United States' Consolidated B-24 Liberator bomber1,2,3
Consolidated B-24 Liberators at Ploesti on August 1, 1943:
U.S. Army in World War II - Pictorial Record, 1951
Consolidated B-24 Liberator on the factory floor:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator:
Consolidated B-24 Liberator:
Consolidated B-24A Liberator:
Consolidated B-24D Liberator:
Consolidated B-24H Liberator:
Consolidated B-24J Liberator:
Consolidated B-24M Liberator:
Consolidated B-24N Liberator:
Design
In 1939 the development of the Consolidated Model 32 began.3 It became the XB-24 prototype.3
The B-24 was designed around the Davis wing.1,3 This was a large area wing that was mounted high in the fuselage.1
The bombs were placed vertically in the twin bomb bays.1 The doors would retract into the fuselage when opened.1 There was a catwalk between the front and rear of the B-24 Liberator.1
Starting in 1944 most B-24s flew into combat without camouflage paint and went into combat with the natural metal finish.1
Orders
In 1940 France ordered 120, Britain 164, and the United States Army Air Corps ordered 36.3
Crew
The bombardier sat in the nose and aimed using the Norden bomb site.1
Transports
With the successful use of the B-24s sent to Britain as transports it was decided to have a dedicated transport version.3
The C-87 Liberator Express was based on the B-24D.3 It had all the armament removed except in the tail.3
A floor was installed in the bomb bay.3 The fuselage had a freight door installed.3
Prototype
The XB-24 prototype first flew on December 29, 1939.2,3 The first flight by the prototype was on January 29, 1940.1
Production
Liberators and Privateers were produced by Consolidated, Douglas, Ford, and North American.1,2
The B-24 was the most produced American aircraft during the war as well as the most produced 4 engine aircraft ever.2,3 Production lasted until May 1945.3
- XB-24: 13
- YB-24: 73
- XB/YB-24N: 83
- B-24A: 93
- Liberator I: 203
- Liberator II: 1393
- LB-30: 753
- B-24C: 93
- B-24D: 2,7383
- Built by Consolidated and Douglas.3
- B-24E: 7912,3
- Built by Ford.3
- Liberator III: 2603
- B-24G: 4302,3
- B-24H: 3,1002,3
- B-24J: 6,6782,3
- B-24L: 1,6672,3
- B-24M: 2,5932,3
- Total: 18,3132, 18,4823, 19,2561
- C-87: 2803, 2822
- C-87A: 63
- C.VII: 243
Variants
- XB-24: Prototype.2,3
- YB-24: Test aircraft.3 Built in 1940.3
- B-24C: Engines had turbo chargers.3
- B-24D: First main production version.2 First produced in 1941.2 2,738 were used against Japan.2
- B-24E: Had improved propellers.2
- B-24G: from this model on, a nose turret was added.1,3
- B-24H: s
- B-24J: Major production version.2,3 Had a Motor Products nose turret, a new autopilot, and new bomb sight.2,3 Deliveries started in August 1943.3
- B-24L: the rear powered turret was replaced by a manually controlled guns.1
- B-24M: Had a Motor Products tail turret.2
- B-24N: Had a single fin but was only prototypes were constructed.3
- PB4Y: United States Navy model.2
- C-87: Transport that could carry 25 passengers.2
- C-87A: VIP transport that could sleep 10 passengers.3
- C-87B: Was proposed to be an armed version.3
- C-87C: Was to use the single fin of the PB4Y-2 Privateer.3
- C-109: Tanker.3 Converted from 218 B-24Ds and B-24Es.3 Used primarily in India to support the B-29s.3 Could carry 2,400 gallons / 10,900 liters.3
- RY-2: United States Navy designation for the C-87.3
- RY-3: United States Navy designation for the C-87C.3
- TB-24: Trainer.3
- XB-41: Escort.3
- F-7: Reconnaissance.3
- United Kingdom
- LB-30: Produced for Britain.3 First six arrived in December 1940.3 Were used in ferry flights across the Atlantic.3
- LB-30B / Liberator I: Used in anti submarine patrols.3
- Liberator II: Had powered turrets, self sealing fuel tanks, and a longer nose.3
- Liberator VI: Bomber.3
- Liberator VIII: Maritime.3
- Liberator C.VII: Transport .3 The C-87.3
- Liberator C.IX: Transport.3 The C-87C.3
Usage
Australia, Britain, Canada, and the United States used the B-24 Liberator.3
Pearl Harbor
There was one B-24 Liberator destroyed on the ground at Hickam Field, Hawaii on December 7, 1941.1
United Kingdom
A modified B-24 was used by Winston Churchill as his personal transport, the LB-30 Commando.1,3
413 / 42 RAF squadrons were equipped with the B-24.2
1,668 Liberator VIs and VIIIs were supplied to the Royal Air Force (RAF).3
The RAF Transport Command had three squadrons equipped with the Liberator C.VIIs.3 These were primarily used in the Far East from 1944 to 1945.3
Australia
Australia received 275 B-24Js, B-24Ls, and B-24Ms and 12 B-24Ds.3
Canada
1,200 B-24Js were delivered to Canada.3
United States First Use
In June 1942 B-24s based in Egypt were used to attack Romanian oilfields.3
Bomber Groups
At their peak usage there were 6,043 B-24s on active service in 46 United States Army Air Force bomber groups.3
Germany
A captured B-24 was used on covert operations.1
| Consolidated B-24 Liberator3 | Consolidated B-24D Liberator1 | Consolidated B-24G Liberator3 | Consolidated B-24J Liberator2 | Consolidated Liberator C-873 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Medium / heavy bomber3 | Heavy bomber1 | Medium / heavy bomber3 | Heavy bomber2 | Transport3 Tanker3 |
| Crew | 8 - 103 | 101 | 8 - 123 | 8 - 102 | C-87A: 43 |
| Passengers | C-87A: 253 | ||||
| OR | C-87A: 8,000 lb freight3 C-87A: 3,992 kg freight3 |
||||
| Engine (Type) | 4: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Twin Wasp piston1,3 | 4: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 Twin Wasp3 | 4: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 piston2 | 4: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Twin Wasp3 | |
| OR | 4: Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 Twin Wasp3 | ||||
| Cylinders | Radial1,3 143 | Radial 143 | Radial2 | Radial 143 | |
| Cooling | |||||
| HP | 1,200 each1,3 | 1,200 each3 | 1,200 each2 | 1,200 each3 | |
| Propeller blades | 3 each1,3 | 3 each3 | |||
| Dimensions | |||||
| Span | 110'3 33.53 m3 |
110'1 33.52 m1 |
110'3 33.53 m3 |
110'2 33.53 m2 |
110'3 33.53 m3 |
| Length | 66' 4"3 20.22 m3 |
66' 4"1 20.22 m1 |
67' 2"3 20.47 m3 |
67' 2"2 20.47 m2 |
66' 4"3 20.22 m3 |
| Height | 17' 11"3 5.46 m3 |
17' 11"1 5.46 m1 |
18'3 5.483 |
18'2 5.49 m2 |
18'3 5.46 m3 |
| Wing area | 1,048 ft2 1 97.36 m2 1 |
1,048 ft2 2 97.36 m2 2 |
|||
| Weight | |||||
| Empty | 32,605 lb3, 34,000 lb1 14,790 kg3, 15,413 kg1 |
38,000 lb3 17,237 kg3 |
36,500 lb2 16,556 kg2 |
31,953 lb3 14,486 kg3 |
|
| Loaded | 60,000 lb1, 64,000 lb3 27,216 kg1, 29,030 kg3 |
65,000 lb3 29,484 kg3 |
65,000 lb2 29,484 kg2 |
56,600 lb3 25,673 kg3 |
|
| Maximum load | 71,200 lb3 32,296 kg3 |
71,200 lb3 32,296 kg3 |
|||
| Performance | |||||
| Speed | 300 mph1 488 kph1 |
306 mph3 492 kph3 |
|||
| Speed @ 25,000' / 6,200 m |
290 mph2 467 kph2 |
||||
| Speed @ 25,000' / 7,620 m |
303 mph3 488 kph3 |
278 mph3 447 kph3 |
|||
| Cruising speed | 200 mph3 322 kph3 |
237 mph3 447 kph3 |
200 mph3 322 kph3 |
||
| Climb | 1,025'/minute3 312 m/minute3 |
||||
| Climb to 20,000' / 6,095 m |
25 minutes2 | ||||
| Climb to 20,000' / 6,096 m |
22 minutes3 | 20.9 minutes3 | |||
| Service ceiling | 32,000'3 9,754 m3 |
32,500'1 9,900 m1 |
28,000'2,3 8,534 m3, 8,535 m2 |
31,000'3 9,449 m3 |
|
| Range | 2,850 miles3 4,586 km3 |
2,850 miles1 2,896 km1 |
2,000 miles2, 2,100 miles3 3,219 km2, 3,379 km3 |
2,900 miles3 4,667 km3 |
|
| Range with 8,000 lb bomb load |
1,540 miles3 2,478 km3 |
||||
| Armament | 10: 0.5" MG3 | 10: 0.5" MG3 | |||
| Nose turret | 1: 12.7 mm MG1 | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | |||
| Fixed nose (a few had) | 1: 12.7 mm MG1 | ||||
| Dorsal turret | 2: 12.7 mm MG1 | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | |||
| Tail turret | 2: 12.7 mm MG1 | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | 1: 0.5" MG3 | ||
| Ball turret (retractable) | 2: 12.7 mm MG1 | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | |||
| Waist positions | 1: 12.7 mm MG each side1 | 1: 12.7 mm MG each side2 | |||
| Normal bomb load | 8,000 lb3 3,629 kg3 |
8,000 lb3 3,629 kg3 |
|||
| Maximum bomb load | 8,800 lb1, 12,800 lb3 3,629 kg1, 5,806 kg3 |
12,800 lb3 5,806 kg3 |
8,800 lb2 3,992 kg2 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
