The Consolidated Liberator B-24

**The Aviator** · 11-19-2007, 11:05 PM

The B-24 Liberator

The B-24 Liberator was a long-range heavy bomber that saw service in every theater of World War II. The Liberator was more widely used, had longer range, and carried a larger bomb load than the more well known B-17. In six years, more B-24 bombers were built than any other American combat aircraft in history. In addition, the B-24 offered more cockpit room than the B-17. The unusual through-the-panel control yoke imposed limits on instrument placement. This B-24D, nicknamed Strawberry Bitch, was flown on fifty-nine combat missions from Libya and Tunisia in 1943 to 1944 with the 512th Bombardment Squadron.

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Manufacturer: Consolidated
Type: Bomber (Heavy)
Number Built: 18,482
First Flight: 24 December 1939 (XB-24)
In Service: 1941 – 1968 (USAAF service ended in 1945, although a limited number of aircraft saw service with the Indian Air Force until 1968.)
Notable: On 1 August 1943, 177 crews participated in the mass low-level raid on the oil refineries at Ploesti, Romania; four airmen were later awarded the Medal of Honor for their actions during the raid.
Photographer/Location: John Rossino/National Museum of the US Air Force

The artwork below features the famous Ploesti raid.

**Antipodean Andy** · 11-20-2007, 12:34 AM

If I have your cockpit photo right, that's the USAFM and Shoo Shoo Shoo Baby in the background?

One of my fave aircraft and Kyt is quite knowledgable about her use in SEAC so surprised we haven't done this earlier. Good post.

B24 Liberator Australia - Home - Australia's restoration project
YouTube - B-24 bombers fly to Burma to attack railroad bridges
RAF Liberator Squadrons - awesome, awesome website. I see in the bibliography they've dodgied up the Tom Scotland pic to have him holding a Lib photo when the original pic on the back of the book has him with a Halifax pic! LOL.
seac
Indian Air Force - Liberators [Gp Capt Kapil Bhargava] - India's reclaimed Libs
B-24 — The Liberator Survivors - survivors, although Diamond Lil has now been converted to configuration of B-24A and carries the name "Ol 927". Also doesn't list the complete hulk still in situ in the Aleutians.

**The Aviator** · 11-20-2007, 01:57 AM

Some very good operational photos of the Libs during WW2

B-24 Liberator Photos

**Antipodean Andy** · 11-20-2007, 02:01 AM

Photos 5, 7-9 are used often and, I think, are among the iconic WWII photos.

**David Layne** · 11-22-2007, 02:50 PM

The U.S. Navy version, note the different tail section.

PB4Y Privateer - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

**Antipodean Andy** · 11-22-2007, 05:51 PM

Very cool a/c, DL, and not publicised enough despite being in the thick of it in the latter stages so bloody good thinking with the post.

There's one being restored to fly in the US and I think they have or are being retired as fire bombers. Hang on, I'll just got find the one under resto...

Couple of pics here ( A Warbirds Resource Group Site :: View topic - PB4Y-2 to Fly ). Museum website is out of date but have included their blurb below as well.

Lone Star Flight Museum,Galveston,Texas,warbirds,military planes
PB4Y-2 PRIVATEER, #59819, N3739G, Hangar 1 at the LSFM [GLS]: Installation rings for the top turrets have been completed and the attach points are well underway. Royce McKinney is leading the charge in this area and the interior sheet metal work, and in the antenna blister manufacture/installation which explains all those funny grease pencil marks all over the –4Y. Great strides in the aft galley area, crew stations and aircraft flooring have been made. Engine nacelles and fairings are looking much better thanks to the –4Y gang. Les Wynn, our resident electrical guru, got all the big-iron drivers together and finalized the flight deck layout so he has his hands full now. This restoration is a joint maintenance shop/volunteer project but the vast majority of work has come from the Privateer volunteer gang

Couldn't resist these pics of tankers:
Goleta Air and Space Museum: P4Y-2 Privateer Tankers

After all that, almost needs a thread of its own!

**RAFLibs** · 02-02-2009, 06:39 PM

RAF Liberator Squadrons - awesome, awesome website. I see in the bibliography they've dodgied up the Tom Scotland pic to have him holding a Lib photo when the original pic on the back of the book has him with a Halifax pic! LOL.

Thanks for the kind words

By the way I didn't have to dodgy up the photo, it's how Tom sent it to me, he sent me a signed copy of his book with a special message inside for the work on the site

The site is still going, I'm actually in the process of moving it to a CMS based system so that I can update it and others can collaborate

Old site - RAF Liberator Squadrons
new site - RAF Liberator Squadrons
Eventually both url's will get you there.

**Antipodean Andy** · 02-02-2009, 06:49 PM

G'day RAFLibs and welcome aboard. Haven't visited your site for a while so will have to see what you've been up to but thank you for taking the time to put it together.

That's how Tom sent you the pic?! LOL, classic. I met him early last year when he was up in Perth visiting family and he certainly had quite a mischievous glint to his eyes.

What got you into RAF Libs? Am off to visit the site so will probably answer that for myself.

**RAFLibs** · 02-02-2009, 06:55 PM

G'day Andy, you can call me Gary or Gaz

Grandfather was FE on 178 and 355 Squadrons, usual thing wanted to know more, couldn't find it so thought bollox I'll do it myself

That was 9 years ago and I've still not found any new information on his service. I've been so busy with other people's research not had time to do my own, but it's just how I like it.
You can find another Tom Scotland short story on my site, he's not published this one as far as I know.
A Summer Evening in Italy

**Antipodean Andy** · 02-02-2009, 07:04 PM

Feel free to post about your Grandfather here, Gaz, you never know what we might turn up.

I've had some "dealings" with 178 Sqn as I interviewed a Perth veteran in 07 and early last year before moving to Melbourne. He initially flew Hurris in Army Co-op and then volunteered to fly Wellingtons and, later Libs, IIRC. He was based at Foggia for a while hence me looking into 178. There's a thread on here somewhere that discusses us trying to put it all together. Unfortunately, an ex-wife burnt his log book. His flat was full of 205 Group memorabilia etc.

http://ww2chat.com/forums/war-air/25...reference.html

Have you seen my ramblings about Liberators of the Eastern Front in the SEAC Libs thread?