Produced in even greater numbers than the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator was widely used with great success across the European, African, Pacific and Middle Eastern theaters. Its extensive operating range of 2,200 miles made it useful for many tasks.
In addition to be used on routine bombing raids, the B-24 also saw use doing anti-submarine work, maritime patrol, cargo and personnel transport and some were used as tankers. Winston Churchill used a B-24 as his own personal transport.
Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 or 65 1,200 hp 14 cylinder radial engines powered the B-24 to its maximum speed of 290 mph; its service ceiling was 28,000 feet. It had a 110 foot wing span and was 67 feet 2 inches long.
The B-24 was armed with six .50 caliber machine guns mounted in the nose and midsections and four .303 caliber guns in a tail turret. It carried an internal bomb load of 8,000 lbs.
B-24 in the European Theater
The B-24 saw service in Europe with the United States renowned 8th Air Force. It was also used by Royal Air Force units.
During 1943, the Allies used the B-24 in a raid on Hamburg, Germany. The RAF dumped tons of bombs on the city and after 10 days of almost continual bombing, 70,000 people were killed and Hamburg was nearly wiped away.
But the B-24 was still vulnerable to the fighters of the Luftwaffe, especially on long range missions without fighter escort. It is estimated that the 8th Air Force alone suffered over 80,000 crew member casualties. The Allied bombing war damaged Germany, but the cost was high.
B-24 in the Pacific Theater
The B-24 participated in the island hopping campaign in the Pacific, serving in a troop support role for the Marines on the ground. B-24s dropped their payloads in such places as Guam, Saipan, Okinawa, Iwo Jima, and Japan and many other islands in the Pacific.
The B-24 was used to great effect in the battle for the Philippines led by General Douglas MacArthur, and supported the U.S. advance up the Solomons and through New Guinea.
B-24 Liberator
The B-24 entered service in 1940 and was retired in 1953. More than 18,000 aircraft were produced in many different versions with the B-24J being the most prolific. Today, there are only 3 B-24s known to be airworthy, all of them located in the United States; two are B-24J and one is a LB-30, the British version of the aircraft.
It was the “Lady Be Good” a B-24D that disappeared in North Africa during a mission in 1943 and was discovered in May of 1959 in the Libyan desert.
Sources:
War Bird Alley Retrieved on 5/20/09.
Aviation History Retrieved on 5/20/09.
Matthew Pizzolato - Matthew Pizzolato is a writer of both short stories and articles and has completed two novels, neither of which have been published, but ...
Join the Conversation