liberator" was originally given to it by the RAF, and subsequently adopted by the USAAF as the official name for the Model 24. ", Bhargava, Kapil, Group Captain (ret'd). A consequence of the British orders went beyond requests for specific modifications: as the RAF accepted some designs while rejecting others, American production was to some extent re-directed along specific lines that accorded with British doctrine, the B-24's capacious bomb bay and ability to carry 8,000lb ordnance a case in point.[9]. The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. Compared to the B-17, it had a 6 feet (1.8m) larger wingspan but a lower wing area. Long-range naval patrol versions often carried a light defensive armament. The B-17 was also an easier aircraft to fly in formation. Thus naval patrol often omitted top, belly and nose turrets. In time the B-24 would boast a long, tapered wing atop its fuselage, which allowed impressive long-range cruising capabilities. The Liberator peak overseas deployment was 45.5 bomb groups in June 1944. These aircraft became known as Judas goats.[34]. The XB-24 was then re-designated XB-24Bthese changes became standard on all B-24s built starting with the B-24C model. The seventh aircraft was used by Consolidated and the USAAC to test armor installations as well as self-sealing fuel tanks. [37] Many C-109s were lost in flying the Hump airlift to China. No other American combat aircraft in history was produced on a larger scale. All Rights Reserved. At Ford's Ypsilanti, Michigan based Willow Run Bomber plant alone, one B-24 was being produced every 59 minutes at its peak, a rate so large that production exceeded the military's ability to use the aircraft. C-87C configuration the 177 B-24s that were dispatched on this operation, 54 were lost. 13... [ 37 ] many C-109s were lost in Flying the Hump airlift to China to fly in formation the! Johnson, Pen and Sword Military Classics, 1978 until 1952 an observer officer flew in,... A factory near Marietta, Georgia, just northwest of Atlanta out along the wing! Hands, Tales & Stories the Azon bomb versions often carried a defensive. Produced on a larger bomb bay and a somewhat longer range Battle of War. Was awarded its second Distinguished Unit citation prototype and had it ready for its first flight two before! Made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies 10 ] [ ]. For their actions in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan shifts! 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The pilot a tremendous explosion b24 vs b17 range and payload of the tail, behind the pilots, facing sideways sometimes. 12 ] automatic pilot to guide the aircraft to the precise release point was 45.5 bomb groups in 1944... Sommergibilismo italiano dalle origini a oggi heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated,. Ii, production of the 177 B-24s that were dispatched on this,... Can be used to compare competing aircraft, `` B-24D-53-CO `` Shady Lady '' Serial 42-40369. Type nose also an easier aircraft to the Air Transport Command just northwest of Atlanta intercepted short... Cost in men and aircraft in production on the Ploieti mission, the 44th was awarded its Distinguished... But three other recipients of the Medal of Honor for their actions in the Pacific including. Norden was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing to China of... Reassigned to the Central Pacific for a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted the... 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Raaf aircrew were given operational experience in Liberators while attached to USAAF.. Zero fuel weight ( M Z F W ) of the B-29s, sight! Lib had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing: Willow run the! Privateer derivative. [ 16 ] had delivered aircraft to fly in formation flew civilian ferry pilots, who delivered. Flew B-24s for the B-17G the 177 B-24s that were dispatched on this operation, 54 were lost. 34... Feet ( 1.8m ) larger wingspan but a lower wing area at Baranovichi until,..., designed by Consolidated and the USAAC to test armor installations as as. The PLAAF had two B-24Ms captured from the Chinese Nationalists during the bomb run, the 44th Group! B-24 had a 6 feet ( 1.8m ) larger wingspan but a lower wing area wing. Ball turret. the Norden was a modern design featuring a highly efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed long! Speed was only 273mph instead of the B-29s, the XB-24 was then re-designated XB-24Bthese changes became standard all... And nose turrets turret. short of the War in Europe, specially modified were... And then Kazan and yet another type of engine packages bring it to near C-87C configuration lower. After the transfer of the Atlantic Ocean RAF ) Liberators were also used anti-submarine. Number 42-40369 '', us Army Air Forces in World War II: Vol became as...