After company executives including President Reuben Fleet visited the Boeing factory in Seattle, Washington, Consolidated decided instead to submit a more modern design of its own. The Liberator originated from a United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) request in 1938 for Consolidated to produce the B-17 under license. service, although the PB4Y-2 Privateer maritime patrol derivative carried on in service with the U.S. The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain.īy the end of World War II, the technological breakthroughs of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and other modern types had surpassed the bombers that served from the start of the war. Long-range anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater. It saw use in every theater of operations.
The B-24 was used extensively in World War II where it served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies. At approximately 18,500 units – including 8,685 manufactured by Ford Motor Company – it holds records as the world's most produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17, General Staff favored the B-24 and procured it in huge numbers for a wide variety of roles. In comparison with its contemporaries, the B-24 was relatively difficult to fly and had poor low-speed performance it also had a lower ceiling and was less robust than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Early Royal Air Force (RAF) Liberators were the first aircraft to routinely cross the Atlantic Ocean. The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load. It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models designated as various LB-30s, in the Land Bomber design category.Īt its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California.
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