The B-24 was employed in operations in every combat theater during the war. Because of its great range, it was particularly suited for such missions as the famous raid from North Africa against the oil industry at Ploesti, Rumania on August 1, 1943. This feature also made the airplane suitable for long over-water missions in the Pacific Theater. More than 18,000 Liberators were produced.
This B-24D on display in Dayton, Ohio flew combat missions from North Africa in 1943-44 with the 512th Bomb Squadron. It was flown to the U.S. Air Force Museum in May 1959. It is the same type airplane as the Lady Be Good, the world-famous B-24D which disappeared on a mission from North Africa in April 1943 and which was found in the Libyan Desert in May 1959.
SPECIFICATIONS
- Span: 110 ft. 0 in.
- Length: 66 ft. 4 in.
- Height: 17 ft. 11 in.
- Weight: 56,000 lbs. loaded
- Armament: Ten .50-cal. machine guns and 8,000 lbs. of bombs
- Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830s of 1,200 hp. ea.
- Cost: $336,000
- Serial Number: 42-72843
PERFORMANCE
- Maximum speed: 303 mph.
- Cruising speed: 175 mph.
- Range: 2,850 mph.
- Service Ceiling: 28,000 ft.
Photo List
- Consolidated B-24 Liberator.
- The model "J" or last in the series produced.
- B-24D - USAF Museum.
- B-24J - Pima Air and Space Museum.
- B-24M - Castle Air Museum.
- Rare currently flying B-24.
- Tail #442691.
- Liberators Over Ploesti, August 1, 1943.
I'm jealous that you got to see the flyover of those great old planes.
After some time as flight mech instructor in a PBY Training center in Jacksonville,
Florida, I was transferred to U. S. Naval Air Station in Hutchinson, Kansas.
I was assigned to a PB4Y2 squadron. The PB4Y2 was the navy version of the B=24
Liberator. They called it the Privateer. It was somewhat different from the B-24.
It had a tall single fin and rudder, and the engines were fitted with two stage mechanical
superchargers instead of the usual exhaust driven superchargers found on the B-24
The power curve charts for engaging the mechanical superchargers was a nightmare.
If you went to high blower too soon you could actually lose power. The most annoying
thing however was the cabin air. You could chose freezing outside air or CO detector
howling.
Remmel Wilson
11:59 10/14/2001
