Posted on 07/24/2002 8:06:24 AM PDT by RMrattlesnake
The Liberator
By Darren Morrison
“Liberator” was the name given to a weapon of war called the B-24 bomber. Though this plane was in the shadows of the famous B-17 flying fortress, the B-24 was a remarkable aircraft in its own right. The Liberator had a number of virtues which made it a highly sought-after bomber: it was fast (300 m.p.h. at 30,000 feet); capable of carrying a payload of 8,000 pounds; and had an operational range of approximately 2,290 miles.
The Liberator was the most sought-after bomber in World War II. This plane had an outstanding war record in both the Pacific and European theaters. The B-24 was used primarily by the Army, while the Navy had the PB4Y and the Royal Air Force of England had the LB-30. The B-24 was the most-produced American aircraft of WW II.
This war bird was built by many companies: Consolidated Vultee Aircraft Corporation, and Douglas, Ford and North American Aviation. It was assembled by a company from San Diego, California, and the engines were made in East Hartford, Connecticut. The plane was powered by four Pratt and Whitney Twin Wasp 1,200 horsepower, 14 cylinder radial engines, The wing span was 110 feet; the length 67 feet, two inches; and the height was 18 feet. When empty, the Liberator’s weight was 37,000 pounds; when operational, the plane weighed 65,000 pounds. The plane had a maximum operational speed of 300 miles per hour at 30,000 feet.
The Douglas, Ford, and North American Aviation company could manufacture a complete B-24H bomber in 56 minutes. Within the same period, the company could also produce two major portions of other bombers. This combined production capacity symbolized the strength of the American industrial machine, which far outmatched the Axis powers.
The crew needed to operate a Liberator consisted of ten people: a pilot, copilot, navigator, bombardier, flight engineer, radio operator, tail runner, nose gunner, sperry ball, and an armorer gunner.
Several variations of this long range bomber were constructed, though only three such planes are still air-worthy today: two B-24Js and one LB-30.
The Liberator was not as stable as the B-17 and could not fly in tight formations. As a result, many planes were lost during the war. Though not as responsive as other planes, the B-24 was built to be faster, while carrying a heaver payload. The Liberator's superior range meant that the B-24 supplanted the Fortress in the maritime patrol role in both the European and Pacific theatres of war. It is arguable that the Liberator's greatest contribution to Allied victory was through its vital work against U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic. The B-24 truly represented the backbone of American aviation during the air war of WW II.
While the Liberator was a truly great aircraft, not all people liked it. Some referred to it as “Ford’s Folly” or the “Flying Boxcar.” (Personally, I love this great war machine of American aviation history.) The Liberator is a true hero in the annals of American aviation history, because (true to its name) this plane was used to liberate many people around the world during the war against evil. Both the B-17 and B-24 were great aircraft which could take a lot of abuse and keep on flying.
Even more important were the people behind these aircraft: the crew, the developers, and the American people. The American people were responsible for winning the war against the evil of Fascism, as represented by the governments of Japan, Germany, and Italy. Americans entered the war at a disadvantage following the Pearl Harbor attack, but developed and delivered a quality product as quickly as possible. In large part due to the hard working American spirit of our grandparents and parents, and with the cooperation of the industrial complex, the Americans were able to mobilize to win the war.
I congratulate those people who developed and operated these great machines, and I thank those who helped to make this country great: the veterans who have fought in the wars in America for our freedom, and the personnel in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines and Coast Guard for the work they do, and the sacrifices they make, in order to maintain our freedoms.
The miracle of production of this country during WWII is an amazing story. From a few hundred planes a year in 1940 to 4,000+, PER MONTH, in 1945! The USA has a lot to be proud of, in and out of uniform.
BTW, I am privileged to have lunch, once a month with a PD4Y "Driver" and a P-47 "Ace". These Warriors in their Winter are still men to admire.
Should 'a been PB4Y, as in Patrol Bomber 4, made by "Y", (the navy's designation for Consolidated Aircraft).
BTW, the PB4 driver says his planes were identical to B-24's except for "navalization".
Great post, Snake.
The PB4Y was identical to the B-24 in most ways excepting that it had a single large vertical stabilizer instead of the double endplates seen on the B-24. There is only one remaining airworthy B-24, with the Collings Foundation. They tour that B-24 and a B-17 once every couple of years to the local airports. Wish I could afford to ride in one.
The B-24 was sometimes referred to as ‘the box the B-17 was shipped in’ by pilots. The Davis-type wing was a laminar flow type and indeed, permitted higher speeds but made the plane inherently unstable (odd quality for a high altitude bomber, eh?). Pilots had to remain constantly aware. It was very fatiguing to fly and was not forgiving of either battle damage to the wing or pilot error at the controls.
I do not know if the B-24 had an autopilot feature, but it could not have been all that reliable.
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