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Consolidated B-24J 'Liberator'
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Description
|   Manufacturer: | Consolidated |
|   Base model: | B-24 |
|   Designation: | B-24 |
|   Version: | J |
|   Nickname: | Liberator |
|   Designation System: | U.S. Air Force |
|   Designation Period: | 1924-Present |
|   Basic role: | Bomber |
Specifications
|   Length: | 67' 2" | 20.4 m |
|   Height: | 18' 0" | 5.4 m |
|   Wingspan: | 110' | 33.5 m |
|   Wingarea: | 1,048.0 sq ft | 97.3 sq m |
|   Empty Weight: | 36,500 lb | 16,553 kg |
|   Max Weight: | 65,000 lb | 29,478 kg |
Propulsion
|   No. of Engines: | 4 |
|   Powerplant: | Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 |
Performance
|   Range: | 2,300 miles | 3,703 km |
|   Cruise Speed: | 215 mph | 346 km/h | 187 kt |
|   Max Speed: | 303 mph | 487 km/h | 263 kt |
|   Ceiling: | 30,000 ft | 9,143 m |
Known serial numbers
| 42-50452 / 42-50508, 42-50509 / 42-50759, 42-50760 / 42-51076, 42-51226 / 42-51292, 42-51293 / 42-51395
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42-51396 / 42-51430
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42-51431 / 42-51610
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42-51611 / 42-51825
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42-51826 / 42-52075
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42-52076
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42-64047 / 42-64141
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42-64142 / 42-64236
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42-64237 / 42-64328
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42-64329
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42-64330 / 42-64346
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42-64347 / 42-64394
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42-72964 / 42-73014
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42-73015 / 42-73064
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42-73065 / 42-73114
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42-73115 / 42-73164
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42-73165 / 42-73214
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42-73215 / 42-73264
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42-73265 / 42-73314
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42-73315 / 42-73364
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42-73365 / 42-73414
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42-73415 / 42-73464
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42-73465 / 42-73514
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42-78475
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42-78476 / 42-78794
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42-95504 / 42-95628
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42-99736 / 42-99805
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42-99806 / 42-99871
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42-99872 / 42-99935
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42-99936 / 42-99985
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42-99986 / 42-100035
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42-100036 / 42-100085
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42-100086 / 42-100135
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42-100136 / 42-100185
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42-100186 / 42-100235
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42-100236 / 42-100285
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42-100286 / 42-100335
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42-100336 / 42-100385
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42-100386 / 42-100435
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42-109789 / 42-109838
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42-109839 / 42-109888
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42-109889 / 42-109938
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42-109939 / 42-109988
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42-109989 / 42-110038
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42-110039 / 42-110088
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42-110089 / 42-110138
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42-110139 / 42-110188
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44-10253 / 44-10302
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44-10303 / 44-10352
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44-10353 / 44-10374
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44-10375 / 44-10402
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44-10403 / 44-10452
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44-10453 / 44-10502
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44-10503 / 44-10552
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44-10553 / 44-10602
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44-10603 / 44-10652
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44-10653 / 44-10702
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44-10703 / 44-10752
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44-28061 / 44-28276
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44-40049 / 44-40148
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44-40149 / 44-40248
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44-40249 / 44-40348
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44-40349 / 44-40448
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44-40449 / 44-40548
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44-40549 / 44-40648
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44-40649 / 44-40748
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44-40749 / 44-40848
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44-40849 / 44-40948
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44-40949 / 44-41048
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44-41049 / 44-41148
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44-41149 / 44-41248
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44-41249 / 44-41348
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44-41349 / 44-41389
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44-44049 / 44-44148
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44-44149 / 44-44248
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44-44249 / 44-44348
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44-44349 / 44-44448
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44-44449 / 44-44501
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44-48754 / 44-49001
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Examples of this type may be found at
B-24J on display
 Eighth Air Force Museum |  Pima Air & Space Museum |   |   |   |
 
Recent comments by our visitors
Doug Klewin Morrisville, PA | You are missing B-24J-42-100428. The name of the plane was "Willies Worry". The crew was #420. The plane was salvaged on 2/5/1945. It flew 32 missions and I have the record of the missions. My father was a waist gunner on this aircraft. I also have his training records from school and the route the plane took to get to England and back. The many pictures he had were lost in a flood, but I have some copies. 01/20/2009 @ 13:38 [ref: 23522] |
Allan Barlow Shreveport, LA | I looked at the photo uploaded that shows the Charles Foulkes crew that crashed on Feb 5, 1944 in North Africa. My father's uncle was Francis H. Metzger, the radio operator on that flight. I have pictures of him given to me by his older sister, my paternal grandmother. He is not pictured in this photo. The radio operator that he replaced on Jan 31, 1944 after the belly landing must be in this photo instead. Just thought I'd add for identification purposes. 11/30/2008 @ 21:59 [ref: 23170] |
Allan Barlow Shreveport, LA | My great uncle was Francis H. Metzger, radio operator on the B-24 J 42-100286 that crashed on Feb 5, 1944. "Uncle Frank" was my paternal grandmother's baby brother. I have been searching for anything I can find and would love to hear from any family members of this crew. Perhaps photos or other information. Email me at UncleAllan@comcast.net and I will get back with you. Thank you. 09/11/2008 @ 01:41 [ref: 22664] |
John D. Bybee Vermont, IL | My previous blurb/photo about 36th RCM Squadron B-24-DT "I Walk Alone", 42-51226 was incorrect. After emails with Mr. Willis S. Cole Jr. "Sam", I stand corrected--42-51226 was indeed shot down by the P-61. The replacement B-24
42-51546 for security concerns was repainted with the lost B-24's serial number of 42-51226. I have advised Kevin Gray of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum of same. 06/11/2008 @ 05:47 [ref: 21328] |
John D. Bybee Vermont, IL | Kevin Gray of Tulsa,OK has sent me photos of Douglas-Tulsa built B-24J 42-51226 which was the subject of Willis S. Cole Jr.'s article relative to this B-24J (36th RCM SQ)being shot down by accident on 10 Nov 1944 by a 425FS P-61 over France. Any further details on any B-24 ECM/RCM?ELINT missions would be greatly appreciated. 06/09/2008 @ 10:16 [ref: 21213] |
Tara Correa Fort Hood, TX | Hello! My name is Tara. My uncle, (SGT Peter Correa) was apart of the B24-J's. I have tried to locate any information on him or his crew/plane. All I know is this: 8th AAF, 2ND AD, 458th BG, 753rd BS. His crew were apart of the "Buck Rogers Boys". Im hoping any info that anyone might have could help me. Thank you.
Tara 04/11/2008 @ 19:50 [ref: 20480] |
Robert E. Thomas Wake Forest, NC | Hey Andrew Rosen! Please contact me at retandkt@earthlink.net My uncle Billy S. Thomas was the tailguuner on the same crew as your uncle Warren Sutt. You would be the 4th crew member family we have located. We are trying to find all 10 families of the men who dies on that B-24. I have the MACR, letters, telegrams, a crew photo, and pictures of some crew members and would love to share.
Sincerely,
Robert Thomas
Wake Forest, NC 03/16/2008 @ 09:33 [ref: 20040] |
Earl G. Johnson Thornton, CO | My father was 2nd Lt. Earl G. Smith, bombardier of the Charles Foulkes crew (B-24-J 42-100286)which was lost on February 5, 1944 on a flight from Marrakech, French Morocco to St. Mawgan, England. I would like share information with other crew member families.
03/14/2008 @ 13:06 [ref: 20017] |
Willis S. Cole, Jr. \"Sam\" , WA | B-24J-2-DT - Crashed 02:30 10 November 1944. 36th Bombardment Squadron (RCM- Radar Counter Measures), attached to 100th Group RAF.
Crashed after behing show down by an American P-61 Night Fighter of the 425th FS. Controlled by the 566th SAW (Signals Aircraft Warning) Battalion, Etain Air Base, and the 563rd SAW BN (Hattonville)under the control of the Ninth US Air Force, Etain Air Base.
The B-24 was on a Top-Secret night mission, electronically spoofing (confusing) the German Radars to a point where the Germans belived a RAF night attack was in process when it was not.
The P-61 was vectored to the B-24 at 02:00 am on 10 November 1944 and shot out its right engines before realizing it could not be a German target.
One half hour later the B-24 crashed 1,000 yards nort of Tincourt-Boucly, Department of the Somme, France.
The possible loss of the secrets of the Top-Secret equipment on board led to its crash being concealed by the US military by moving the official crash site of a B-17 that had crashed the day before to the B-24 crash site.
Three men died in the crash of the Top-Secret B-24 and four died in the crash of the 'Lady Jeannette,' which became the 2nd dual award of the Congressional Medal Of Honor B-17 of WWII.
The story of this situation and its possible tie-in to the death of General Patton is the subject of a soon to be released book, "The Best Kept Secret Of World War Two!"
Over 16 years research and over 40 trips to France are involved in the research foundation of the book.
A memorial to the crash of the Top-Secret B-24 was redediated on the 63rd Anniversay of its crash, 10 November 2007. Information on both crashes may be found at www.ww1.org 01/16/2008 @ 11:14 [ref: 19320] |
Carl Anglin , AZ | I am curious about the aircraft in the CFA that tours the states. I got fairly good shots of three - B-17, B-24, & B-25 - all the same day. Were the names "Witchcraft" and "Tondelay" actual names of those aircraft during the war? I did not get the name of the B-17G, if someone could tell me what it is. The shots I got were clear of spectators because my brother had his RV6 parked near them, and these shots were taken fairly early in the morning. Thanks for any help... 12/01/2007 @ 23:52 [ref: 18757] |
 
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