User:Davegnz/Consolidated B-24 Survivors - old version
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Consolidated B-24 Survivors is a list of known B-24 Liberators and PB4Y Privateers sorted by military model letter with model number, tail number, N-number, historic names and data, and aircraft location.
Altogether 21 B-24's have survived intact and, as of January 2007, three airframes currently in flying condition. There is at least another dozen airframes from various wrecks which could result in future restorations (including 3 known wartime B-24D wrecks).
[edit] Brief history
By the time the last complete B-24M came off the Willow Run assembly line in July 1945, 18,482 Liberators had been built by the five B-24 manufacturers. An additional 774 PB4Y-2 / RY-3 were further produced by Consolidated San Diego.
The B-24 was quickly declared obsolete by the USAAF and the remaining stateside aircraft were flown to desert storage in the south-west. In the Pacific theatre, many aircraft were simply parked, the oil drained from the engines and simply left for reclamation. By 1950, except for the one B-24D held for preservation, the vast fleet of Liberators were gone. In 12 May 1959, the last flight of a B-24 by the USAF flew from Davis-Monthan to the Air Force Museum at Wright Patterson AFB where it is now on display.
With the USN and USCG, the PB4Y-1 continued until early 1950s when they were retired to NAS Litchfield. The remaining PB4Y-2 (now redesignated P4Y-2) remained in inventory until the early 1960s when they were either retired to desert storage or expended as targets (as QP4Y-2K). After retirement from active service, these aircraft took up a second career during the late 1960s to the late 1990s as aerial tanker aircraft. It was only after a series of fatal accidents was the remaining PB4Y-2's were again forced into retirement
[edit] Foreign history
While both the RAF as well as the RAAF were willing to continue operating the B-24, the terms of the lend-lease agreements stipulated that these aircraft were to be either paid for or returned (i.e. scrapped) and vast graveyards of aircraft accumulated in India as well as Tarakan, Australia.
When India gained independence in 1947, 37 Liberators were resurrected and gave good service until their retirement in 1968. It is from the IAF that the majority of the remaining B-24 owe their existence.
One interesting historic facet was that in 1948 when Israel was looking for aircraft, the Royal Australian Air force was approached with the offer to purchase 25 aircraft, but since these aircraft had not been stored with long-term preservation in mind, they were neither airworthy nor economically feasible to restore to flyable condition.
[edit] Restoration history
With the availability of intact, existing airframes beginning to dimish, the warbird movement starting in the late 1990s and continuing to the present has been seeking out previously considered unrecoverable airframes for restoration. The RAAF has three airframes in storage (s/n's unknown) which were recovered when they restored their museum aircraft. Both India and China are reported to have additional recoverable aircraft and the jungles of the Southwest Pacific still hold abandoned aircraft.[1]
[edit] B-24 survivors
Each line describes one remaining complete or partial airframe. Each line is broken down into several sections:
| Aircraft number | History | Markings | Holder | Location | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| B-24J-85CF 44-44052 (N224J) |
ex-RAF Liberator GR VI (KH191) No 8 Sqd, ex-IAF aircraft (T-18) |
Q2 M Witchcraft | Collings Foundation | Stowe, MA | (F) |
- Aircraft Number describes the type of aircraft and model B-24J-85CF its s/n 44-44052
and current registration (N224J). - History tells the military history (oldest to newest): ex-RAF Liberator GR VI (KH191) No 8 Sqd
then ex-IAF aircraft (T-18). - Markings deals with current markings, codes first then name: Q2 M Witchcraft
- Holder is current owner or museum: Collings Foundation
- Location deals with location where it might be seen or owner's address: Stowe, MA
- Condition:
-
- (D) = Display
- (F) = Flyable
- (S) = Stored
- (R) = Under restoration
- (W) = Wreck
[edit] Nose art panels
The Commemorative Air Force Museum in Midland, TX has a number B-24 (and B-17) nose panels with carefully restored nose art painted during the war on display.
[edit] B-24A CO Consolidated-San Diego
- B-24A-CO 40-2366 (N24927), ex RAF Liberator B I AM927, " 27 Ol 927 ", Commemorative Air Force Midland, TX. (F) [2]
- B-24A-CO 40-2367, Robert Kropp, Mesa, AZ (nose section only). (S)
[edit] Liberator II CO Consolidated-San Diego
- Liberator GR II CO AL557 (N92MK), ex-No 120 Sqd, Vintage Aircraft Ltd, Ft Collins, CO (S)
[edit] B-24D CO Consolidated-San Diego
- B-24D-CO 40-2367 (N58246), ex 11th AF / 21st BS /28th Composite Group, Bechevin Bay, Atka, AK (W) [3]
- B-24D-10CO 41-23908, ex 11th AF / 21st BS /28th Composite Group Hill Aerospace Museum, Hill AFB, Roy, Utah. (R).
- B-24D-25CO 41-24301, ex USAAF 9th AF / 376th BG / 514th BS, "64X Lady Be Good", Tobruk, Libya. (wreckage only) (D)
- B-24D-25CO 41-24311, ex USAAF 9th AF / 98th BG / 344th BS, " Hadley's Harem ", Istanbul, Turkey. (nose section only) (D)
- B-24D-60CO 42-40461 , ex RAF Liberator GR V (Canada) BZ734, ex RCAF 599 ex RCAF 10 (BR) (R), (nose section only) (D)
- B-24D-70CO 42-40557, ex RAF Liberator GR V (Canada) BZ755, ex RCAF 600, ex RCAF 10 (BR) (N) "Nanette", " Fighting Sam ", Virginia Air and Space Center, Hampton, VA (nose section only). (D)
- B-24D-160CO 42-72843, ex USAAF 9th and 15th AF / 376th BG / 512th BS), " 24 Strawberry Bitch " National Museum of the United States Air Force, Wright-Patterson, Ohio. (D)
- B-24D unknown s/n, " Hail Columbia ", Fantasy Of Flight Museum, Polk City, FL (nose section only) (D)
[edit] B-24J CF Consolidated-Fort Worth
- B-24J-85CF 44-44052 (N224J), ex RAF Liberator GR VI KH191 No 8 Sqd, ex IAF aircraft (T-18), " Q2 M Witchcraft ", Collings Foundation. Stowe, Massachuttes (F) [4] [5]
- B-24J-90CF 44-44175 (N7866), ex RAF Liberator B VII KH304, ex IAF HE877 No. 6 Sqd (A), "FL D Bungay Buckaroo ", Pima Air & Space Museum, Tucson, Arizona. (D) [6][7]
- B-24J-90CF 44-44213, ex RAF Liberator GR VI, ex IAF HE924 No. 6 Sqd (L), India Air Force Museum, Palam (located near New Delhi), India. (D)
- B-24J-90CF 44-44262, ex RAF Liberator D VI KH391, ex IAF HE846 No 6 Sqd (D), Pooma AB, India (S?)
- B-24J-90CF 44-44263, ex RAF Liberator B VI KH392, ex IAF HE846 No 6 Sqd (T), Pooma AB, India (S?)
- B-24J-90CF 44-44272 (N94459), ex RAF Liberator B VI KH401 No 357 Sqd, ex IAF aircraft HE771 No. 6 Sqd (P)," RR ? Joe ", Fantasy of Flight, Polk, Florida, USA. (D) [8]
[edit] B-24J FO Ford-Willow Run
- B-24J-20FO 44-48781, " WQ E Louisiana Belle II ", Eighth Air Force Museum, Barksdale AFB, Louisiana. (D) [9]
[edit] B-24J Unknown
- B-24J s/n unknown, Popondetta, Papua New Guinea (W) [10]
[edit] B-24L FO Ford-Willow Run
- B-24L-1FO 44-49112, ex RAF Liberator GR.VIII KL506, ex RCAF 11120, Michigan Historical Museum, Lansing, MI (nose section only) (D)
- B-24L-20FO 44-50022, ex RAF B VIII KN7??, ex RCAF 11133, Questmaster (W) [11]
- B-24L-20FO 44-50154, ex RAF Liberator B VIII KN820 No 355 Sqd, ex IAF HE773 No 6 Sqd (M), " 11130 ", Canada Aviation Museum, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (D) [12]
- B-24L-20FO 44-50206, ex RAF Liberator B VIII KN571 99 Sq, ex IAF HE807 No 6 Sqd (K), RAF Museum, Hendon, London, UK. (D), in its 99 Squadron colors with RAF (formerly displayed at RAF Cosford). [13]
[edit] B-24M CO Consolidated-San Diego
- B-24M-10CO 44-41916, ex USN PB4Y-1 Bu 90165, " RE H The Blasted Event ", Castle Air Museum, Atwater, California. (D)
- B-24M-10CO 44-41956, ex RAAF A72-176, Werribee, Victoria, Australia. (D)[14]
- B-24M-20CO, 44-51228, " Dugan ", American Air Museum at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, Cambridgeshire, England (D), A 392nd Bombardment Group Liberator of the US 8th Air Force. [15]
- See also Aeroweb's B-24 Location List
- See also Aeroweb's B-24 Gallery
[edit] PB4Y-2 CO Consolidated-San Diego
- PB4Y-2S-CO Bu 59695, ex NAS Seattle, Lake Washington, Washington (W)[16]
- PB4Y-2S-CO Bu 59701 (N6884C), " 127 ", Hawkins and Powers Aviation, Greybull, Wyoming (S)[17]
- PB4Y-2S-CO Bu 59819 (N3739G), Lone Star Flight Museum, Galveston, Texas (R)[18]
- PB4Y-2G-CO Bu 59876 (N6813D), ex VB-197 NAS Miramar, Ex USCG, Yankee Air Museum, Belleville, Michigan (S)
- PB4Y-2G-CO Bu 59882 (N6884C), Ex USCG, " 126 ", Hawkins & Powers Aviation, Greybull, Wyoming (S)[19]
- PB4Y-2M-CO Bu 59932 (N9829C), Tom Reilly Vintage Aircraft, Kissimmee, Florida (W)
- PB4Y-2S-CO Bu 66261, " V514 ", National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, Pensacola, Florida (D)
- PB4Y-2G-CO Bu 66300, (N2872G), Ex USCG, " 124 ", Hawkins & Powers Aviation, Greybull, Wyoming (S)
- PB4Y-2G-CO Bu 66302, (N2871G), Ex USCG, " 121 ", Hawkins & Powers Aviation, Greybull, Wyoming (S)
- PB4Y-2G-CO Bu 66304, (N2870G), Ex USCG, " 121 ", Hawkins & Powers Aviation, Greybull, Wyoming (W)
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Aeroflight Warbirds Directory
- ^ CAF B-24 History
- ^ National Park Service
- ^ Collins Foundation B-24J History
- ^ Aircraft KH191 History
- ^ Aircaft KH304 History
- ^ Pima Air Museum B-24J History
- ^ Aircraft KH401 History
- ^ 8th Air Force Website
- ^ New Guinea B-24
- ^ Aircraft 44-50022 History
- ^ Aircraft KN820 History
- ^ Aircraft KN751 History
- ^ Big Pond B-24M
- ^ Imperial War Museum B-24M
- ^ Privateer website
- ^ Hawkins & Powers PB4Y
- ^ Primeprotal PB-4Y
- ^ Airlines.net PB4Y
- Blue, Allan G. (1976). The B-24 Liberator: A Pictorial History. London: Allan. OCLC 59990931.
- Nelmes, Michael V. (1994). Tocumwal to Tarakan. Australians and the Consolidated B-24 Liberator. Belconnen, ACT, Australia: Banner Books. ISBN 1875593047. OCLC 31902042.
- Vincent, Carl (1975). Liberator & Fortress: Canada's Wings. Stittsville, Ont.: Canada's Wings : Printed by the Intelligencer. ISBN 0920002013. OCLC 3158003.
