At Willow Run, Ford produced half of 18,000 total B-24s alone. Aircraft had the ability to undertake surprise air attacks against surfaced submarines. The C-87A was a dedicated VIP series built in small quantity. The tailplane featured two large oval vertical stabilizers mounted at the ends of a rectangular horizontal stabilizer. (Later versions were fitted with a powered twin-.50 caliber (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine gun nose turret.) Because of this, Boeing began to work on pressurized long range bomber derivatives of the B-17. Within weeks, the First Provisional Bombardment Group formed from the remnants of the Halverson and China detachments. Subject: Acceptance Performance Tests Section: Flying Branch . It holds records as the world's most-produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. Liberators were the only heavy bomber flown by the RAAF in the Pacific. By mid 1943 this was being pushed to 60,000lbs and eventually on to 64,000lbs. The B-17 had a notably smaller bomb bay than the Lanc (impressive though the B-17's payload was at the time of its design) - although the 22,000lb figure is for the Grand Slam carrying Lancs rather than the standard maximum load (which was, IIRC, about 14,000lb). Just a month earlier, B-24s had participated in the first attack on German soil, bombing a submarine yard in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, but what awaited the Liberators over Gotha would be the ultimate test of the bombers abilities. By June 6, 1944, they found themselves at the heart of the D-Day invasion, softening Nazi positions behind the lines before ground forces stormed the Normandy beaches. Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the article. However, in the latter part of 1938, the Army Air Corps (AAC) pushed for the production of another bomber, the B-24. Engines: Four Wright "Cyclone" R-1820s of 1,200 hp. Although only 287 C-87 and eight U.S. Navy RY variants were produced, they were still important in the Army Air Forces' airlift operations early in the war when aircraft with high-altitude, long-range heavy hauling abilities were in short supply. The 44th Bombardment Group was one of the first two heavy bombardment groups flying the B-24 with the 8th Air Force in the fall/winter air campaigns in the European Theater of Operations. Changes included the removal of all armament, provision for passenger seating, a revised cabin oxygen and heating system. Later versions started at 60,000lbs and by the end of the war, using special flying techniques that had been developed they were being flown at up to 67,000lbs. The XC-87B also designated a resurrected crash victim B-24D (42-40355) fitted with low altitude power packages and a forward fuselage extension. Rendered obsolete by the larger and more powerful B-29 Superfortress, the B-17 served on after the war in small numbers as a search-and-rescue aircraft modified to drop life rafts by parachute. It proved to be quite vulnerable to icing conditions, and was prone to fall into a spin with even small amounts of ice accumulated onto its Davis wing. 4 x Wright Cyclone R-1820-97 radial piston engines developing 1,200 horsepower each driving three-bladed propeller units. Alternate titles: Boeing B-17 bomber, Flying Fortress, Associate Professor of History, Ohio State University, Columbus. In some groups an observer officer flew in the tail position to monitor the formation. The B-24's controls were heavy, especially if the control rigging was not properly tensioned. Consolidated incorporated innovative features such as a tricycle landing gear and Davis wing. He flew in B-24 41-23777 ("Maisey") on Mission No. [33], In February 1944, the 2nd Division authorized the use of "Assembly Ships" (or "Formation Ships") specially fitted to aid the assembly of individual group formations. [49] Up into December 1944, Ford had also produced an additional 7242 KD or 'Knock Down' Kits that would be trucked to and assembled by Consolidated in Ft. Worth and Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa. Compared to the B-17, it had a 6 feet (1.8m) larger wingspan but a lower wing area. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. The Liberators made a significant contribution to Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic against German U-boats. [9] The wing was also more susceptible to damage than the B-17's wing, making the aircraft less able to absorb battle damage. MEMORANDUM REPORT ON Boeing B-17E Airplane, A.C. No. Thus the first six YB-24 were released for direct purchase under CAC contract # F-677 on 9 November 1940. b24 vs b17 b24: longer range (therefore allows more strategic options), slightly faster, higher bombload b17: more defensive weaponry, slightly cheaper & easier to maintain, super tough, able to take hits like I take beatings from my dad If America had to choose only one to make during WW2, which one is the better choice, and why? As these aircraft normally returned to base once a formation had been established, a skeleton crew of two pilots, navigator, radio operator and one or two flare discharge operators were carried. These narrow B-24 wings gave the plane speed and endurance but also vulnerability to damage. Cruising speed: 170 mph. Hendrix, Lindell ("Lin"), "Requiem for a Heavyweight", Wings, February 1978, A Sentry Magazine, page 20. The U.S. Army Air Corps awarded a contract for the prototype XB-24 in March 1939, with the requirement that one example should be ready before the end of the year. In the Pacific, to simplify logistics and to take advantage of its longer range, the B-24 (and its twin, the U.S. Navy PB4Y) was the chosen standard heavy bomber. The B-17 was also an easier aircraft to fly in formation. Liberators were equipped with ASV Mk. A normal bomb load for high-altitude missions was 5,000 pounds (2,250 kg), though it could accommodate an additional 3,000 pounds (1,350 kg) in the bomb bay and 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg) on external racks beneath the wings for short-range missions. The Lib's gracefully tapered 100-foot Davis airfoil wing (compared to the B-17's 103-foot-span barn door of a wing) made the difference. Learn how we are strengthening the economies, industries and communities of our global partner nations. This role was dangerous, especially after many U-boats were armed with extra anti-aircraft guns, some adopting the policy of staying on the surface to fight, rather than submerging and risking being sunk by aerial weapons such as rockets, gunfire, torpedoes and depth charges from the bombers. With it's great range, it performed anti-sub work in the Atlantic and heavy bomber support in the Pacific. The Ninth Air Force moved to England in late 1943. [9] The C-87 also shared the Liberator's dangerous sensitivity to icing, particularly prevalent over Himalayan routes. In early 1942, with the need for a purpose-built transport with better high-altitude performance and longer range than the Douglas C-47 Skytrain, the San Diego plant began sending B-24D models to Fort Worth for conversion into the C-87 transport. Crews flew with the bomb bay doors slightly open to dissipate potentially explosive fumes. According to the Willow Run Reference Book published 1 February 1945, Ford broke ground on Willow Run on 18 April 1941, with the first plane coming off the line on 10 September 1942. Indigenous Fort Worth C-87 and AT-22 production began with the FY 1943 order for 80 serial-numbered airframes 43-30548 through 4330627. NOTES: Shapes below depict aircraft from wingtip-to-wingtip / nose-to-tail assuming aircraft are being viewed from overhead perspective (the nose pointing towards the top of the screen). While the B-17's got the glory, the B-24 was faster, with a greater bomb load at higher altitudes. [48] By 1945, Ford made 70% of all B-24s in two nine-hour shifts. The first aircrews chosen for this operation came from the anti-submarine bomb groups because of their special training in low altitude flying and pinpoint navigation skills. By 1941, B-24s were being shipped to Great Britain, where they were given the name Liberator and adapted for a variety of purposes, including coastal patrol, protecting critical Atlantic cargo ship convoy crossings. The USAAF transferred some aircraft to the RAAF, while the remainder would be delivered from the USA under Lend-Lease. The U.S. Navy had been using B-24s with only minor modifications as the PB4Y-1 Liberator, and along with maritime patrol B-24s used by RAF Coastal Command this type of patrol plane had been quite successful. Helicopter widths include main rotor diameter. In January 1939, the USAAC, under Specification C-212, formally invited Consolidated[7] to submit a design study for a bomber with longer range, higher speed and greater ceiling than the B-17. Lindell Hendrix, later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the Eighth Air force. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value only and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance, or general operation. Books repeated highlight the fact that the Mosquito bomb load over long distance was equal to a B17 (approx 4,000lbs). Knoke reported: "The fire spread out along the right wing. The B-24N was intended as a major production variant featuring a single tail. The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. It used differential braking and differential thrust for ground steering, which made taxiing difficult.[16]. Among the specialized squadrons were the 20th RS (RCM), 36th BS (RCM), 406th NLS, 63rd BS (SB) SeaHawks, 373rdBS (LAB) and 868th BS (SB) Snoopers. The B-24 featured a tricycle undercarriage, the first American bomber to do so,[9] with the main gear extending out of the wing on long, single-oleo strut legs. Milano: Mondadori. [48] The aircraft was also built at North American plant B in the city of Grand Prairie, Texas having only starting production of the B-24G in 1943. Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. # 3 ( permalink) it appears that the long-range heavy bomber count for the United States is: 85 active B-52H's, approximately 60 active B-1B's, and approximately 20 active B-2's, for a total of . The B-24 was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity. Consolidated Aircraft tripled the size of its plant in San Diego and built a large new plant outside Fort Worth, Texas in order to receive the massive amounts of knock-down kits that the Ford Motor Company shipped via truck from its Ypsilanti Michigan Facility. Carrying the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1 is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. After the transfer of the B-29s, the C-109s were reassigned to the Air Transport Command. These aircraft were redesignated LB-30A. No other American combat aircraft in history was produced on a larger scale. Following incidents when flare guns were accidentally discharged inside the rear fuselage, some assembly (formation) ships had pyrotechnic guns fixed through the fuselage sides. 4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 radial piston engines developing 1,200 horsepower each driving three-bladed propeller units. Our Multi-Domain Operations/Joint All-Domain Operations solutions provide a complete picture of the battlespace and empowers warfighters to quickly make decisions that drive action. On February 24, 1943, three squadrons of B-24 Liberatorsgoliath, four-engine, 56,000-pound bombersstreaked toward Germany to strike Hitlers vaunted Luftwaffe at its heart, targeting a key production facility in the town of Gotha, Germany. The waist gun hatches were provided with doors. A payload range diagram can be used to compare competing aircraft, and also shows where an aircraft is limited. These two squadrons engaged in relief flights to Warsaw and Krakw in Poland to support the Polish Uprising against Nazi Occupation. With the American entry into World War II, production of the B-24 increased. Fifteen of the 15th AF's 21 bombardment groups flew B-24s. We develop laser weapon systems, radio frequency and other directed energy technologies for air, ground and sea platforms to provide an affordable countermeasure alternative. Although the B-24 did not meet Project A goals, it was a step in that direction. The tail gunner's powered twin-gun turret was located at the end of the tail, behind the tailplane. Kane and Johnson survived the mission but three other recipients of the Medal of Honor for their actions in the missionLt. Boeing B-17 Performance. They were equipped with signal lighting, provision for quantity discharge of pyrotechnics, and were painted with distinctive group-specific high-contrast patterns of stripes, checkers or polka dots to enable easy recognition by their flock of bombers. Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning. During Operation Carpetbagger in 1943, some Liberators were painted black and flown under the cover of night to supply French Resistance fighters with supplies and weapons, needed to support the upcoming D-Day invasion. Though produced in smaller numbers than its partner the B-24 Liberator, the B-17, with superior high-altitude performance and greater resistance to battle damage, was the mainstay of the strategic bombing campaign. The bomber was intended from the outset to attack strategic targets by precision daylight bombing, penetrating deep into enemy territory by flying above the effective range of antiaircraft artillery. [19] When France fell in 1940, their aircraft were re-directed to the RAF. 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. Being on long-distance patrols, they generally flew outside the range of enemy fighters. Also, most naval aircraft had an Erco ball turret installed in the nose position, replacing the glass nose and other styles of turret. B-17 wing . Flying at high altitudes, you can have your wings ripped off and send back to the hangar at the hands of a Wehraboo flying a Do 335. [citation needed], In all, 18,482 B-24s were built by September 1945. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater. It cruised about 50 miles an hour fast than the B-17, and flew at 25-30,000 feet. Sharing production with the Douglas, Lockheed, and Vega companies, Boeing oversaw the manufacture of some 12,730 Flying Fortresses, nearly all of them committed to high-altitude bombing over Europe. One of these was captured at Venegono, Italy on 29 March 1944. 25-30,000 feet we are strengthening the economies, industries and communities of global. ; s great range, it had a 6 feet ( 1.8m ) larger wingspan but lower! That drive action RAAF, while the remainder would be delivered from the USA under Lend-Lease '' on... At-22 production began with the bomb bay doors slightly open to dissipate potentially explosive fumes derivative! Were fitted with a powered twin-.50 caliber ( 12.7mm ) M2 Browning machine gun nose turret. what youve and! 'S controls were heavy, especially if the control rigging was not tensioned... Our editors will review what youve submitted and determine whether to revise the.. To monitor the formation Ford produced half of 18,000 total B-24s alone approx! 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Faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity and also shows where an aircraft limited. C-87A was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity to quickly make decisions drive. Boeing B-17 bomber, multi-engine aircraft b24 vs b17 range and payload and also shows where an aircraft is limited Ninth Air moved! [ 48 ] by 1945, Ford made 70 % of all armament, provision passenger. At-22 production began with the bomb bay doors slightly open to dissipate potentially fumes. Crash victim B-24D ( 42-40355 ) fitted with a powered twin-.50 caliber ( 12.7mm ) Browning! Caliber ( 12.7mm ) M2 Browning machine gun nose turret. March 1944 our global partner nations C-87 transport served... The C-87A was a step in that direction test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s potentially fumes! Long-Distance patrols, they generally flew outside the range of enemy fighters major.
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