Consolidated B-24 Liberator

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consol...B-24_Liberator

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by
Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was known within the company
as the Model 32, and some initial models were laid down as export models
designated as various LB-30s, in the Land Bomber design category.

At its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient
shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. The wing gave the Liberator a
high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load. Early
RAF Liberators were the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean as a matter
of routine. However, the type was difficult to fly and had poor low speed
performance. It also had a lower ceiling and was less robust than the Boeing
B-17 Flying Fortress. While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17, General Staff
favored the B-24, and procured it for a wide variety of roles.

The B-24 was used extensively in World War II. It served in every branch of the
American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies, and saw
use in every theater of operations. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the
mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater.
Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific,
including the bombing of Japan. Long range anti-submarine Liberators played an
instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic Gap in the Battle of the Atlantic.
The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity
counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain.

Role
Heavy bomber
Anti-submarine warfare
Maritime patrol aircraft

Manufacturer
Consolidated Aircraft

First flight
29 December 1939

Introduction
1941

Retired
1968 (Indian Air Force)

Primary users
United States Army Air Forces
United States Navy
Royal Air Force
Royal Australian Air Force

Produced
1940–45

Number built
19,256[citation needed]

Unit cost

$297,627 ($4.79 million in today's dollars)


Variants
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
Consolidated Liberator I

Developed into
Consolidated R2Y

The B-24 had a shoulder mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. This wing was
highly efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed and long range. Compared to
the B-17 it had a 6-foot larger wingspan, but a lower wing area. This gave the
B-24 a 35% higher wing loading. The relatively thick wing held the promise of
increased tankage while delivering increased lift and speed, but became
unpleasant to fly when committed to heavier loadings as experienced at high
altitude and in bad weather. The Davis wing was also more susceptible to ice
formation than contemporary designs, distortions of the aerofoil section causing
loss of lift (unpleasant experiences drawing such comments as 'The Davis wing
won't hold enough ice to chill your drink'.) [9] The wing was also more
susceptible to damage than the B-17's wing, making the aircraft less able to
absorb battle damage. The wing carried four supercharged radial engines mounted
in cowlings borrowed from the PBY Catalina (except being oval in cross-section,
with oil coolers mounted on each side of the engine), turning 3-bladed variable
pitch propellers.

The tail plane featured two large oval vertical stabilizers mounted at the ends
of a rectangular horizontal stabilizer. 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. The single fin was tested by Ford on the single B-24ST and an
experimental XB-24K, and was found to improve handling. All Liberators were
produced with twin oval fins, with the exception of eight preproduction B-24N
aircraft. The B-24N was intended as a major production variant featuring a
single tail. Over 5000 orders for this version were placed in 1945, but were
cancelled due to the end of the war. The single fin did appear in production on
the PB4Y Privateer derivative.[


Specifications (B-24J)

General characteristics
Crew: 11 (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier, radio operator, nose turret,
top turret, 2 waist gunners, ball turret, tail gunner)
Length: 67 ft 8 in (20.6 m)
Wingspan: 110 ft 0 in (33.5 m)
Height: 18 ft 0 in (5.5 m)
Wing area: 1,048 ft² (97.4 m²)
Airfoil: Davis 22% / Davis 9.3%
Empty weight: 36,500 lb (16,590 kg)
Loaded weight: 55,000 lb (25,000 kg)
Max. takeoff weight: 65,000 lb (29,500 kg)
Powerplant: 4 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-35 or -41 turbosupercharged radial
engines, 1,200 hp (900 kW) each
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0406
Drag area: 42.54 sq ft (3.952 m2)
Aspect ratio: 11.55

Performance
Maximum speed: 290 mph (250 kn, 488 km/h)
Cruise speed: 215 mph (187 kn, 346 km/h)
Stall speed: 95 mph (83 kn, 153 km/h)
Range: 2,100 mi (1,800 nautical miles (3,300 kilometres))
Ferry range: 3,700 mi (3,200 nmi (5,900 km))
Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,500 m)
Rate of climb: 1,025 ft/min (5.2 m/s)
Wing loading: 52.5 lb/ft² (256 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.0873 hp/lb (144 W/kg)

Lift-to-drag ratio: 12.9

Armament

Guns: 10 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in 4 turrets and two
waist positions
Bombs: Short range (˜400 mi): 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg)
Long range (˜800 mi): 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg)
Very long range (˜1,200 mi): 2,700 pounds (1,200 kg)




*

In article , Jess Lurkin says...





In spite of all the good work done by the B-24, I have
little regard for it. I read Louis Zamperini's book a
long time ago. Read it long before the be-nice-to-Japs
movie. The 24 was a bucket of bolts. Louis wasn't the
only one I've heard express this. Read more slams by
those who flew it. Sorry if my opinion has offended a
few in here.

---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus


FWIW...from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Consol...B-24_Liberator

Notable B-24 crewmen

Robert Altman, film director, was a B-24 co-pilot, flying over 50 bombing
missions in Borneo and the Dutch East Indies.

Chuck Bednarik, NFL Hall of Fame member, former Philadelphia Eagle and the last
full-time two way player, served as a B-24 waist-gunner with the Eighth Air
Force 467th Bomb Group. Bednarik participated in 30 combat missions over Germany
as a S/Sgt and eventually attained the rank of First Lieutenant. Bednarik was
awarded the Air Medal and four Oak Leaf Clusters, the European-African-Middle
Eastern Campaign Medal and four Battle Stars.

Lt. Thomas Cartwright piloted B-24J Lonesome Lady, 494th Bomb Group, 7th Air
Force, and was shot down 28 July 1945 over Kure, Japan. Eight crew members
survived; Lt. Cartwright was taken to Tokyo for questioning, and the remaining
seven were taken to the military police facility in Hiroshima, fifteen miles
from Kure. They died there nine days later, 6 August 1945, when the atomic bomb
was dropped on the city.

Lt. Mark E. Estes, from Milwaukee, Oregon, was one of the first test pilots of
the B-24. He and his crew were lost when their plane went down in heavy weather
during a test and training flight.

Hal Clement, science fiction author, was a pilot and copilot on B-24s and flew
35 combat missions over Europe with the 68th Bomb Squadron, 44th Bomb Group,
based in England with Eighth Air Force.

Ernest K. Gann, early airline pilot and author, flew C-87 Cargo Express aircraft
in Southern Asia and China, including flying cargo over "The Hump". He detailed
his flying experiences in Fate is the Hunter.

Don Herbert, television pioneer "Mr. Wizard", flew 56 missions as a Liberator
pilot over northern Italy, Germany, and Yugoslavia, winning the Distinguished
Flying Cross.

Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr., elder brother of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, was
killed in Operation Aphrodite when his PB4Y-1 Liberator, modified to be a
remote-controlled bomb, exploded in flight.

Ben Kuroki, top turret gunner, was the only Japanese-American in the United
States Army Air Forces to serve in combat operations in the Pacific theater of
World War II.

George McGovern, U.S. Senator and 1972 presidential candidate, served as a B-24
pilot in missions over Italy as a member of the 455th Bomb Group of the
Fifteenth Air Force; his wartime exploits and some of the characteristics of the
B-24 are the focus of Stephen Ambrose's book Wild Blue.

Actor Jimmy Stewart flew B-24s as commanding officer of the 703rd Bomber
Squadron, 445th Bombardment Group, out of RAF Tibenham, UK. (He was later
promoted to operations officer of the 453rd BG.) From 1943 to 1944, Stewart was
credited with 20 combat missions as a pilot, including one over Berlin. Stewart
flew several (possibly as many as 20) additional uncredited missions, filling in
for pilots as duties and space would allow. Stewart's leadership qualities were
highly regarded; the men who served under him praised his coolness under fire.
He entered service as a private in early 1941 and rose to the rank of colonel by
1945.

Stewart Udall, author, conservationst, U.S. Representative, and Secretary of
Interior, served as a waist gunner on a B-24 in 1944. He was based in Southern
Italy; 15th Army AF, 454th Bombardment Group. His Liberator's nickname was
"Flyin' Home". He is credited with 50 missions. The 454th received a Unit
Citation for leading an attack on the Hermann Goering Steel Works in Linz,
Austria on 25 July 1944. Udall's crew suffered one casualty on the mission. The
dead crew member was serving at the waist-gunner position normally manned by
Udall; by chance, the pilot assigned Udall to the nose gun for this mission,
saving his life.

Jim Wright, former Speaker of the House, served as a B-24 bombardier in the
Pacific. He recounts his experience in his book The Flying Circus: Pacific War –
1943 – as Seen Through a Bombsight.

William Charles Anderson, author of BAT-21 and Bomber Crew 369, piloted
Liberators based in Italy as a member of the 451st Bomb Group of the 15th AF.

Louis Zamperini, Olympic runner, and later war prisoner and hero, served as a
bombardier on two B-24s. The first, "Super Man", was damaged, and the crew was
assigned to B-24D "Green Hornet" to conduct search and rescue. On 27 May 1943,
the aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Eight of the 11 crewmembers were
killed. Zamperini, pilot Russell A. Phillips, and Francis McNamara survived the
crash. Only Zamperini and Phillips survived their 47 days adrift on a life raft
on the sea.[48] Zamperini is the subject of two biographies and the 2014 film
Unbroken.

....also, my father.



*

On 2016-07-31 21:42:24 +0000, Miloch said:


Louis Zamperini, Olympic runner, and later war prisoner and hero, served as a
bombardier on two B-24s. The first, "Super Man", was damaged, and the crew was
assigned to B-24D "Green Hornet" to conduct search and rescue. On 27 May 1943,
the aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Eight of the 11 crewmembers were
killed. Zamperini, pilot Russell A. Phillips, and Francis McNamara survived the
crash. Only Zamperini and Phillips survived their 47 days adrift on a life raft
on the sea.[48] Zamperini is the subject of two biographies and the 2014 film
Unbroken.

...also, my father.

So, are you Cissy, or Luke?


--
Regards,

Savageduck

"Jess Lurkin" wrote in message ...

In spite of all the good work done by the B-24, I have little regard for
it. I read Louis Zamperini's book a long time ago. Read it long before the
be-nice-to-Japs movie. The 24 was a bucket of bolts. Louis wasn't the only
one I've heard express this. Read more slams by those who flew it. Sorry
if my opinion has offended a few in here.

With the fuel system routed through the fuselage, it tended to turn into a
torch when hit by enemy fire.

In article 2016073115331691137-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom, Savageduck says...

On 2016-07-31 21:42:24 +0000, Miloch said:


Louis Zamperini, Olympic runner, and later war prisoner and hero, served as a
bombardier on two B-24s. The first, "Super Man", was damaged, and the crew was
assigned to B-24D "Green Hornet" to conduct search and rescue. On 27 May 1943,
the aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Eight of the 11 crewmembers were
killed. Zamperini, pilot Russell A. Phillips, and Francis McNamara survived the
crash. Only Zamperini and Phillips survived their 47 days adrift on a life raft
on the sea.[48] Zamperini is the subject of two biographies and the 2014 film
Unbroken.

...also, my father.

So, are you Cissy, or Luke?



Neither...not related.


Pre Pearl Harbor in Lancaster CA, my father was like a lot of guys who were
interested in flying. Down the road was a flying service owned/operated by
Pancho Barnes and he took his first lessons from her.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps but came down & was bed-ridden
with rheumatic fever just after graduation from flight school and was pronounced
unfit for combat duty.

At the time, 1942, there was a pilot shortage and he was kept on as a flight
instructor (eventually for B-24s). He told me that one of his instructors was
Jimmy Stewart. I remember him giving hilarious impressions of Stewart giving
him instructions during flight training.






*

On 2016-07-31 23:30:48 +0000, Miloch said:

In article 2016073115331691137-savageduck1@REMOVESPAMmecom,
Savageduck says...

On 2016-07-31 21:42:24 +0000, Miloch said:


Louis Zamperini, Olympic runner, and later war prisoner and hero, served as a
bombardier on two B-24s. The first, "Super Man", was damaged, and the crew was
assigned to B-24D "Green Hornet" to conduct search and rescue. On 27 May 1943,
the aircraft crashed into the Pacific Ocean. Eight of the 11 crewmembers were
killed. Zamperini, pilot Russell A. Phillips, and Francis McNamara survived the
crash. Only Zamperini and Phillips survived their 47 days adrift on a life raft
on the sea.[48] Zamperini is the subject of two biographies and the 2014 film
Unbroken.

...also, my father.

So, are you Cissy, or Luke?



Neither...not related.


Pre Pearl Harbor in Lancaster CA, my father was like a lot of guys who were
interested in flying. Down the road was a flying service owned/operated by
Pancho Barnes and he took his first lessons from her.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps but came down & was bed-ridden
with rheumatic fever just after graduation from flight school and was
pronounced
unfit for combat duty.

At the time, 1942, there was a pilot shortage and he was kept on as a flight
instructor (eventually for B-24s). He told me that one of his instructors was
Jimmy Stewart. I remember him giving hilarious impressions of Stewart giving
him instructions during flight training.

OK! It was just that the way you wrote the above, it seemed to imply
that Zamperii was your father. ;-)

My father flew P-47s, and P-38s with the 9th FS, 49th FG, and had on
occassion flown as wingman to both Dick Bong and Robert Johnson until
he became a flight leader.
He also has had the privilige of having Lindbergh fly as his wingman on
Lindy's South-West Pacific tour. After that mission some of the
participants signed a dollar bill for his "short snorter". On the
dollar bill Lindbergh is the clear signature followed by Tommy McGuire,
who was Lindy's handler for the tour, and #2 USAAF WWII ace, Maj. Bob
McComsey, and Robert De Haven an ace from 7th FS, 49th FG.



Here is the 9th FS at Biak 1944. My father is standing 4th from the
left, and Maj. McComsey is standing in the middle.



--
Regards,

Savageduck

Pre Pearl Harbor in Lancaster CA, my father was like a lot of guys who were
interested in flying. Down the road was a flying service owned/operated by
Pancho Barnes and he took his first lessons from her.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps but came down & was bed-ridden
with rheumatic fever just after graduation from flight school and was
pronounced
unfit for combat duty.

At the time, 1942, there was a pilot shortage and he was kept on as a flight
instructor (eventually for B-24s). He told me that one of his instructors was
Jimmy Stewart. I remember him giving hilarious impressions of Stewart giving
him instructions during flight training.

OK! It was just that the way you wrote the above, it seemed to imply
that Zamperii was your father. ;-)

My father flew P-47s, and P-38s with the 9th FS, 49th FG, and had on
occassion flown as wingman to both Dick Bong and Robert Johnson until
he became a flight leader.
He also has had the privilige of having Lindbergh fly as his wingman on
Lindy's South-West Pacific tour. After that mission some of the
participants signed a dollar bill for his "short snorter". On the
dollar bill Lindbergh is the clear signature followed by Tommy McGuire,
who was Lindy's handler for the tour, and #2 USAAF WWII ace, Maj. Bob
McComsey, and Robert De Haven an ace from 7th FS, 49th FG.
---------------


My father stayed in and retired as Lt Col in 1962. He was a 2 1/2 pack a day
smoker and had a heart attack in '61. The Air Force grounded him permanently
but his attitude was that if he couldn't fly (he had over 10,000 hours) he'd
leave and he did!

The only pics I have of his flying days are attached...they all of him and some
of his buddies in flight school. Primary in '42 was in PT-22 Ryans and advanced
was in AT6 Texans.




*

Pre Pearl Harbor in Lancaster CA, my father was like a lot of guys who were
interested in flying. Down the road was a flying service owned/operated by
Pancho Barnes and he took his first lessons from her.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps but came down & was bed-ridden
with rheumatic fever just after graduation from flight school and was
pronounced
unfit for combat duty.

At the time, 1942, there was a pilot shortage and he was kept on as a flight
instructor (eventually for B-24s). He told me that one of his instructors was
Jimmy Stewart. I remember him giving hilarious impressions of Stewart giving
him instructions during flight training.

OK! It was just that the way you wrote the above, it seemed to imply
that Zamperii was your father. ;-)

My father flew P-47s, and P-38s with the 9th FS, 49th FG, and had on
occassion flown as wingman to both Dick Bong and Robert Johnson until
he became a flight leader.
He also has had the privilige of having Lindbergh fly as his wingman on
Lindy's South-West Pacific tour. After that mission some of the
participants signed a dollar bill for his "short snorter". On the
dollar bill Lindbergh is the clear signature followed by Tommy McGuire,
who was Lindy's handler for the tour, and #2 USAAF WWII ace, Maj. Bob
McComsey, and Robert De Haven an ace from 7th FS, 49th FG.
---------------


My father stayed in and retired as Lt Col in 1962. He was a 2 1/2 pack a day
smoker and had a heart attack in '61. The Air Force grounded him permanently
but his attitude was that if he couldn't fly (he had over 10,000 hours) he'd
leave and he did!

The only pics I have of his flying days are attached...they all of him and some
of his buddies in flight school. Primary in '42 was in PT-22 Ryans and advanced
was in AT6 Texans.




*

Pre Pearl Harbor in Lancaster CA, my father was like a lot of guys who were
interested in flying. Down the road was a flying service owned/operated by
Pancho Barnes and he took his first lessons from her.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps but came down & was bed-ridden
with rheumatic fever just after graduation from flight school and was
pronounced
unfit for combat duty.

At the time, 1942, there was a pilot shortage and he was kept on as a flight
instructor (eventually for B-24s). He told me that one of his instructors was
Jimmy Stewart. I remember him giving hilarious impressions of Stewart giving
him instructions during flight training.

OK! It was just that the way you wrote the above, it seemed to imply
that Zamperii was your father. ;-)

My father flew P-47s, and P-38s with the 9th FS, 49th FG, and had on
occassion flown as wingman to both Dick Bong and Robert Johnson until
he became a flight leader.
He also has had the privilige of having Lindbergh fly as his wingman on
Lindy's South-West Pacific tour. After that mission some of the
participants signed a dollar bill for his "short snorter". On the
dollar bill Lindbergh is the clear signature followed by Tommy McGuire,
who was Lindy's handler for the tour, and #2 USAAF WWII ace, Maj. Bob
McComsey, and Robert De Haven an ace from 7th FS, 49th FG.
---------------


My father stayed in and retired as Lt Col in 1962. He was a 2 1/2 pack a day
smoker and had a heart attack in '61. The Air Force grounded him permanently
but his attitude was that if he couldn't fly (he had over 10,000 hours) he'd
leave and he did!

The only pics I have of his flying days are attached...they all of him and some
of his buddies in flight school. Primary in '42 was in PT-22 Ryans and advanced
was in AT6 Texans.




*

Pre Pearl Harbor in Lancaster CA, my father was like a lot of guys who were
interested in flying. Down the road was a flying service owned/operated by
Pancho Barnes and he took his first lessons from her.

After Pearl Harbor, he joined the Army Air Corps but came down & was bed-ridden
with rheumatic fever just after graduation from flight school and was
pronounced
unfit for combat duty.

At the time, 1942, there was a pilot shortage and he was kept on as a flight
instructor (eventually for B-24s). He told me that one of his instructors was
Jimmy Stewart. I remember him giving hilarious impressions of Stewart giving
him instructions during flight training.

OK! It was just that the way you wrote the above, it seemed to imply
that Zamperii was your father. ;-)

My father flew P-47s, and P-38s with the 9th FS, 49th FG, and had on
occassion flown as wingman to both Dick Bong and Robert Johnson until
he became a flight leader.
He also has had the privilige of having Lindbergh fly as his wingman on
Lindy's South-West Pacific tour. After that mission some of the
participants signed a dollar bill for his "short snorter". On the
dollar bill Lindbergh is the clear signature followed by Tommy McGuire,
who was Lindy's handler for the tour, and #2 USAAF WWII ace, Maj. Bob
McComsey, and Robert De Haven an ace from 7th FS, 49th FG.
---------------


My father stayed in and retired as Lt Col in 1962. He was a 2 1/2 pack a day
smoker and had a heart attack in '61. The Air Force grounded him permanently
but his attitude was that if he couldn't fly (he had over 10,000 hours) he'd
leave and he did!

The only pics I have of his flying days are attached...they all of him and some
of his buddies in flight school. Primary in '42 was in PT-22 Ryans and advanced
was in AT6 Texans.




*