Manufactured in greater numbers (19,276) than any other Allied bomber, only a handful of Liberators still survive.
Diamond Lil The Commemorative Air Force owns and operates the oldest B-24 type aircraft in existence. It was the 25th of over 18,000 built. Consolidated Aircraft Corporation, one of the companies merged over the years into what is now General Dynamics Corporation, produced the first B-24 Liberator bombers for the Royal Air Force of Great Britain. Early production models of the B-24 were delivered to the British with the first six off the line known as LB-30A's. This aircraft, the 18th LB-30 of an order of 20 for Great Britain, was involved in an accident on its delivery flight to Canada in 1941. Consolidated rebuilt it to a transport configuration and it was used as a company aircraft throughout World War II. It flew on a scheduled basis between San Diego, Fort Worth and New York. From its Consolidated serial #AM-927, the plane became known along this route as "Old 927." After the war, "Old 927" was sold to the Contintental Can Company, and flown as an executive transport for about 10 years. Then it was sold to Mexico's national oil company, Petroleos Mexicanos (PEMEX), and flown in Latin America until the CAF acquired it in 1967. Since her Ghost Squadron debut in 1967, "Old 927" has performed majestically before crowds of thousands of people. In 1971, she was put in the paint scheme and markings of the 98th Bomb Group of the 9th Air Force.
Consolidated B-24D-10-CO This aircraft first became an identified B-24 on 19 August 1942 when a wing center cection was mated to a fuselage at the start of the Consolidated Aircraft San Diego assembly line and the airframe was given Consolidated Line Number 703, marking the 703rd Liberator to be delivered by Consolidated San Diego under AAF contracts. AAF Serial number 41-23908 was assigned at this time. The completed ship came off the end of the line on 3 September 1942 and was given its shakedown flight four days later on September 7th. The shakedown flight produced no write-ups, and a subsequent Check Flight was not necessary. All loose equipment items (manuals, keys, tools, etc.) were placed abord and accounted for on Packing Sheet #900-32. The plane was accepted by the Army Air Force San Diego Plant Representative on 9 September and delivered to the AAF on the 10th. 41-23908 was then flown to the Consolidated plant in Fort Worth, Texas, arriving 22 September 1942. The plane received what was termed a "Bronze" modification, which was the code word for service in Alaska. It came off the Mod Line on 17 November and passed inspection, was given its Check Flight, and officially accepted the same day. It was delivered to a waiting ferry pilot on 18 November 1942. The plane was assigned to Great Falls Army Air Field, Montana, on 21 November 1942 and on 4 December 1942 it was dispatched to Elmendorf AAF, Alaska, to assist American air, sea, and ground forces in repulsing the Japanese invasion of the Aleutian Islands. Soon the aircraft was assigned to the 21st Bombardment Squadron (Heavy) of the 28th Composite Group at a forward base on Umnak Island in the Aleutians. From there it was relocated to a small air base on Adak Island, even further west toward the Japanese-held islands at the western end of the Aleutians. From Adak the aircraft flew anti-shipping patrols to assist the U.S. Navy in intercepting Japanese cargo ships before they could resupply enemy troops on shore. This B-24 aircraft is presented by the Aerospace Heritage Foundation of Utah and Hill Aerospace Museum as a tribute to all those who served their country in World War II in the "forgotten war" of the Alaska Campaign.
Strawberry Bitch This aircraft, 42-72843, is permanently parked among several of her contemporaries at the United States Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. Her skin still carries the scars of fifty-nine missions with the 512th Bomb Squadron of the 376th Bomb Group; first from Soluch, Libya, then in November 1943 from San Pancrazio in Italy. Her nine months of combat operations were spent attacking targets in Italy, Greece, Austria, France, Germany, Hungary, Bulgaria and Rumania. In 1946 Strawberry Bitch was put into storage at Davis-Monthan AFB's boneyard, and rested undisturbed for thirteen years in the Arizona desert, until 1959, when her faded paintwork was scraped off, renewed, and she was flown by Colonel Albert Shower to Wright-Patterson via Bunker Hill AFB Indiana, arriving at the Air Force Museum on May 18, 1959. The aircraft is a B-24D-160-CO.
Consolidated B-24M (PB4Y-1) The B-24M-5-CO at Castle Air Museum was delivered to the Navy as a PB4Y-1, BuAer No. 90155. It was assigned as a patrol aircraft based at MCAS Cherry Point, North Carolina where it was converted into a transport for the Commandant of the Marine Corps. After the war, it was sold to a private firm for a proposed trip around the world. Later, it carried cattle carcasses and other cargo in South America. It was recovered in La Paz, Bolivia and shipped by surface transport to Castle. Extensive restoration work by museum volunteers was required to return the aircraft to its present World War II era bomber configuration. It displays the early 1944 markings of the 329th Bomb. Squadron, 93rd Bomb. Group, 2nd Air Division, 8th Air Force.
Consolidated B-24M-10-CO In an old WWII hanger at Werribee, Victoria Australia, the last surviving RAAF Liberator is being restored by The B24 Liberator Memorial Fund Inc. It is also the only B24 in the southern hemisphere, one of 288 in Australian service. A72-176 was former USAAF 44-41956, delivered to the RAAF in January of 1945. It was built at the Consolidated plant in San Diego USA. Used as a training aircraft whilst in Australian service, she was struck off charge in March of 1948 and was stored at RAAF base Sale, Victoria. She was then purchased by George Toye of Moe, Victoria, for several hundred pounds in 1948, and the fuselage was kept under cover on his property for nearly fifty years. Unfortunately, the wings and tailplanes from A72-176 were broken up and sent to the smelter whilst George returned to collect them after delivering the fuselage on logging trucks to his property. The Army Reserve transported the fuselage, in two sections, to the restoration hanger.
Consolidated B-24J-85-CF 44-44052The Collings Foundation’s B-24 is the only restored flying B-24 in the world. The aircraft served in the Indian Air Force (IAF) as KH191. Initially, when we restored it in 1989, we honored the 15th A.F. in Italy with the selection of the ALL AMERICAN-a very distinguished A/C with a record of having shot down 14 enemy fighters on a single mission (only two B-24’s came back out of a squadron of 19). Then we selected the DRAGON & HIS TAIL, probably WWII’s most extensive nose art, to honor and represent the WWII veterans who served in the Pacific. Now, it’s time to honor the 8th Air Force and all who served in England and in the ETO. We have selected "WITCHCRAFT”, a B-24 assigned to the 467BG, 790BS that compiled an amazing record of 130 combat missions. WITCHCRAFT is an olive drab aircraft, with red and white nose bowls, red and white rudders, 130 bomb markings and a cartoonish witch flying a broom as nose art.
Consolidated B-24J-90-CF Displayed at the Pima Air and Space Museum in Tucson, Arizona. Today it is called The Bungay Buckaroo and carries the markings of the USAAF 446th BG on one side and those of the IAF on the other. In the past it was painted as Shoot You're Covered of the 7th BG in the CBI theatre. The aircraft was a Liberator Mk VI which served in the RAF as KH304 from 1944 to 1946 and later in the IAF as HE877.
Consolidated B-24J-90-CF 44-44213 Operated with the RAF in the Far East as Mk VI KH342. Struck off RAF charge on April 11, 1946, the aircraft was given the IAF serial number HE924, and is on display at the Indian Air Force Museum at Palam, New Delhi.
Consolidated B-24J-95-CF 44-44272 Belongs to Kermit Weeks's Fantasy of Flight Museum at Polk City Florida. Painted as Joe of the 566th BS, 389th BG, the aircraft displays "50551" on the inside of the port fin. Originally assigned to 215 Sqn RAF in India, it flew with the IAF until being bought in 1973 by David Tallichet Jr. As a warbird it was initially painted as Delectable Doris of the 389th BG.
Ford B-24J-20-FO 44-48781 Named Laden Maiden, is displayed at the Eighth Air Force Museum at Barksdale Air Farce Base, Louisiana.
Ford B-24L 4450154 Is the property of the National Aviation Museum in Canada, and was delivered to the RAF as KN820 in 1944. It subsequently served with the IAF as HE733/M. Abandoned in India after Second World War, it was refurbished and flown by the Indian Air Force before being donated to the Museum in exchange for a Westland Lysander. Flown to Canada in June 1968, it was officially handed over and subsequently refinished by No. 6 Repair Depot, RCAF.
Ford EZB-24M-21-FO 44-51228 Belonging to the American Air Museum. Duxford's B-24, was built by the Ford Motor Company at their Willow Run plant, Michigan and is believed to have been the last Liberator in service with the USAF. Redesignated as an EZB-24M it was used for ice research, finally retiring to Lackland Air Force Base, Texas in 1956 where it remained on display probably longer than any other Liberator until its move to Duxford in 1999. Originally in its post-war USAF markings and later painted as The Blasted Event of the 329th BS, 93rd BG (RE-Z). The aircraft is now painted to represent Dugan, a Liberator based at Wendling, Norfolk, with the 392nd Bomb Group.
Ford B-24L-20-FO c/n This 24 was built as KN751 for the RAF and was struck off RAF charge in April 1946 and acquired by the Indian Air Force for maritime patrols as HE809, retiring in December 1968. The aircraft was donated to the RAF Museum by the Indian Government, and flew to Lyneham in July 1974. In January 1976 it moved to its permanent home at the RAF Museum, Cosford, where it is still on display.
There are also a number of incomplete Liberator airframes in various locations around the world, including LB-30 AL557 stored in Colorado with basic fuselage and wings intact, and the remains of Consolidated B-24D-25-CO 41-24301 Lady Be Good at a police compound in Tobruk, Libya.
