In March 1949 the US Air Force’s Air Research and Development Command (ARDC) invited proposals for a supersonic bomber, and after submissions had been reduced to two, from Boeing and Consolidated-Vultee’s Fort Worth Division, the latter was selected in August 1952 to develop its Convair Model 4 designed to the hardware stage under contract MX-1964. On 10 December 1952 the designation B-58 was allocated and late in that year Convair received a contract for 18 aircraft, to be powered by a new J79 engine for which General Electric received a development contract at the same time. The performance requirement for the new aircraft demanded considerable advances in aerodynamics, structures and materials. The resulting design, one of the first to incorporate the NACA/ Whitcomb-developed area-rule concept, was a delta-winged aircraft with four engines in underslung pods, a slim fuselage and, an under-fuselage pod. The thin fuselage provided some engineering issues early on as it prevented internal carriage of bombs and the required amount of fuel to power the four turbojet engines and allow for any reasonable operating radius to be achieved. As a result, a large external droppable two-component 18.90m long pod was affixed to the underside of the fuselage. This pod contained extra fuel and a nuclear weapon along with other mission-specific specialized gear. The three-man crew, in individual tandem cockpits, were provided with jettisonable escape capsules.
Distinctive features of the B-58 included sophisticated inertial guidance navigation and bombing systems. Extensive use of heat-resistant honeycomb sandwich skin panels were integrated into the construction of the wings and fuselage for high altitude-high velocity flight.
XB-58
B-36 transporting the XB-58 airframe using eight of ten engines (note both of the inboard propellers have been removed for this flight)
Convair easily transported the XB-58 prototype by air from Ft. Worth TX to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base (AFB) in Ohio for testing with the use of a modified Peacemaker bomber.
B-36 and XB-58 airframe mating, note the propeller has been removed from the wing’s inboard engine as well as the strut assembly joining the two wings together.
The left and right inboard engines had their propellers removed, along with the bomb bay doors since they did not clear the wings of the XB-58 which was mounted underneath the bomber.
Since the airframe was the subject of testing the XB-58 did not have the engines attached and the vertical fin assembly was left off, as well.
In June 1954 the 18-aircraft order was reduced to two XB-58 prototypes and 11 YB-58A pre-production examples, together with 31 pods. The first of these was rolled out at Fort Worth on 31 August 1956, making its first flight on 11 November 1956 piloted by B. A. Erikson. On 30 December, still without a pod, the XB-58 became the first bomber to exceed Mach 1.
A further 17 YB-58As were ordered on 14 February 1958, together with 35 MB-1 bomb pods, to bring to 30 the number of aircraft available for the manufacturer’s test programme and ARDC service trials with the 6592nd Test Squadron and the 3958th Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron at Carswell AFB.
The United States Air Force ordered between September 1958 and 1960 86 total Hustlers, which were operational in the Strategic Air Command (SAC) between 1960 and 1970.
The 86 production B-58A Hustlers were supplemented by 10 YB-58As which were brought up to production standard to equip the 43rd Bomb Wing, initially at Carswell but later assigned to Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, and the 305th Bomb Wing at Bunker Hill AFB, Indiana. The first was handed over to the 65th Combat Crew Training Squadron at Carswell on 1 December 1959 and the 43rd Bomb Wing, activated as the first B-58 unit on 15 March 1960, became operational on 1 August 1960. The 116th and last B-58A was delivered on 26 October 1962, the 116 having cost $3.2 billion.
By 1964 80 were reported as still operational. The type was withdrawn from Strategic Air Command service on 31 January 1970.
B-58s as a whole set 19 world speed and altitude records and won five different aviation trophies during their operational run – a vast engineering achievement realized. Despite these performance successes, the B-58 still suffered from limitations in operating range, payload capacity and overall series growth potential.
With such outstanding performance it was clear that the B-58A had record-breaking potential. On 12 January 1961 Major Henry Deutschendorf and his crew secured the 2000km closed-circuit record at 1708.8km/h and on 14 January Major Harold E. Confer’s aircraft raised the 1000km record to 2067.57km/h. On 10 May Major Elmer Murphy won the trophy presented by Louis Bleriot in 1930 for the first pilot to exceed 2000km/h for a continuous period of 30 minutes. Sixteen days later Major William Payne and his crew flew from Carswell to Paris setting, en route, record times of 3 hours 39 minutes 49 seconds from Washington and 3 hours 19 minutes 51 seconds from New York. The Hustler crashed at the Paris Air Show on 3 June with the loss of the crew. Other flights included a supersonic endurance record of 8 hours 35 minutes from Haneda, Tokyo to London, on 16 October 1963.
Convair built 86 standard B 58A bombers as well as 11 development aircraft later brought up to production standard and 17 YB 58A pre-production aircraft which were modified as RB 58A reconnaissance machines, Eight aircraft were converted into TB 58A trainers with a tandem pair of pilot stations. The regular bomber seated pilot, nav/bomb aimer and defensive systems operator in tandem cockpits containing special escape capsules which, in emergency, could close around the occupant, seat and controls and be ejected as a sealed package.
In 1970 the 43rd and its partner, the 305th Wing at Grissom AFB, were disbanded because of high operating cost. The last B-58 would be officially retired in January 1970.
Convair B-58A Hustler Engines: 4 x General Electric J79-GE 5A, -5B or 5C turbojet, 69.3kN / 15,600lbs thrust with reheat capability Length: 96 ft. 10 in (29.49m) Wingspan: 56 ft 10 in (17.32m) Wing area: 143.25 sq.m / 1541.93 sq ft Height: 31 ft 5 in (9.60m) Empty Weight: 55,561lbs (25,202kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 163,000 lb (73,936kg) Fuel capavity, wing & pod: 12,500+ gal Weight after inflight refuelling: 80237 kg (176,890 lb) Maximum Speed: 1,321mph (2,126kmh / 1,148kts / Mach 2.1) Cruising speed: 610 mph. Maximum Range: 4,400 miles without aerial refueling Service Ceiling: 62,999ft (19,202m; 11.9miles) Armament: 1 x 20mm Vulcan cannon in tail 1 x Under-fuselage pod carrying up to 19,450lb ordnance Crew: 3 Hardpoints: 1 Cost: US$12,442,000
Development of the Convair 990 began when the company lost a vital United Airlines order for 30 aircraft. To attract American Airlines, Convair designed an aircraft with transcontinental range and higher speed and on 30 July 1958 Convair announced the Model 30. This was a natural growth version of the 880 and used a turbofan of 16,050 lb. Originally known simply as the Convair 880M, the new aircraft was much more than a ‘slight modification’ contrary to what the General Dynamics’ board was told. The new variant used a redesigned engine (the CJ 805 23), with a rear mounted fan and a higher bypass ratio. This required a new engine nacelle, while the need to reduce drag led to the addition of Whitcomb bodies on the wing trailing edge to ‘area rule’ the aircraft. The new aircraft also included a new proportional anti skid system, a modified undercarriage and a hydraulically powered rudder. The rest of the aircraft was strengthened to accommodate much more fuel, and the fuselage was stretched 10 ft to house 106 passengers (foreign customers later fitted in over 140) and the tailplane was increased in area. Howard Hughes initially refused to allow Convair to give the new aircraft a designator ‘higher’ than 880, so the new aircraft was instead initially known as the Convair 600. Convair guaranteed a speed of 550kts (1021 km/h) (agreeing to financial penalties if it failed to deliver) and charged American only $100m for its 25 aircraft (later reduced to 20), taking $22.8m of the money in the form of 25 over valued DC 7s (worth $10m at most). Swissair converted its order for five 880s to an order for seven 990s. The Convair 990 originally failed to meet its guaranteed performance and the prices to American and Swissair were reduced. The airlines initially operated their aircraft without making progress or engine payments while Convair sorted out the problems. The problems were solved in the Convair 990A, but Convair’s chance to dominate the jetliner market vanished when Boeing re engined its 707s with Pratt & Whitney’s new JT3D turbofan, which could be produced by conversion of existing JT3C engines. Thus the fan engined 990 lost its unique selling point. Swissair and American began scheduled revenue services during March 1962. Other Convair 990 operators included Aerolineas Peruanas, Garuda, SAS, Thai International Airways and VARIG. Models built for Swissair and VARIG differed slightly from standard 990s. Powered by CJ 805 23B engines, they carried slightly more fuel and had higher operating weights. They were officially known as Coronados, a name later used to describe all Convair 990s. The announcement of the new jet was accompanied by a launch order for 20 from American Air¬lines. The aircraft was renamed Convair 990. The first off the production line flew on 24 January 1961, and by this time the programme was in deep trouble. Drag was well overestimate, and it took two years of extremely costly modifications to get near the guaranteed performance.
In addition to four large anti¬shock bodies above the trailing edge (sometimes called Küche¬mann carrots, these also served as fuel tanks) Kruger flaps were added under the wing and a com¬plex series of extensions, bumps and fairings added to the engine pods and pylons. The aircraft’s long range came about by using the four wing pods as fuel tanks. The 24-foot-long pods, known as “antishock bodies,” reduce the intensity of shock waves generated when an airplane reaches the speed of sound. In essence, they control the air flowing over the wing and therefore reduce drag. Payload, at 26,440 lb, was widely considered inadequate. The cabin was criti¬cised, as were the lack of customer options, and in the end, in addition to the launch order, only 17 aircraft were sold. American accepted the first (unmodified) 990 on 8 January 1963, and fully modified 990As en¬tered service late that year. Lebanese International Airways and MEA operated Coronados during the late 1960s and early 1970s. LIA went into liquidation after its two Coronados were destroyed on the ground by Israeli commandos in 1968, while MEA phased out its aircraft in favour of Boeing 707s and 720s in 1972. Following their retirement from major airlines, many Coronados found employment with travel clubs and minor airlines. Modern Air Transport obtained eight Convair 990s between January 4, 1967 and January 1971 and operated these primarily on charter work. These were often unorthodox, including polar flights landing at McMurdo Sound (the first commercial jets to do so) and even a unique 1970 Father’s Day ‘Get Away from Mama’ Busenvogel (Bosom flight) from Berlin to Paris and back, in which the stewardesses wore uniforms with transparent bodices. The company fitted new slim line seats which allowed capacity to increase to 149, without reducing leg room. The last major operator of the Coronado was the Spanish charter airline Spantax. Spantax delib¬erately collected used examples and retired the last of 14 aircraft in March 1987. One Spantax 990 survived a mid air collision with a DC 9 over France. Ten of the surviving airframes were scrapped at Palma between 1991 and 1993, but one was retained for preservation. In 1988 an ex Ports of Call 990 was sold to Ciskei International Airways, but this flew only a single pre inaugural flight when it could not acquire the necessary permits. The aircraft was eventually ferried to EI Paso in 1991. NASA had been a long term operator of the Coronado, using a succession of three aircraft for atmospheric, astronomical, meteorological and solar experiments and support duties. The final aircraft was reactivated in 1980 for three years, then again in 1988 for use as a landing systems research aircraft, testing the Space Shuttle undercarriage to expand the vehicle’s landing envelope and to allow increased use of the landing site at the Kennedy Space Center Every time a Shuttle landed at Edwards, it required a piggy back ride back to Kennedy atop a Boeing 747, costing $1m per time, all because Kennedy might have been just outside the Shuttle’s crosswind limits. The tests encompassed 155 test flights ending in August 1995. Two CV 990s remained in store at Mojave.
990 Coronado Engines: 4 x General Electric turbofan, 16,050 lb. Cruising speed 494kts (917km/h) at 35,000ft (10,668m). Range 7,741km (4,172nm). Weight empty 54,686kg (120,560 lb). Gross weight 115,668kg (255,000 lb). Payload: 26,440 lbs. Span 36.5m (120ft 0in). Length 42.49m (139ft 5in). Wing area 209sq.m (2,250 sq.ft). Pax cap: 104-140.
990A Engine : 4 x General Electric CJ-805-23B, 71613 N / 7300 kp Wing span: 120 ft 0 in (36.58 m). Length: 139 ft 5 in (42.5 m). Height: 39 ft 6 in (12.04 m). Max TO wt: 244,200 lb (110,765 kg). Max level speed: 540 kts / 625 mph (1006 kph). Service ceiling : 41011 ft / 12500 m Range : 2646 nm / 4900 km Crew : 9+116
In 1955 Convair went ahead with the Model 22 Skylark, seating 80-108 passengers over sectors up to about 2,500 miles. It was announced in September 1956. During construction the aircraft was renamed Golden Arrow, and it was proposed to anodise the external skins gold. Then, because it was to cruise at 600 mph, the type became the Convair 600, and finally this was changed to Convair 880, because 600 mph is 880ft per second. The aircraft grew slightly in weight, the 880M weighing 193,000lb with 11,650-lb thrust CJ805-3B engines. Designed at the request of Howard Hughes, the owner of TWA, the first 880 made its maiden flight on January 27, 1959 and was technically a very advanced aircraft. Powered by four 49.8kN (11,2001b) st CJ 805 3s it had a boldly swept (35 degrees) wing and was a very fast aircraft indeed, justifying the much hyped claim that it was ‘the fastest airliner in the world’.
At the time of the first flight, 78 Convair 880 variants were on order.
The second aircraft off the line flew on 31 March 1959.
The FAA certified the 880 for airline use on 1 May 1960, and 15 days later Delta Airlines put the liner into commercial service.
It was built in two versions: the 880 Model 22 basic model with 49.8kN General Electric CJ-805-3 turbojet engines, flown for the first time on 27 January 1959; and the 880 Model 22-M with 51.8kN CJ-805-3B turbojets, power-boosted rudder and four leading-edge slats. The first 880 Model 22-M flew on 3 October 1960. The first aircraft completed to full airline standards (number 7) actually broke a transcontinental speed record on delivery from San Diego to Miami. TWAs aircraft were stored while the airline’s ownership was hotly disputed and Delta gained the honour of initiating the first services on 16 May 1960.
TWA became the largest operator of the type, with deliveries beginning two days after Howard Hughes relinquished control of the airline, on December 30, 1960. Subsequently, Convair 880s were also delivered to Northeast Airlines, though a massive, once nearly firm order from United, was lost to Boeing.
TWA was taking delivery of 20 Convair 990 during 1960 and 1961.
Some 17 Convair 880Ms were built, these having four leading edge slats on each wing, a larger fin and powered rudder, a retractable tailskid, provision for pre loaded baggage containers and a 7,094 lit (1,560 Imp gal) centre section tank. The aircraft also had a strengthened undercarriage and CJ 805 313 engines.
The oil crisis of the early 1970s made the Convair 880 particularly uneconomical to operate and Delta retired its aircraft at the end of 1973, followed by TWA in June 1974. New operators included LANICA in Nicaragua, a number of travel clubs and even Elvis Presley, whose aircraft, named Lisa Marie after his daughter, and callsign Hound Dog One is now part of the Graceland museum. Airtrust Singapore operated three Convair 880Ms until 1979, latterly operating services for Air Malta. Another aircraft was sold to the Ciskei Government.
A number of Convair 880s were briefly used as freighters. Monarch Aviation converted about seven with a cargo door and more without the door. American Jet Industries (later part of Gulfstream American) worked closely with Convair to convert some 20 Model 880s as Airlifters, but the company completed only two aircraft and the remainder were stored at Mojave, many with unused cargo doors installed. Attempts to market the aircraft in the mid 1980s foundered because they were not hush kitted. General Air Services converted one more Convair as a freighter. The last freighter flying was probably retired (in about 1986) in Haiti.
The last aircraft in regular service was the US Navy’s sole UC 880, ‘Old Smokey’, equipped as a tanker, and for missile test control and telemetry. This was retired at the NATC, Patuxent River, in September 1993 and in 1995 was used for ground based tests simulating high-altitude bomb explosions. Some 15 aircraft remained in storage at Mojave in 1998. Total sales were 65.
880 Model 22 Engines: 4 x General Electric CJ805-3 turbojet, 5080 kg / 49.8kN / 11,200 lb thrust. Max level speed: 615 mph (990 kph). Cruising speed 482kts (895km/h) at 35,000ft (10,668m). Range 6,518km (3,513nm). Weight empty 42,185kg (93,000 lb). Gross weight 87,772kg (193,500 lb). Span 36.5m (120ft 0m). Length 39.4 m (129ft 4in). Height: 36 ft 0 in (10.97 m). Wing area 185.8sq.m (2,000 sq.ft).
880 Model 22-M Engines: 4 x General Electric CJ805-3B turbojet, 5285 kg / 51.8kN / 11,650-lb thrust. MTOW: 87410 kg / 184,500 lb. Empty wt. 88,615 lb Top speed 615 mph. Cruise 501 mph. Stall 121 mph. Initial climb rate 3,565 fpm. Range 3,995 miles. Ceiling 41,000 ft. Takeoff run 8,050 ft. Landing roll 6,150 ft. Pax cap: 110. Crew: 5. Max fuel cap: 47445 lt / 12,534 USG
Shortly after Reuben Fleet sold his interest in Consolidated Aircraft Corporation in March 1943 and the company was reorganised as Consolidated Vultee (Convair), the US Navy expressed interest in a new long-range multi-role flying-boat.
Convair’s proposal was for an aircraft powered by four turboprop engines, was the subject of a contract for two prototypes, awarded on 27 May 1946. Designated XP5Y-1, the new aircraft featured a slim fuselage for an aircraft of this class with a length-to-beam ratio of 10 to 1. it was powered by four Allison T40-A4 turboprops, each driving two contra-rotating, reversable propellers through a common gearbox. The type’s main role was anti-submarine warfare, and it was to have been fitted with advanced radar, ECM and MAD equipment in addition to carrying a heavy load of bombs, mines, rockets and torpedoes. The first aircraft was flown from San Diego on 18 April 1950, and in August the type set a turboprop endurance record of 8 hours 6 minutes. August was an eventful month for the XP5Y-1 as the US Navy decided to discontinue its development for maritime patrol, but to persevere with the basic design for use as a passenger and cargo aircraft.
Convair R3Y-1 Tradewind
Work continued, despite the loss of an XP5Y-1 in a non-fatal crash off San Diego in 15 July 1953 and the first R3Y-1 Tradewind flew on 25 February 1954. Major changes included the deletion of all armament and of tailplane dihedral, the addition of a 3.05m wide port-side cargo hatch aft of the wing and the provision of redesigned engine nacelles to accept the improved T40-A-10 engines. Cabin sound-proofing and air-conditioning were installed and pressurised accommodation provided for up to 103 passengers or, in medevac configuration, for 72 stretcher cases and 12 attendants; cargo payload was 24.4 tonnes (24 tons). The R3Y-1 was a straight transport version, the R3Y-2 was the assault transport version with the hinged nose. It could also refuel jets in flight using two or four wing pods. The R3Y-2 had a nose loading door and integral hydraulic ramps. The opening door blocked the pilots’ forward view during beach operations. The R3Y-1 ‘s performance was demonstrated on 24 February 1955 when one of the five aircraft built flew coast-to-coast at an average speed of 649km/h on delivery to the Navy Test Center at Patuxent River, Maryland. Similarly, on 18 October a 6 hour 45 minute record flight at an average 579km/h was accomplished between Honolulu and NAS Alameda, California. US Navy transport squadron VR-2 received the first of its mixed fleet of R3Y-1 and R3Y-2 flying-boats on 31 March 1956, but financial considerations and continuing problems with the engine/propeller combination, culminating in two in-flight separations of propellers and gearbox from an engine (on 10 May 1957 and on 2 January 1958), led to a curtailment of Tradewind operations. Squadron strength was first cut to two R3Y-1s and two R3Y-2s and the unit was finally disbanded on 16 April 1958.
R3Y-2
R3Y Engines: 4 x Allison T40-A-10 turboprops, 4362kW, 5500 shp Max take-off weight: 74843-79379 kg / 165001 – 175002 lb Payload: 21750kg / 47951 lb Wingspan: 44.42 m / 145 ft 9 in Length: 42.57 m / 139 ft 8 in Height: 13.67 m / 44 ft 10 in Max. speed: 580 km/h / 360 mph Cruise speed: 480 km/h / 298 mph Range w/max.fuel: 6437 km / 4000 miles Crew: 5 Passenger Capacity: 80 or 24 ton.
R3Y-1 Engines: 4x 5,500 h.p. Allison T40-A-4 coupled turboprops. Wingspan: 145 ft Length: 142 ft. 6 in Loaded weight: 160,000 lb Max. speed: 392 mph Range: 4,500 miles at 300 mph Accommodation: 103 troops, 92 stretchers and 12 attendants or 24 tons of cargo.
By December 1944 proposals had been received from Boeing, Convair, Martin and North American for medium axial turbojet-powered bomber for tactical- and operational-level use. Convair gained a contract for three XB-46 prototypes from the US Army Air Force.
Of all-metal construction, the XB-46 was of high-wing cantilever monoplane configuration, had a slim oval-section fuselage, conventional tail unit, retractable tricycle landing gear and was designed to accommodate a crew of three. Power was provided by four General Electric TG 180 turbojet engines, these being mounted in pairs.
First flown on 2 April 1947, the XB-46 was handed over to the newly-formed US Air Force in late 1947, attaining an average speed of 858km/h during its delivery flight to Wright Field at Daytona, Ohio. Despite this performance the XB-46 remained a one-off prototype, cancelled in 1947, the USAF ordering the Boeing B-47 Stratojet into production.
Engines: 4 x turbo-jet General Electric TG-180(J35), 1814kW Empty weight: 21782 kg / 48021 lb Wingspan: 34.44 m / 112 ft 12 in Length: 32.24 m / 105 ft 9 in Height: 8.53 m / 27 ft 12 in Wing area: 102.1 sq.m / 1098.99 sq ft Max take-off weight: 41278 kg / 91003 lb Max. speed: 813 km/h / 505 mph Cruise speed: 700 km/h / 435 mph Ceiling: 13105 m / 43000 ft Range: 4820 km / 2995 miles Bomb load: 9000kg Crew: 3
The Model 39 Liberator Liner was derived from the B-24 Liberator bomber via the PB4Y-2 Privateer patrol bomber and RY-3 Liberator Express transport. The design Model 39 started in early 1943.It retained the basic wing, landing gear, empennage, and engine nacelles of the Privateer; however, the fuselage was completely redesigned to carry 48 passengers in a day-time configuration or 24 at night. Like the Privateer, the Liberator Liner had four 1,350hp (1,000kW) Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94 Twin Wasp engines.
After the merger of Consolidated and Vultee the type was continued as the Convair Model 104. Convair was the trade name of Consolidated Vultee after the 1943 merger.
The US Navy became interested and signed a letter of intent for 253 aircraft in March 1944. The first prototype NX30039 (c/n 1) was flown for the first time on 15 April 1944 piloted by Phil Prophett and his crew. Due to design deficiencies the Navy cancelled its order but Convair received permission to purchase and complete the second prototype in Navy colours. Thus the second aircraft was completed as the Convair 104 XR2Y-1 and fitted with R-1830-65 engines NX3939 (c/n 2) and made it first flight on 29 September 1944. Eventually this aircraft was given the US Navy registration 09803.
In a demonstration five jeeps were flown from Detroit to Los Angeles in 10 hours. A full cargo of fruit and vegetables made up the return load.
American Airlines operated the first aircraft, named City of Salinas (top), with the support of Convair for three months transporting fresh fruits between Salinas and El Centro, California and cities in the east like Boston and New York. A cargo of 18,500 lb (8,392 kg) could be loaded straight from flat trucks into the aircraft through large fuselage doors.
The Liberator Liner never really had a chance because of the many Douglas C-54s that were about to be released for civilian use. Both were scrapped late in 1945 after it became obvious that the design had no potential.
The B-32 was initially intended as insurance against failure of the B-29 program. Consolidated were awarded a contract for the XB 32 at the same time as Boeing were given the XB 29, but the first prototype, (Model 33) did not fly for two years, the first XB 32 taking the air on September 7, 1942. In configuration a much bigger development of the Model 32 Liberator, the Model 33 had four 2200 hp Wright R 3350 23 Duplex Cyclone engines, each with two GE turbo-superchargers, driving four blade Curtiss Electric propellers. The fuselage was of more circular section than that of the Liberator, and all crew compartments were pressurized. The nose was like that of the B 29, and the tail had twin fins similar in shape to the Liberator. Unlike the Liberator, the main gears had twin wheels and retracted forward into the inner nacelles (the four nacelles were large and extended aft of the trailing edge). Armament comprised two 20 mm (0.79 in) cannon and 14 03 in (12.7 mm) guns in remote control barbettes. However, the success of B-29 development and operational deployment made cancellation of the Dominator a very real possibility at several points in its development. Because the B-32 test program was so far behind schedule, not a single B-32 was ever sent to the Mediterranean or European Theaters of Operation. Technical difficulties were severe. The second XB, flown on July 2, 1943, had a conventional nose with stepped pilot windscreens. The third, flown on November 9, 1943, followed the late model Liberators in switching to an extremely large single fin and rudder. Large scale production was planned, and orders were placed for 1700 production B 32 Dominators. However, technical difficulties continued, and to get the programme moving the pressurization and complex remote control armament were abandoned at a late stage. The B 32 was produced as a strategic bomber cast in the mould of the B 24 Liberator with a typical over target height of not above 8534 m (28 000 ft). In December 1944, the B-32 program was almost canceled again. This time it was saved pending completion of a service test program. As put into production in the spring of 1944, the B 32 had five turrets, each housing a gunner and mounting twin .03 in (12.7 mm). Internal bomb bays under the wing spans carried 9072 kg (20 000 lb) of bombs. Up to ten 12.7mm (.50 caliber) M2 heavy machine guns were provided for self-defense and mounted in pairs in turrets. A Sperry electric-hydraulic ball turret was mounted in the nose along with two Martin electrically-operated dorsal fuselage turret positions and a Sperry retractable turret in a ventral position. A Sperry tail ball turret protected the rear.
Deliveries began in November 1944, 40 TB¬-32 crew trainers were used to train crews. While the service test proceeded, combat crew training was started in preparation for deployment to the Pacific (pending a successful service test.) The service test revealed several minor and a few major problems and the program was near cancellation once again in the spring of 1945. In March 1945, General George Kenney, Commander of the Far Eastern Air Forces (5th AF), traveled to Washington D.C. to ask for B-32s. He wanted B-29s but was turned down because of higher priority needs elsewhere in the PTO. After demonstrations in Washington, General Kenney convinced the Army General Staff to allow him to conduct a combat evaluation of the Dominator. A combat test plan of eleven missions was planned and if successful, the B-32 was scheduled to replace all the B-24 groups in the Pacific Theater. Three B-32s were assigned to the 386th Bomb Squadron, 312th Bomb Group, 5th Air Force. The first combat test mission was flown against a supply depot at Antatet, Luzon, Philippines on 29 May 1945. The last mission of the generally successful combat test was flown on 25 June 1945 against bridges near Kiirun on the island of Formosa (Taiwan).
The 386th Bomb Squadron completed B-32 transition in July 1945 and flew six operational combat missions before the end of the war. The most used Consolidated B-32 Dominator aircraft operationally were three B-32-20-CF’s (Serial Nos 42-108528, 42-108529 ‘The Lady is Fresh’ and 42-108532 ‘Hobo Queen II’). These machines were assigned to the 386th Bombardment Squadron, 312th Bombardment Group (Light) and operated from Clark Field and Floridablanca in the Philippines from May 29th to July 6th, 1945. During this period they undertook twelve bombing missions and dropped 134 tons of bombs on enemy positions. On the 11th August 42-108528 and 42-108532 moved to Yontan Air Base on Okinawa and in so doing joined another five B-32s that were already stationed there.
Following the 9 August 1945 bombing of Nagasaki, the 386th conducted photo reconnaissance missions and during a photo-reconnaissance sortie near Tokyo on the 17th August ‘Hobo Queen II’ and three other B-32s were attacked by ten Japanese fighters. The quartette defended themselves well and one Japanese fighter was shot down with another two claimed as probables. Furthermore, on the 18th August the ‘Hobo Queen II’ and 42-108578 shot down two Japanese aircraft over Tokyo and claimed two more as probables. Although no Dominator was lost in combat, at least two were damaged. Sergeant Marchione, a photographer aboard one of the B-32s on the photo reconnaissance mission of 18 August 1945, was killed when his bomber was attacked by fighters.
The last B-32 combat mission (also photo recon) was completed on 28 August 1945. The 386th BS was ordered to cease combat operations two days later. Cancellation of the B-32 program came on 8 September 1945 and production of Dominators was halted on 12 October.
By VJ Day 115 B 32s had been delivered, 1588 being cancelled and the type withdrawn from service.
Flyable aircraft at Consolidated factories were flown directly to the scrap yard and all partially built B-32s were scrapped at the factory. The last remaining B-32 was scrapped in the summer of 1949.
Number Built: 75 Serial numbers: 42-108471 to 42-10884; 42-108525 to 42-108584; 44-90486 74 B-32s built at the Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas plant. 1 B-32 built at the Consolidated San Diego, California plant. 3 XB-32s and 40 TB-32s were built A total of 118 B-32 built of all types
Consolidated B-32 Dominator Engines: 4 x Wright R-3350-23 Duplex Cyclone 18-cylinder air-cooled turbocharged radial, 2,200hp, 1641kW Propellers: Curtiss Electric reversible-pitch four-blade Length: 83 ft 1 in (25.3m) Wingspan: 135.17ft (41.20m) Wing area: 132.1 sq.m / 1421.91 sq ft Wing load : 78.52 lb/sq.ft / 383.0 kg/sq.m Height: 33.14ft (10.10m) Empty Weight: 59,525lbs (27,000kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 50576 kg / 111502 lb Maximum Speed: 357mph (575kmh; 310kts) at 30,000 ft Cruising speed: 290 mph Maximum Range: 2,992miles (4,815km) Range: 3,000 miles w/ 10,000 lb bomb load Range w/max.payload: 1287 km / 800 miles Rate-of-Climb: 658ft/min (201m/min) Service Ceiling: 36,089ft (11,000m; 6.8miles) Armament: 2 x 12.7mm M2 machine guns in nose turret 2 x 12.7mm M2 machine guns in forward dorsal turret 2 x 12.7mm M2 machine guns in rearward dorsal turret 2 x 12.7mm M2 machine guns in tail position 2 x 12.7mm M2 machine guns in ventral turret position Up to 20,000lbs of internal ordnance Accommodation: 10
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) issued a new specification in 1935. This specification required the development of a new multi-engined, long-range heavy bomber capable of exceeding a top speed of 300 miles per hour, besting a range of 3,000 miles, maintaining a service ceiling of at least 35,000 feet and taking on an internal bombload minimum of 8,000lbs. Production of the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was well underway and, in 1938, Consolidated was requested to help in its production. As part of the production initiative, Consolidated executives were brought to Boeing’s plant in Seattle, Washington to visit the factory. It was this meeting that prompted Consolidated to submit their own heavy bomber design with a more modern flair. The USAAC granted Consolidated a design study in January of 1939 under C-212 with the intent that this new aircraft exceed the performance specifications (speed, range and ceiling) of the B-17 and be ready in time for production before the end of the war.
Consolidated wasted no time in developing their design – the Model 32 – and brought about a few revolutionary changes in the approach of American bomber designs. Model 32 sported a tricycle undercarriage – the first American bomber to do so. The monoplane wings were also held in a high shoulder-mounted position, themselves made wide and holding two engines to each wing leading edge in underslung nacelles. The high wings were of less surface area but promoted a higher fuel efficiency standard than the low-mounted assemblies on a B-17. Of note here was Consolidated’s Model 31 (XP4Y Corregidor) foray which utilized the same “Davis” high aspect wing (or “Davis Wing”). This aircraft was of a twin-engine sort and designed as a flying boat. Ultimately, the design fell by the wayside when an order for 200 examples was cancelled by the United States Navy due to program delays and a lack of available Wright engines.
The Davis Wing emerged from the mind of David R. Davis, an aeronautical engineer working on a new wing planform, a planform utilizing a short chord and high aspect ratio along with thickness suitable to fit engines and fuel while maintaining efficiency. His meeting in the summer of 1937 with Consolidated President Reuben H. Fleet allowed the wing design to flourish as one of the most utilized wing planforms of World War 2. The new wing was intended for use on the company’s new flying boat design – the Model 31. Despite the Model 31’s cancellation (only one example emerged from development), the wing was seen as a good step forward in the design of the upcoming B-24 Liberator and became a major Consolidated design mainstay thereafter.
Other features of the Model 32 included the selection of 14-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-1830 radial piston engines, deep bomb bay fuselage and a twin vertical fin tail assembly. Every Liberator had four Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder.radial engines. The development process culminated in an offered contract on March 30th, 1939, for a flyable prototype under the designation of XB-24.
The natural finish prototype, Serial 39-680 which had red-white-blue rudder stripes, flew on December 29, 1939, from Lindberg Field in California with 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-33 radial piston engines of 1,000 horsepower each. The prototype was subsequently modified to become the XB-24B, with self-sealing fuel tanks, armour and turbo-superchargers. The latter were placed beneath the nacelles.
Later B-24s had the R-1830-41, -43 or (from 1942) -65, all rated at 1,200 hp and with power at high altitudes maintained by a turbosuper¬charger under the nacelle. Almost all aircraft had 11-ft 7-in Hamilton Standard three-¬blade propellers, without spinners. A basic feature of the air¬craft was large fuel capacity, giving it exceptional range. From the first there were 12 flexible cells between the ribs of the wing centre section, and from 1942 three auxiliary tanks were added in each outer wing. The aircraft failed to reach the projected top speed of the original design intentions but, overall, the first flight was a success. To help iron out the prototype design, a further six YB-24/LB-30A evaluation/pre-production models were ordered, built and delivered. These were followed by the B-24, seven examples of which only one was used for service testing. The B-24 featured de-icing boots and deleted the leading edge slots of previous forms.
Liberators were crewed (depending on the model) by 7 to 10 personnel. The pilot and co-pilot were situated in the high-mounted stepped flight deck with views forward, to the sides and above. The nose gunner, bomber and navigator were housed under a glazed nose well forward in the design. The nose gunner had access to the powered nose turret if the model of Liberator called for one, fitting 2 x 12.7mm machine guns.. Bombardiers and pilots shared a common role for the bombardier would be called on to take flight control of the bomber when engaging in the bombing run via auto-pilot. The navigator could utilise the forward-mounted Plexiglas dome to get his bearings as well as relying on physical landmarks below. If “cheek” machine guns were fitted on a Liberator model, the navigator could man one. The dorsal turret gunner also doubled as the flight engineer and probably maintained the best defensive vantage point, offering an exceptional firing arc when compared to all other available gunner positions. The turret mounted 2 x 12.7mm machine guns. The radioman was situated within the upper portion of the Liberator’s fuselage, positioned just behind the cockpit. Radiomen were required to keep logs of all pertinent actions and could be called upon to man one of the waist guns if needed. The forward flight crew was removed from the rear flight crew, with access between the two sections of the bomber made via a thin scaffold running the length of the two bomb compartments. Entry and exit to the aircraft was through a door positioned towards the rear which made for harrowing emergency exits. Forward crewmen were expected to exit the aircraft by walking across the bomb bay scaffold and make their way to the rear all the while fitted with their parachutes and bulky warming flight suits. The smallest bomber personnel were generally enlisted for operation of the ball turret fitting 2 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns. These fellows wore no parachutes (the small size of the ball turret necessitated this) and made their way inside their turrets after the aircraft was in flight. The ball turret – unlike that on the B-17 – could be retracted into the Liberator’s fuselage during take-off and landing. The ball turret was perhaps the coldest position on a given B-24 with many a crewmember reporting frostbite through those frigid high-altitude sorties.
Waist gunners had single 12.7mm machine guns. These two positions – left and right – were later staggered to compensate for each gunners firing arc. Unlike other turreted positions in the B-24, spent shell casings at these waist positions were not jettisoned from the aircraft automatically, forcing crewmembers to clear their areas themselves. Since firing from these side-perspective positions required a great deal of hand-to-eye coordination via tracer rounds while taking into account target speed and the Liberator’s airspeed itself, waist gunners relied on simple targeting sights in the early years. Only later did they receive assistance in the form of compensating sights to help improve accuracy. The tail gunner was given a powered 2 x 12.7mm machine gun turret.
The B-24 utilized a great deal of hydraulics with such systems spanning nearly every internal inch of the aircraft. Fuel on the B-24 was situated in the wings, just inboard of the inboard set of engines as well as in the upper portion of the bomb bay. As such, any direct hit could easily set the entire aircraft on fire in seconds.
The Army Air Corps ordered seven YB-24s for trials and a further three dozen B-24As for service evaluation. The French ordered 120 B-24As, and even more were purchased by Britain, whose orders embraced a score of Liberators similar to the YB-24.
Production began at Consolidated’s San Diego plant of which the first six were earmarked for the French Air Force as LB-30A models. With the fall of France in 1940, these aircraft made it to British Royal Air Force hands via Lend-Lease. The French Armée de l’Air had ordered 175 Consolidated 32B7. The RAF found their early production forms to be unsuitable for the rigors of combat for they were not even fitted with self-sealing fuel tanks and relegated them to ferry type duties. The USAAC called for 36 of the aircraft while the British ordered 164 for the RAF. Upon reception of the aircraft, the British bestowed the name of “Liberator”, the United States military accepted the British name of Liberator as part of the official designation from then on.
The first of a batch of six Model 32 LB-30s (this latter being the special designation applied to the first British aircraft) first flew on January 17, 1941. These aircraft, AM258-263, were used on the Return Ferry Service between Scotland and Canada from March 1941, and were also operated by BOAC. Since they had been envisaged as bombers they wore the brown-greenblack finish of British machines and had grey serials on their fuselages.
Twenty-six Liberator Is, AM910-929, began to arrive in Britain in the middle of 1941. Five Liberator Is going to BOAC. Some of these were subsequently fitted with a ventral cannon tray in addition to two tail guns and one in each beam position. In such state, and with a full array of ASV aerials on the fuselage top, wings and nose, these aircraft were delivered to No 120 Squadron at Nutt’s Corner to supplement, and later to replace, its Wellingtons. The white Liberators, with their grey and green upper surface camouflage wearing what appeared as a faded or washed-out tone, had grey codes and serials. They were very long-range aircraft able to patrol far out into the Atlantic, and began operations in September 1941. On October 22, AM926: OH-F (OH being aft of the roundel on the starboard side, forward on the port) flown by F1t Lt T. Bulloch, DFC, attacked a U-boat; a year later, AM929: OH-H, flown by Bulloch, sank U-653. By this time many other Liberators were in service.
A Liberator II of 159 Squadron in Fayid, Egypt. The LB.30’s Boulton Paul Type A is visible here.
June 1941 saw the initial Liberator deliveries to the USAAC who received nine LB-30s similar to the RAF’s Mk Is, and these were used mainly as transports which undertook some very long flights. Some of these B-24As wore the same colouring as the LB-30s, and one was lost in the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour in December 1941.
Britain also ordered 165 LB-30s on its own account, and these were built to RAF requirements as Liberator IIs, though only 139 reached Britain (AL503-641), 25 going to the US Army. The Mk II had Boulton Paul four-gun dorsal and tail turrets (These were in addition to a .303 in gun in the nose and two others in the beam positions), a lengthened nose of 2 feet 7 inches, Curtiss propellers, armour, self-sealing tanks and many other changes. Deliveries began to reach the RAF from March 1942. The second aircraft, AL504, was later rebuilt as Winston Churchill’s personal VIP transport, with many features of the later C. IX, including a longer fuselage and tall single fin. To a generally similar standard 38 B-24As were ordered, but only nine were delivered and most were used without armament on the Atlantic ferry service.
Liberator II
In the main these Liberators, which had the green-black-brown finish, were used by Nos 159, 160, 178 and 511 Squadrons. No 160 formed at Thurleigh near Bedford on January 16, 1942. Operational employment for part of the squadron was first found as a unit of Coastal Command from May 8, 1942, at Nutt’s Corner.
On 4 December 1942 B-24 Liberators of the USAF carried out the first American attack on Italy. Bombs hit ships and port and rail installations in Naples. No enemy fighter planes took to the air. All the bombers returned to base.
Meanwhile the main part of the squadron moved East, and eventually settled at Aqir. Following bomber operations, the unit reformed at Ceylon where it was destined to receive Mk IIIAs and later, the Mk V. No 159 Sqn also formed in England and followed a similar career. It participated in mine-laying, overseas patrols, supply drops and even reconnaissance sorties.
No 178 Sqn spent much time in the Middle East where it formed up at St Jean in Palestine, and later took part in operations in the Western Desert, over. Italy and deep into Eastern Europe. Some of the Mk IIs were used by 511 Sqn as transports, whose forerunner, 1425 F1t, had operated Mk Is. Other IIs entered service with Coastal Command.
Meanwhile American developments of the B-24 were materialising. On the XB-24B the engine cowlings appeared oval in shape, since the oil coolers were now placed on the cowling sides. With R-1830-41 engines of 1,200 horsepower, to absorb the greater power at high altitudes paddle-blade Hamilton Standard propellers were fitted. The XB-24 prototype served as the conversion model, which now gained a top speed increase equal to 37 miles per hour. The XB-24B went on to become the first definitive operational Liberator forms in service with Britain and the United States.
This was a feature of the B-24C, which had a dorsal turret immediately aft of the cockpit, and a Consolidated rear turret to increase the defensive power of the beam guns. Nine of this version were built. It was its successor, the B-24D, which was first to join the American bomber groups. Twenty of the B-24As originally ordered were completed as B-24Ds, but when the total production was completed 2,425 B-24D-CO, 303 B-2413-CF and ten more by Douglas Aircraft had been built. On this, the second most numerous B-24 variant, a very large number of modifications were incorporated, including armament changes and modifications to armour, gun positions and fuel loads.
Nine B-24A models became B-24C models with this engine. B-24C models were essentially A-models but fitted with R-1830-41 series turbo-supercharged engines for increased performance. These engines also featured revised cowlings to differentiate the type further from her origins. Additionally, improvements of the this aircraft fell into the category of defense for a Martin powered turret (2 x 12.7mm machine guns) was installed to the forward portion of the fuselage and an Emerson A-6 powered turret completed the armament in the rear tail gun position.
The B-24D became the first quantitative production run of the Liberator series. These were somewhat similar in nature to the B-24C models before them but fitted improved R-1830-43 supercharged radial piston engines. Improvements to defense were made yet again, with the ventral machine gun position replaced by a remote Bendix-brand belly turret during production. This was still further improved upon with the addition of the Sperry ball turret with 2 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns and a wider firing arc. Late production D-models were given 12.7mm heavy machine guns in their “cheek” positions to protect the forward left and right side angles of the aircraft. 2,381 B-24Ds were made at San Diego, 305 built at Fort Worth and 10 from Douglas at Tulsa. The D had extra tanks in the outer wings and gross weight reached 27,216 kg (60,000 lb).
It was some of the early B-24Ds that the Americans sent to Britain in 1942, when between August and October No 93 Bomb Group settled at Alconbury and on October 9, despatched 24 Liberators (14 of which aborted) with the B-17s that bombed the Fives-Lille factory in Northern France.
During December 1942 the 93rd BG sent a large detachment to North Africa for operations there until March 1943, leaving the 44th BG which had moved to Shipdham, Norfolk, between August and October and commenced operations in November, to continue attacks on the Continent.
The B-24Ds of these units were nearly all despatched to the-Middle East late in July 1943 to participate in more attacks in the Mediterranean area, during the invasion of Sicily and in the disastrous Ploesti low-level raid. The survivors returned to Britain late in August, but small detachments continued to operate in the Middle East. For this reason the Liberator element of the VIIIth Air Force remained small until the winter of 1943-44. By this time later versions of the B-24 were in service.
In the course of production the ventral tunnel gun was replaced by a twin 0.5-in Sperry ball turret, standard on most subsequent bomber versions. The RAF equipped 37 squadrons with the Liberator III (British purchase B-24D) and IIIA (Lend-Lease), these retaining the four 0.303 tail turret, while 977 B-24Ds went to the US Navy as PB4Y-1 long-range ASW aircraft.
The British version of the B-24D was the Liberator III, which was also used by the RAF in two other forms, the Mk IIIA with US equipment and armament, and the Mk V with extensive AW radar fitted in a chin radome and another which replaced the ball turret of the bomber. The standard III had 4 x .303 in guns in her tail turret, a two-gun dorsal turret, one gun in the nose and provision for two beam guns.
Three camouflage schemes were worn by these aircraft. The Coastal Command Liberator III/IIIA/V aircraft had white sides and under-surfaces, with grey and green upper surfaces as applied to the Mk Is. Usually the code letters were grey, but some aircraft had black or red coding. Overseas the maritime reconnaissance Liberators also wore these colours. Such Mk IIIs as were used overseas as bombers retained the olive drab/dark grey finish common to Lend-Lease bombers, and when repainting was undertaken the similar British colourings were applied. A few Liberator IIIs had a green-brown-black finish, and were to be seen in use as transports operating from Britain on the India run after the war.
Some of the IIIs had a Leigh Light fitted.
Apart from their chin radomes, the Mk Vs were similar to the IIIs, which usually had their ball turrets replaced, too, by a radome.
For much of the war Coastal Command relied upon the Mk V, and only during the final year of hostilities did the nose-turreted versions enter service. The Mk III was first used by 120 Sqn during the Summer of 1942, when this was still the only home-based Liberator squadron utilising to the full the long range of the Liberator. By the end of 1943 three Coastal squadrons had IIIs, Nos 120, 86 at Thorney Island and 224 at Beaulieu. During the first half of the year the VLR Mk Vs came into service with Nos 59 and 86 Sqns at Aldergrove, with 53 at Thorney Island, 224 at St Eval, and at Beaulieu where 311 was based. The turn of the year found 120 Sqn mainly using Vs, yet holding on to a handful of the old Mk Is. By mid 1944, when the early Liberator strength was at its peak, Nos 59, 53, 120, 224, 200, 311, 354 and 547 had Mk Vs while Nos 86 and 160 were among those still using IIIs.
In the Autumn of 1943 the US VIIIth Air Force rapidly built up its 2nd Air Division, which was entirely equipped with Liberators and based in East Anglia.
Standard US insignia was now to be seen on the B-24s, the period when the Americans had been flying Liberators with grey stars (except for flight leaders) seemingly over. By the turn of the year, such B-24Ds as were still in use had, in a few instances, shed their camouflage; but those which lived longer in many cases were awarded the most bizarre markings ever carried by operational military aircraft. The intention for the strange colourful was to serve as rallying points for the bombers, as they formed up over Eastern England into their battle formations.
Ford Motor Company produced the B-24E model series, these being fitted with R-1830-65 series radial piston engines. Despite the removal of the ventral machine gun in the improved D-models, these E-models retained them over the Bendix/Sperry ball turrets. Due to the limitations in armament, these Liberators primarily served the United States Army Air Force as pilot, bombardier, gunnery and crew trainers.
The B-24E had Curtiss pro¬pellers, most having the new R-1830-65 engine. This was the first version made at the Ford plant at Willow Run (490), 144 being added by Fort Worth and 167 by Douglas Tulsa.
The XB-24F was a single prototype modified from a B-24D model and used for de-icing testing.
B-24G models were North American Aviation-produced Liberator B-24D version of which 25 examples were built. These Liberators featured the Sperry ball turret and up to 3 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns in the powered nose turret and armour against head-on attacks. The B-24G-1 was a modified G-model form sporting a new Emerson A-6 tail turret. 405 examples of this model were ultimately produced.
Thousands of B-24Ds were likewise com¬pleted with a nose turret, of the same flat-fronted Emerson type as on the G, with a bombardier station in the chin position. These were called B-24H, Fort Worth making 738, Tulsa 582 and Willow Run 1,780. Most of the Tulsa and Willow Run machines had the sloping-front Consolidated hydraulic nose tur¬ret, and either this or the Motor Products A-6B was fitted to the B-24J, which also brought in the C-1 autopilot and M-9 bomb¬sight.
As such, the fuselage was revised with a new bombardier’s compartment to make room for the placement of an Emerson A-6 nose turret. This turret was nothing more than a modified version of the tail turret utilized in previous production examples. A revised tail turret greeted the tail gunner and offered up better views through larger windows. The waist gunners were now positioned in a staggered arrangement to offset their firing arcs and prevent onboard collisions of the two gunners in the heat of combat. The top turret was slightly revised with a higher canopy providing for better visibility for the gunner.
The B-24J was produced in 6,678 examples and were based on the B-24H models sans the defensive armament revisions. Nevertheless, these J-models were given a much-improved autopilot and bombsight system.
The XB-24K was a proposed Liberator derivative by Ford. The idea revolved around fitting the empennage of a Douglas B-23 Dragon twin-engine bomber to the existing airframe of the Liberator. A single prototype was produced as such by converting a B-24D. Though the new aircraft flew with promise – providing for improved handling – such a project during the thick of wartime was deemed much too expensive to undertake and thusly was dropped from serious production consideration. Ford would have handled production of this new B-24N but the order was cancelled on May 31st, 1945. The XB-24K did, however, set the stage for the PB4Y-1 navalized production version of the United States Navy’s Liberator fleet and ultimately led up to the definitive fully-navalized PB4Y-2 “Privateer” model.
The B-24L appeared as a result of the USAAF wanting the weight of the B-24J models reduced. Revisions to this model included the removal of the ventral ball turret and the replacement of the A-6B tail turret with a lightweight M-6A turret or no tail armament at all. The ventral gun turret was replaced by a ring-mounted system sporting 2 x 12.7mm heavy machine guns. 1,667 examples of this model were produced.
The B-24M was another attempt to lighten the B-24.This included the use of a lighter A-6B tail turret and uncovered waist gunner positions. The 2,593 M-models represented the last Liberator production models to see the light of day, with a good number never even being delivered to frontline units and instead scrapped.
The Liberator was evolved into a variety of developmental forms. These included the XB-24N with its single vertical tail fin (would have been produced as the B-24N) and the seven pre-production forms of the N-model in the YB-24N. The XB-24P was a single converted B-24D model used by the Sperry Gyroscope Company to evaluate various in-flight armaments and related systems. The XB-24Q was another single prototype examples, this time produced by General Electric, to showcase radar-controlled turrets. The XC-109/C-109 became a fuel ferry transport in support of Boeing B-24 Superfortress missions over Japan. These Liberators were fitted with special modifications to assist in prevention of onboard explosions of fuel during transport.
The XB-41 was a concept to provide flights of B-24 bombers with similar Liberators armed to the teeth as floating gunship escorts. Though promising on paper, in actual practice the system proved unusable with substantial drops in performance. A single prototype was completed for evaluation and sported no less than 14 x 12.7mm Browning M2 machine guns. Instead of a bombload, the bomb bay was fitted with up to 11,000 rounds of 12.7mm ammunition. Power was derived from 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Twin Wasp radial piston engines of 1,250 horsepower. When evaluated in-flight as escorts alongside the base Liberator bomber, this particular Liberator was unable to keep pace while the aircraft also propagated stability issues and, as such, the proposition for such a machine was ultimately axed in 1943.
The Liberator airframe was utilized for training of various flight crew. These were known by the designations of AT-22 (TB-24), RB-24L, TB-24L and C-87. The RB-24L deserves note here for they were utilized to train Boeing B-29 gunnery crews on remote gun systems as found on the B-24L. The TB-24L was similar to the RB-24L with an increase to radar equipment carried aboard. Base C-87s were used for the training of future Liberator engineers.
The German 200th Bomber Wing, KG200, carried out special transport missions using captured US B-24 Liberator and B-17 Flying Fortress which the Germans called by the code name Dornier Do 200.
The C-87 “Liberator Express” was a 20-passenger transport and appeared in A- (16-passenger VIP transports with R-1830-45 radial engines and sleeping berths), B- (proposed armed passenger transport), and C-models (RY-3 of the USAAF).
C-87
Converted from B-24D, 284 of the C-87 transport version were supplied to the USAF during WW2. Produced in two versions, the C-87 with a crew of five and accommodation for 20 passengers, and the C-87A executive sleeper with 10 berths. The C-87 is powered by four 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 engines.
Photographic reconnaissance versions of the Liberator were in no short supply. The XF-7 represented the prototype based on the B-24D model. The F-7 was the initial reconnaissance platform developed from the B-24H. The B-24J was the basis of the F-7A while the F-7B was of a similar mold, though sporting up to six cameras in the bomb bay as opposed to the previous type’s three.
The BQ-8 were converted B-24D and B-24J models at the end of their useful operational lives, outfitted to serve as radio-controlled flying bombs.
PB4Y-2 Privateer
The PB4Y-2 “Privateer” was a truer “navalized” and dedicated form of the Liberator and based on Ford’s B-24K idea which fitted the tail section of a Douglas B-32 Dragon and its single vertical tail fin for improved stability. The USN made good on 739 examples of this type of which served on even into the Korean War, ultimately retired in 1954.
The US Navy operated the PB4Y-1, which was basically a stock USAAF B 24D with appropriate naval gear added. PB4Y-1 also served to cover all future G-, J-, L- and M-models of the Liberator in USN service. The PB4Y-P became a photographic reconnaissance variant based on the PB4Y-1. However, the USN wanted their own low altitude heavy patrol bomber and contracted with Consolidated in San Diego to produce such a craft. Initially known as the Sea Liberator, the new aircraft was a considerable departure from the B 24. While incorporating the same out¬er wing and landing gear as the B 24, the PB4Y 2 (Consolidated Model 100) featured a fuselage that was lengthened by seven feet and a large single vertical tail. The engines were Pratt & Whitney R 1830 94s without turbosuperchargers and were fitted in new nacelles. XTO bottles could be added to the fuselage and an imposing armament of twelve .50 caliber Browning air cooled machine guns was distributed in an Erco nose turret, two Martin dorsal turrets, two huge Erco side blisters, and a Motor Products tail turret. The first three PR4Y 2s were converted from existing PB4Y-1 airframes and initially retained their distinctive twin vertical tails. The first example flew on 20 September 1943. After initial flight testing, an or¬der was given on 15 October for the delivery of 660 aircraft which had by now been designated as Privateers. This order was followed by another for 770 airframes about one year later. Consolidated began delivering aircraft in March 1944 and production extended to October 1945 but was limited to a total of 740 Privateers by the successful conclusion of the war.
The P5Y was a proposed twin-engine version of the PB4Y-1 but never produced. The C-87 transport version became the RY-1 (C-87A), the RY-2 (C-87 base) and the RY-3 (a dedicated transport alternative of the PB4Y-2 “Privateer”).
The first operational squadrons to receive the type comprised VPB 118 and 119 who took their Privateers overseas beginning in January 1945. The planes began operating out of Tinian, searching for enemy subs, shipping, aircraft, and land targets. By the end of the Pacific War, the Navy was operating 13 Privateer squadrons while five other squadrons flew a mixture of Privateers and PB4Y-1s.
After WW2, the Privateer stayed in front line use and three squadrons (VP 772, VP 871, and VP 28) saw action in the Korean War where, carrying 250 parachute flares apiece, they flew in support of Marine night operations against the enemy. After Korea, Privateers were used for a variety of secondary missions including con¬version to drones and drone directors. The US Coast Guard also used a small number of Privateers modified for search and rescue duties.
P4Y-2G
A few Privateers were also used by foreign nations, the most notable being France, which initially received ten PB4Y 2 aircraft in late 1950 for use against communist insurgents in French Indochina. The aircraft were used as bombers and several were lost in action, but more Privateers were supplied from US stocks and the French eventually received 24 planes. After the French defeat in Indochina, the aircraft saw action in the Algerian war of independence before the last five examples were withdrawn and scrapped in 1961.
During the late 1950s, surplus Privateers were made available to civilian buyers during sales at Litchfield Park, Arizona. Quite a few aircraft were sold, but the majority were rapidly scrapped or abandoned since they were being purchased for their 94 engines only. At this time, the engines (which were being used for “super” DC 3 civilian transport conversions) were more valuable than the airframes. However, a Restricted Certificate (AR 29) was obtained by Transaire Spraying Co. of Canyon, Texas, to register civilian Privateers as large acreage sprayers and fire bombers.
Whereas many early B-24s and LB-30s were completed or modified as trans¬ports, the desperate need for capable long-range transports in the evacuation of Malaya the Dutch East Indies and related areas forced the urgent development of a properly designed model. This went into production at Fort Worth in April 1942 as the Liberator Express. The main version, with 278 built, was the C-87. This was unarmed (some retained a 0.5-in gun in the tail), but had a large loading door, strong cargo floor and 20 to 25 removable passenger seats. Normal payload with maximum fuel was 4536 kg (10,000 lb), and 24 were sup¬plied to the RAF as the C.VII. The RY-1 and RY-2 were navy conversions, while the C-87A was a VIP version, usually with 16 seats or 10 berths. Five were completed as AT-22 crew trainers, mainly for training flight engineers. A total of 236 B-24Ds was supplied to the RAF, where they were completed as GR.V ASW aircraft for Coastal Command with radar, Leigh light and ASW equipment. Of these, 23 were then converted as C.V transports. In 1943-44 this was the standard model, San Diego building 2,792, Fort Worth 1,558, Tulsa 205, Dallas 536 and Willow Run 1,587. Many were completed as navy PB4Y-ls, with a spherical Erco nose turret and ASW radar instead of the ball turret. The C-109 (208 converted) was a tanker to carry fuel ‘over the hump’ from Burma to China, while 213 (of various models, mainly Js) were converted as F-7 armed reconnaissance aircraft. The RAF received over 1,000 of the H and J models as the B.VI, GR.VJ and C.VI. By April 1944 all new aircraft were unpainted, and fitted with the high-power B-22 turbosupercharger. Shortly afterwards production switched to the B-24L with the tail turret replaced by a much lighter barbette with a wider arc of fire. San Diego built 417 and Willow Run 1,250, some being converted into RB-24L trainers for B-29 gunners with remote sighting stations for B-29-type turrets. The final production bomber was the B-24M, with a lightweight Motor Products tail turret; San Diego built 916 and Willow Run 1,677. There were also numerous experimental models, such as the XB-24P with a radar-equipped gunfire control system, and the XB-24Q used as a testbed for the radar-directed tail turret of the B-47. The XB-24F had the pneumatic deicer boots – which had to be carefully inspected after every mission to make sure there was not even the smallest cut caused by a flak splinter – replaced by a more efficient thermal system, but it remained a one-off. Other one-offs included the XB-41, an early B-24D modified as an escort fighter with seven pairs of 0.5-in guns; a B-24H (built originally as an E) modified with a twin 0.5-in barbette on each side, controlled from a waist sighting station; and a unique B-24 onto which was grafted the complete nose of a B-17G Fortress! As early as 1942 it had been recognised that the B-24 could be redesigned with a single vertical tail which would enhance the poor flight stability and also offer other advantages. On 6 March 1943 a B-24D flew with the tail of a Douglas B-23, and after some refinement this back-end was built on the 42-40234, which began life as a B-24D but had an A-6A front turret. It be¬came the XB-24K, the conversion being done at Willow Run by Ford, who also fitted 1,350-hp R-1830-75 engines. The result was a far better aircraft, perhaps the first Liberator with good flight performance and handling. Convair added longer nacelles housing bigger oil tanks, a new nose and tail with lightweight ball turrets, better cockpit visibility and other changes, and got down to building this as the B-24N. Seven only were completed when B-24 production was stopped on 31 May 1945, 5,168 being cancelled. Independently, in 1943 the US Navy began working with Convair on an optimised ocean patrol and ASW version. This first flew as the prototype XPB4Y-2 Privateer on 20 September 1943, itself a modified B-24 Liberator. This incorporated the extremely tall single fin already developed for the Navy RY-3 transport, all 40 of which were supplied to the RAF as Liberator C.IX transports (as noted, the much earlier VIP aircraft AL504 Commando, was modified close to C. IX standard). Apart from the new tail the PB4Y-2 intro¬duced a completely revised fuselage, further stretched to 22.73m (74 ft 7 in), 1,350-hp R-1830-94 engines without turbos, resulting in the cowlings being elliptical vertically instead of horizontally, and defensive armament of six pairs of 0.5-in guns (nose, forward dorsal, aft dorsal, left and right waist and tail). Fuel capacity was enhanced and the normal crew was increased to 11, with extensive radar, ASW and electronic-warfare equipment. There was provision for 3628 kg (8,000 lb) of bombs, torpedoes, mines, depth charges or other stores, and underwing pylons could be fitted for the ASM-N-2 Bat anti-ship cruise missile which saw much action in 1945. Three prototype PB4Y-2’s were ordered and flown, all based on the preceding PB4Y-1 Navy models, designed specifically for anti-submarine warfare.
PB4Y-2 Privateer
The Privateer operated well into the years encompassing the Korean War, serving in some capacity as Elint (electronic intelligence) models. A single Privateer was also the first casualty of the Cold War, being engaged and shot down by Soviet forces. Some Privateers were utilized in the maritime patrol mission as well. In all, it was an economical stop-gap design that served well for a number of years – too late for much use in World War 2, but serving an effective role in the post-war years nonetheless. The total production count was well over 1,300 examples by the end of its production run. A total of 18,430 Liberators having been built. Unlike the B-24 the Privateer remained in service after the war, being redesignated P4Y-2 in 1952. There were several post-war versions, including the P4Y-2G for the Coast Guard, with no armament and considerable modification, and the special ‘ferret’ electronic-warfare versions which, together with similarly equipped Martin P4M Mercators, carried out the Navy’s Elint (electronic intelligence) missions during the post-war years. One PB4Y, operating from Wiesbaden over the Baltic on 8 April 1950, was shot down by a MiG-15, all 10 crew being killed. The Privateer also got to drop bombs in anger. Serving with Flottilles 8F/28F of the Aéronavale, the type was used in the bomber role throughout the French Colonial War in Indo-China.
740 P4Y-2’s were built for the U.S. Navy and several remained in service in 1955 for overseas reconnaissance P4Y-2S), as motherplanes for Bat guided missiles (PB4Y-2B), and as target drones (PBY-2K). All had four 1350 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94 engines.
British Liberators
Early British Liberators were the LB-30A and LB-30B models of which very few were constructed and delivered, these via Lend-Lease. LB-30A’s were originally intended for French use and fell into British hands in six examples with the fall of France. The Liberator B.Mk I’s (LB-30B) were B-24A’s of which 20 were delivered to the Royal Air Force. These were eventual initial disappointments for the RAF which saw fit to give them new life as Liberator GR.1s used in anti-submarine sorties.
The Liberator B.Mk II was next and were closest in nature to B-24C models. These Liberators had their fuselages extended by three feet with a revised deeper fuselage and expanded tail plane unit. 165 examples of these Liberators were produced and became the first “combat-worthy” British Liberators. British Prime Minister Winston Churchill used a refurbished Liberator II as his personal transport.
The Liberator B.Mk III were based on B-24D models fitting appropriate British-requested internal systems. Defense was handled by a single machine gun in the nose (.303 caliber), a twin-gun dorsal turret, two waist gun positions and a 4 x machine gun battery located in an Avro Lancaster-type tail turret. At least 156 of the type were delivered. The Liberator B.Mk IIIAs were nothing more than B-24D models retaining their American-based equipment and armament.
The Liberator B.Mk V were D-models revised to carry more fuel with less armor while retaining the defensive armament capabilities of the Liberator B.Mk III models. The Liberator B.Mk VI were B-24H models with the defensive armament of H-models but Boulton Paul tail turrets. B-24J models were represented as Liberator B.Mk VIIIs.
RAF Coastal Command modified several B-24D models for the anti-submarine role complete with the Leigh Light 22-million candela search light (carried underwing), search radar and air-to-surface rockets. Coastal Command also made use of the Liberator GR.Mk VI (B-24G/H/J models) as long-range reconnaissance forms and B-24J models under the Liberator GR.Mk VIII designation for the anti-submarine role.
The Liberator C.Mk IV were B.Mk VIII models modified to serve as transports while Liberator C.Mk VII was the designation used to cover C-87s. Liberator C.Mk VIII models were nothing more than G.Mk VIII modified to be used as transports.
The Royal Air Force designated their RY-3/C-87Cs as Liberator C.Mk IX. The B-24 was officially retired as soon as the war ended – this occurring in 1945. A single Liberator unit cost American taxpayers between $297,627 and $336,000 US at the time of her production. Production years ranged from 1940 until 1945. Although often overshadowed by the B17 Flying Fortress, the B24 Liberator was built in greater numbers than any other US military aircraft 18500 aircraft being built by Consolidated, Douglas, North American and Ford between 1940 and 1945. 1900 B24s were supplied to the Royal Air Force. Liberators were used by RAF bomber squadrons in the Middle East, and from January 1944 became the principle RAF strategic bomber in the Far East. Liberators were also deployed by RAF Coastal Command, playing a key role in the war against Germany’s submarine fleet. Liberators also saw service as transports; AL504 Commando became the personal aircraft of Prime Minister Winston Churchill for a short time. Liberators continued in use until December 1968 when the Indian Air Force retired its former RAF machines. Six from the first batch for the UK were directed to British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC) for use in the North Atlantic Return Ferry Service. During WWII, Captain D.C.T. Bennett known as Pathfinder Bennett, flew the first crossing on 14 May 1941 taking 14½ hours. The thousandth crossing of the Atlantic took place in September 1944.
The C-87 Liberator Express was a transport version of the B-24D bomber. The first Liberator transport was created by converting B-24D serial number 42-40355 which had been damaged in a crash landing in the Arizona desert in early 1942. All of the bombing equipment and defensive armament were deleted, and the nose glazing where the bombardier sat was replaced by a sheet metal nose which hinged to the right. A floor was installed through the bomb bay and into the waist compartment. Rectangular windows were cut into the sides of the fuselage, and 25 seats were added. There was a large 6×6 door incorporated into the port side of the fuselage. The navigator’s compartment was relocated to a position just aft of the pilot’s cockpit, and an astrodome was installed where the top turret had been located. The tail turret was removed and replaced by a metal fairing. The crew was normally four–pilot, copilot, navigator, and radio operator. The prototype was flown to Bolling Field in Washington, DC for evaluation. The Army was sufficiently impressed that they ordered the aircraft into production as the C-87 Liberator Express. All of the C-87s were built at Consolidated/Fort Worth and were delivered between September 2, 1942 and August 10, 1944. The first 73 C-87s were conversions from existing B-24Ds, with the remainder being built from scratch on the Fort Worth production line as transports. A total of 287 C-87s were built by Consolidated/Fort Worth. The C-87s were not assigned production block numbers, but there were six different versions of the C-87 that were built which incorporated a number of specific changes. Most C-87s were assigned to Air Transport Command. When Burma fell to the Japanese in April of 1942, China’s only route to the Allied supply line, the Burma Road, was cut. The only route to China from India was now by air, involving a treacherous flight over the Himalayas, the highest mountain range in the world. This route came to be known as the Hump. On September 12, 1943, the Air Transport Command established a new route to China via the Hump. This route began at Patterson Field, Ohio and ended in China. This round trip route covered 28,000 miles and took twelve days to complete. ATC C-87s became an important part of this operation. So dangerous was this route that the USAAF ended up losing three crewmen for each thousand tons of cargo that reached China. The Hump operation ended up costing the lives of over a thousand USAAF crewmen. During the war, so great was the need for an air transportation system that the Army was forced to turn to the commercial airlines to help operate the system. In addition to ATC, four commercial airlines operated the Liberators under contract. These were Consairways, American Airlines, United Air Lines, and T&WA. Consairways was organized as a separate subsidiary of Consolidated Aircraft. The original purpose of Consairways was to return the crews ferrying aircraft to the Pacific back to the USA, but it later ended up flying cargo of just about every imaginable type back and forth between the USA and the Pacific theatre. It also flew USO shows to entertain the troops in the Pacific. Consairways operated a mixture of LB-30s, C-87s, and B-24s. Two C-87s known to have been operated by Consairways were 41-24029 and 41-11706. In January of 1943, American Airlines was awarded a contract by ATC to operate C-87s over North Atlantic and South Atlantic routes. These planes flew in military insignia and markings and carried USAAF serials, but were operated by civilian crews. Later, American Airlines personnel also flew numerous dangerous Hump missions. C-87s flown by American Airlines: 41-11608, 41-11639, 41-11657, 41-11674, 41-11675, 41-11729, 41-11731, 41-11744, 41-11745, 41-11746, 41-11788, 41-23695, 41-23859, 41-23792, 41-23959, 41-24141, 41-24163, 42-107274, 43-30565. One of the more notable exploits of AA-piloted C-87s was the 31,000-mile trip made by FDR’s “One World Ambassador”, Wendell Wilkie, aboard C-87 41-11608 Gulliver. This involved a 51-day mission to Cairo, Palestine, Baghdad, Teheran, Moscow, and China, and then a return to the United States via a route across the Pacific. AA later traded in their C-87s for more advanced C-54 Skymasters. United Airlines was awarded a contract by ATC to fly trans-Pacific routes and to fly intra-theater leave shuttles ferrying armed forces personnel back and forth between the front and leave ports in Australia and New Zealand. C-87s operated by United Airlines included 41-24005, 41-24027, 41-24028, 41-24160, 41-24252, 41-24253, 41-11608, 41-11640, 41-11642, 41-11642, 41-11655, 41-11656, 41-11789, and 41-11861. During the war, Transcontinental & Western Airlines (T&WA) – later to become Trans World Airlines or TWA – operated Liberators for training and in support of USAAF Ferry Command operations. In late 1942, T&WA’s new Intercontinental Division was assigned three C-87s to fly the South Atlantic route between the USA and the Middle East. The C-87A was a VIP transport version of the basic C-87. The C-87 had been essentially a “no-frills” transport, with little attention being paid to passenger comfort. The C-87A was designed for more passenger comfort, and had only 16 seats. It could be fitted with Pullman-type upholstered seats that could be converted into five berths. Because of the different seating accommodation, the window arrangement was different. The first three C-87As were named Gulliver I, Gulliver II, and Gulliver III. A total of six were built, three for the USAAF and three for the US Navy. C-87A 41-24159 later became the first “Air Force One” for President Franklin Roosevelt, and was renamed Guess Where II.
Three C-87A VIP transports were turned over to the Navy under the designation RY-1. Navy BuNos were 67797/67799. Five C-87s were transferred to the US Navy under the designation RY-2. BuNos were 39013/39017.
Five C-87s were converted into AT-22 trainers, which were employed for training flight engineers. Their serial numbers were 42-107266, 43-30549, 43-30561, 42-30574, and 43-30584. Six stations were provided in the fuselage for the instruction of flight engineers in the operation of powerplants. They were intended to train engineers that were going to be flying aboard B-24 and B-32 bombers In 1944, these five planes were redesignated TB-24D.
24 USAAF C-87s were transferred to the RAF under Lend-Lease for use by Transport Command as Liberator C.VII. Their RAF serials were EW611/EW634. Known USAAF serial numbers are 44-39219 and 44-39248/39261, which accounts for only 15 of the 24 C.VIIs. They were used by Nos. 232, 246, and 511 Squadrons starting with mid to late 1944 up until the end of the war. EW611, ex-USAAAF 44-39219, became G-AKAG. The RAF did not keep its Liberator C.VIIs very long, disposing of the last examples in 1946.
The C-87s were not very popular with their crews, who complained about all sorts of hazards, particularly with the fuel system, with the engines, and with the cockpit accessories. The C-87 was notorious for problems with leaking fuel tanks, and midair fires were an ever-present danger. The C-87 also had some dangerous icing properties, which made it a very risky plane to fly over the Hump. There were few tears shed when the Army’s C-87s were withdrawn from service and replaced by more reliable Douglas C-54 Skymasters.
The PB4Y was first used in the fire-bomber role in 1959. It could carry 2000 USG, and dump it on a fire all at once.
XB-24 Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-33 Twin Wasp, 1100 hp. Prop: 11 ft 7 in Hamilton Standard 3 blade. Aspect ratio: 11.5-1. Bomb cap: 8000 lb. Armament: six 0.3-in mg.
XB-24B Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-41.
B-24C Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-41.
B-24D / Liberator III Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43. Gross wt: 27,216 kg (60,000 lb). Armament: 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in dorsal turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in ventral ball turret 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left-waist fuselage position. 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right-waist fuselage position. Up to 8,800lbs of internal ordnance.
B-24E Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 Prop: Curtiss.
B 24G Liberator Nose turret
B 24H Liberator Engine: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R 1830-65 Twin Wasp, 1200 hp/895 kW Length: 67.159 ft / 20.47 m Height: 18.012 ft / 5.49 m Wingspan: 110.007 ft / 33.53 m Wing area: 1047.983 sq.ft / 97.36 sq.m Max take off weight: 71200 lb / 32296.0 kg Weight empty: 36,500 lb / 16556.0 kg Max. speed: 252 kts / 467 km/h / 290 mph at 25,000ft/7620m Cruising speed: 187 kts / 346 km/h Service ceiling: 28000 ft / 8535 m Climb to 20,000 ft / 6095m: 25 min 0 sec Wing loading: 68.06 lb/sq.ft / 332.0 kg/sq.m Range: 1825 nm / 3380 km Crew: 12 Armament: 10x cal.50 MG (12,7mm), 2268kg-5806kg Bomb.
Liberator VI/VII B-24H with improved bombsight & autopilot
B-24J Liberator Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43, 1,200 hp Takeoff power: 1200 BHP @ 49″ Hg/2700 RPM Emergency power: 1350 BHP @ 53″ Hg/2700 RPM Max climb power: 1100 BHP @ 46″ Hg/2550 RPM Normal climb power: 990 BHP/39″ Hg/2550 RPM Max cruise power: 820 BHP/35″ Hg/2325 RPM (Auto Rich) Normal cruise power: 610 HP/30″ Hg/2000 RPM (Auto Lean) Length: 67.16ft (20.47m) Width: 110.01ft (33.53m) Height: 18.01ft (5.49m) Empty Weight: 36,500lbs (16,556kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 65,001lbs (29,484kg) Ramp Weight (equipped with oil and crew): 39,175 lb Fuel capacity: 3,576 USG with bomb bay tanks Vmax: 275 mph IAS Top Speed @ Alt: 295 mph TAS @ 25,000 ft, 50,000 lbs. aircraft weight Cruise @5,000ft: 158 mph IAS/169 mph TAS @ 31″ Hg/1650 rpm (60,000 lb) Cruise @25,000ft: 150 mph IAS/222 mph TAS @ 31″ Hg/2100 rpm (60,000 lb) Maximum Range: 2,001miles (3,220km) Rate-of-Climb: 800ft/min (244m/min) Climb: 25.5 minutes to 20,000 ft (60,000 lbs.) Climb: 43 minutes to 30,000 ft (60,000 lbs.) Fuel to climb (25,000 feet): 240 gallons Distance to climb (25,000 feet): 140 miles Service Ceiling: 28,002ft (8,535m; 5.3miles) Takeoff distance to 50 ft: 4,250 ft (60,000 lb) 1 g stall speed, clean: 123 mph IAS (56,000 lb) 1 g stall speed, landing: 101 mph IAS (56,000 lb) Accommodation: 7 to 10
XB-24K Engines: 4 x R-1830-75, 1,350-hp.
GR.Mk.VI Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 or -65, 1200 hp. Bomb load: 12,800 lb. Range: 900-2290 mile.
B-24L B-24J with manually operated tail gun
B-24M Revised B-24J
Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder radial, 1350 hp Length: 74 ft 7 in (22.73m) Wingspan: 110 ft 0 in (33.53m) Wing area: 97.36 sq.m / 1047.97 sq ft Wing load: 62.12 lb/sq.ft / 303.0 kg/sq.m Height: 30 ft 1 in (9.17m) Empty weight: 17018 kg / 37518 lb Maximum Take-Off Weight: 65,003lbs (29,485kg) Maximum Speed: 287mph (462kmh; 249kts) Cruise speed: 225 km/h / 140 mph Maximum Range: 2,796miles (4,500km) Service Ceiling: 20,669ft (6,300m) Armament: 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in forward dorsal turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in rearward dorsal turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in nose turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in left waist blister position 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in right waist blister position Up to 12,800lbs of internal stores. Accommodation: 11
P4Y-2G Privateer Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-94, 1350 hp Wingspan: 110 ft Length: 74 ft 7 in Empty weight: 37,485 lb Loaded weight: 65,000 lb Max speed: 237 mph at 13,750 ft Econ cruise: 140 mph ROC: 1090 fpm Range: 2800 mi
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express: Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 radial, 1200 hp at 2700 rpm for takeoff. Maximum speed 300 mph at 25,000 feet. Climb to 20,000 ft: 60 minutes. Service ceiling 28,000 feet at 56,000 pound takeoff weight. Normal range at 60% power: 1400 miles at 215 mph at 10,000 feet. Maximum range: 3300 miles at 188 mph at 10,000 feet. Empty weight: 30,645 lb Normal loaded weight: 56,000 lb Wingspan 110 feet 0 inches Length 66 feet 4 inches Height 17 feet 11 inches Wing area 1048 square feet. Fuel: 2910 US gallons. Accommodation: Crew four (pilot, copilot, navigator, radio operator). Passengers capacity: Up to 25 Range 10,000 lb load: 1000 miles Trans-oceanic cargo capacity: 6000 lb
C-87 Engines: four 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Wingspan: 110 ft Length: 66 ft 4 in Empty weight: 30,645 lb Loaded weight: 56,000 lb Max speed: 306 mph Normal range: 1400 mi Max range: 3300 mi Crew: 5 Accommodation: 20 passengers
C-87A Engines: four 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Wingspan: 110 ft Length: 66 ft 4 in Empty weight: 30,645 lb Loaded weight: 56,000 lb Max speed: 306 mph Normal range: 1400 mi Max range: 3300 mi Accommodation: 10 berths
The Consolidated PB2Y Coronado series was a planned replacement for the 1930’s era Consolidated PBY Catalina design already in place.
The PB2Y Coronado first appeared in the XPB2Y-1 prototype form, was first flown in December 1937, and delivered to the US Navy in August 1938. After service trials it served for some time as Flagship of Aircraft, Scouting Force, US Navy. It suffered almost immediately with poor water-based handling and equally dangerous in-air instability issues related largely to the single fin tail design. The tail section was redesigned to incorporate twin-rounded vertical fins which helped iron out the handling issues. The US Navy took this redesigned model as the PB2Y-2 and continued testing as needed. Results necessitated the addition of better armor protection and self sealing fuel tanks which further produced the PB2Y-3. This model would go on to become the definitive production model and also join service in limited numbers with the British RAF.
The first PB2Y-2 (the production development) went into service in January 1941. The PB2Y-3 was ordered in quantity in 1941 and remained in production until 1944 as a long-range patrol-bomber flying-boat.
The large ASV radome was visible just aft of the cockpit. Wings were high mounted and forward on the tall fuselage and featured retractable wing-tip floats which helped in building better aerodynamic tendencies (this function was similar to the PBY Catalina). The twin fin tail section was also mounted high on the design at rear.
Armament of the Coronado was twin 12.7mm (.50 caliber) M2 machine guns housed in a bow turret, a dorsal turret amidships and a rear turret just aft and between the twin tail fins. An additional 12.7mm machine gun was positioned to fire from hatches in the beam position on either side. The Coronado could fulfill an offensive role by being fitted with up to 1,000 pounds of bombs (held internally in the wing roots) or two Mark 13 type torpedoes held externally.
Despite being of sound design, the Coronado did not dislodge the PBY Catalinas in long distance reconnoitering sorties. Additionally, the Coronado was not implemented greatly as a bomber or anti-ship element, being superseded in this role by the equally capable Consolidated PB4Y-1 series, and aircraft similar in scope but dedicated to land bases and thus not needing any specialist training for water operations.
Many Coronado flying-boats were converted into transports under the designation PB2Y-3R, with military equipment removed, nose and tail turret positions faired over and the four 894kW Pratt & Whitney R-1830-88 Twin Wasp engines replaced by R-1830-92. Accommodation in this version was for a crew of five (instead of ten) and 44 passengers; 7,257kg of cargo; or 24 passengers and 3,900kg of cargo. A naval ambulance version of the Coronado was also produced as the PB2Y-5H, accommodating 25 stretchers.
In British service, the PB4Y Coronado was known as the Coronado Mk I, of which some 10 PB2Y-3 models were acquired by RAF Transport Command for transatlantic freight carrying. Several subvariants appeared as the PB2Y-3R – a dedicated transport seating some 45 passengers or cargo – and the PB2Y-5R – a converted model for air ambulance duties with room for 25 litters.
PB2Y-3R at San Diego Bay 1944
In all, 210 Coronados were produced with most models serving in the Pacific Theater (sans the RAF models in the Atlantic).
Consolidated PB2Y Coronado Long range flying boat bomber, USA, 1937 Engine : 4 x Pratt&Whitney R 1830-88 Twin Wasp, 1184 hp Sizes and weights Length : 79.265 ft / 24.16 m Height : 27.493 ft / 8.38 m Wingspan : 114.993 ft / 35.05 m Wing area : 1779.935 sqft / 165.360 sq.m Max take off weight : 68011.0 lb / 30844.0 kg Weight empty : 40942.4 lb / 18568.0 kg Max. speed : 194 kts / 359 km/h Cruising speed : 123 kts / 227 km/h Service ceiling : 20505 ft / 6250 m Cruising altitude : 1509 ft / 460 m Wing load : 38.34 lb/sq.ft / 187.00 kg/sq.m Maximum range : 2059 nm / 3814 km Range : 1191 nm / 2205 km Armament : 8x cal.50 MG (12,7mm), 5443kg Bomb.
Consolidated PB2Y-3 Coronado Engines: 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-88 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder air-cooled radial, 1,200hp, 895kW Length: 79 ft 3 in (24.2m) Wingspan: 114.99ft (35.05m) Wing area: 165.36 sq.m / 1779.92 sq ft Height: 27 ft 6 in (8.38m) Empty Weight: 40,935lbs (18,568kg) Maximum Take-Off Weight: 68,002lbs (30,845kg) Maximum Speed: 223mph (359kmh; 194kts) Cruise speed: 227 km/h / 141 mph Maximum Range: 2,371miles (3,815km) Rate-of-Climb: 570ft/min (174m/min) Service Ceiling: 20,505ft (6,250m; 3.9miles) Armament: 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in bow turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in dorsal turret 2 x 12.7mm machine guns in tail turret 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in left beam position 1 x 12.7mm machine gun in right beam position 8 x 1,000lb (454kg) bombs held internally in wings OR 2 x Mark 13 torpedoes (externally held) Accommodation: 10 + 45 Hardpoints: 2
All Aero 