inside B-24

[dujardin]

just catch on the net

byeeeeeeee
marcel

 

[Jason]

Thanks Marcel. I've a friend whose grandfather served on a B24, would you mind if I show him your photobucket pictures?

 

[dujardin]

hi Jason

those are not MY photos
simply photos of the history
with a big H
and for sure i imagine his sentiment, probably a tear in eyes

 

[sealbeachbum]

Cool pictures Marcel! Here's a few pics I took of a B-24 that came into Long Beach Airport a couple of years ago.

 

[dujardin]

thanks Bill

that's something i dream to do...

 

[Roughwear]

What superb photos chaps. If only a B-24 could fly in the UK...........

 

[dmar836]

One buzzed our airshow this summer as FiFi was warming up. I know many criticize the CAF but without it, this would seldom happen at all! Our CAF wing is very active.
Dave

 

[MikeyB-17]

Note the AN-J-4's, you don't see too many pics of them in use.

 

[John Lever]

Is this the same type of plane ?
I saw this in Salzburg at Hangar 7 where the Redbull team have their headquarters.

 

[Roughwear]

No. It's the Red Bull B-25 bomber.

 

[MikeyB-17]

That's a B-25 Mitchell, John, a twin-engined medium bomber. The aircraft in Marcel's pics is a B-24 Liberator, a 4-engined heavy bomber.

 

[John Lever]

That's a B-25 Mitchell, John, a twin-engined medium bomber. The aircraft in Marcel's pics is a B-24 Liberator, a 4-engined heavy bomber.

Thanks for that. Did the RAF also have some Liberators ? I know they had some Fortresses at some point.

 

[dujardin]

i think, i well said : i think....
by memory, i think that some B-24 were used by coastal command for anti sub patrol
i have a photo in my memory, must check
and don't remember if it was in ETO or MTO...or maybe PTO

 

[capt71]

The B-24 posted by sealbeachbum is B-24J "Witchcraft", owned and flown by the Collings Foundation, based in Maine (not associated with the CAF). They tour across the US every year (B-24, B17, B-25, P-51), offering rides in each. I've been fortunate enough to fly in their B-24 several times. Below are a couple of photos from 2 different flights. The first is a frame-grab from a video I took of that flight--the view is from the nav-dome in the nose. The second is a panoramic cockpit shot from another flight (the pilot is Mr. Collings' daughter).

As for the RAF question: This is from Wikipedia:
Liberator GR Is in British service were the first B-24s to be used operationally. The very first use of Liberators in British service was the use of ex-USAAF YB-24s (designated LB-30A), which while not suitable for combat, were used as a long-range transport, operating the Atlantic Return Ferry Service, returning the civilian ferry pilots who delivered aircraft such as the Lockheed Hudson across the Atlantic back to Canada. The most important role for the first batch of the Liberator GR Is was in service with RAF Coastal Command on anti-submarine patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic. Later in 1941, the first Liberator IIs entered RAF service. This model introduced self-sealing fuel tanks and powered gun turrets. At the same time, Consolidated added a 2 ft 7 in (79 cm) plug in the forward fuselage to create more space for crew members. The Liberator IIs were divided between Coastal Command, Bomber Command, and BOAC. Two RAF squadrons with Liberators were deployed to the Middle East in early 1942, in the first use of the Liberator as a bomber.

Bill

 

[deeb7]

As for the RAF question: This is from Wikipedia:

• The name "Liberator" was originally assigned to it by the RAF, and subsequently adopted by the USAAF as the official name for the type.

 

[dujardin]

small video for you

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2GlTufRLN8

 

[dujardin]

and some nice photos for John

in front of a B-17

 

[RCSignals]

So what did BOAC do with them?

The Liberator IIs were divided between Coastal Command, Bomber Command, and BOAC.

 

[Andrew]

So what did BOAC do with them?

The Liberator IIs were divided between Coastal Command, Bomber Command, and BOAC.

What eventually became the RAF Ferry Command (who's purpose was the transfer planes from Canada to England used B-24's of BOAC to transport them back). There's a great vid on the subject;
http://m.imdb.com/title/tt1252484/plotsummary

 

[John Lever]

Thanks for the photos Marcel.