CONSOLIDATED B-24 LIBERATOR
B-24 SERVICE
| Manufacturer: | The Consolidated Aircraft Corp., San Diego, California,
USA (In 1941, became The Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft Corp.) (In 1943, name changed to Convair Aircraft Corp.) |
| Models: | Model 32, 39, 40, 100, 101, 104 |
| Designations: | B-24; AT-22, B-41, BQ-8, C-87, C-109, F-7, PB4Y,
P4Y P-4B, RY, R2Y |
| Names: | Liberator; Liberator Express
(C-87, RY-1/2/3), Liberator Liner (R2Y-1), Privateer (PB4Y-2) |
| First official flight: | (XB-24) 29/12/1939 |
| Factory production period: | 1939 - 1945 |
| Primary service period: | 1940 - 1945 |
| Last official flight: | (QP-4B) 18/01/1964 |
B-24 VARIANTS
| 1939 | Model 32 | XB-24 | 1 | |
| 1941 | Model 32 | LB-30A Liberator Mk. I | 6 | |
| 1941 | Model 32 | LB-30B Liberator Mk. I | 20 | |
| 1941 | Model 32 | YB-24 | 1 | |
| 1941 | Model 32 | B-24A | 9 | |
| 1941 | Model 32 | Liberator Mk. II | 140 | |
| 1941 | Model 32 | B-24C | 9 | Total: 00186 |
| 1942 | Model 32 | B-24D | 2728 | |
| 1942 | Model 32 | C-87 | 280 | |
| 1942 | Model 32 | C-87A | 6 | |
| 1943 | Model 32 | AT-22 | 5 | |
| 1942 | Model 32 | B-24E | 801 | |
| 1943 | Model 32 | B-24G | 430 | Total: 04250 |
| 1943 | Model 32 | B-24H | 3100 | |
| 1943 | Model 32 | B-24J | 6678 | |
| 1944 | Model 32 | B-24L | 1667 | |
| 1944 | Model 32 | B-24M | 2593 | Total: 14038 |
| 1944 | Model 32 | XB-24N | 1 | |
| 1945 | Model 32 | YB-24N | 7 | Total: 00008 |
| 1944 | Model 40 | PB4Y-2 | 740 | |
| 1944 | Model 32 | RY-3 | 34 | |
| 1944 | Model 39 | R2Y-1 | 2 | Total: 00776 |
|
Grand Total: 19258 |
B-24 PRODUCTION
XB-24
Prototype 4-engined heavy bomber, short nose,
twin tail, unarmed.
Produced 1939
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 39-556 | 1 | 1 | Total: 00001 |
LB-30A Liberator Mk. I
As XB-24, minor changes, diverted from YB-24
order (39-681 / 39-688) to RAF as unarmed ferry
transports.YB-24 s/n
reassigned as 40-696 / 40-702,
then cancelled again.
Produced 1940
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| (RAF) AM258 / AM263 | 1 / 6 |
6 |
Total: 00006 |
LB-30B Liberator Mk. I
As LB-30A, diverted from USAAF (40-2349 / 40-2368)
B-24A order to RAF for ASW duties, cannon, antennas.
Produced 1941
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| (RAF) AM910 / AM929 | 1 / 20 |
20 |
Total: 00020 |
YB-24
As LB-30B, service test aircraft for USAAF,
redesignated as B-24 upon delivery.
Produced 1940
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 40-702 | 1 | 1 | Total: 00001 |
B-24A
As YB-24, used as ferry transports by USAAF.
Produced 1941
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 40-2369 / 40-2377 | 1 / 9 |
9 |
Total: 00009 |
Liberator Mk. II
As B-24A, lengthened nose, RAF armament,
mid-upper / rear turrets.
Produced 1941 - 1942
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| (RAF) AL503 / AL641 | 1 / 139 |
|
|
| - AL503 lost in
accident before delivery, replaced by s/n: FP685. - AL504 to Winston Churchill, named "Commando", upgraded in 1944 to RY-3 standards with single tail. |
|||
| (RAF) FP685 | 140 | 140 | Total: 00140 |
B-24C
Upgraded B-24A, based on the XB-24B, lengthened nose,
oval nacelles, engine upgrade, upper / rear turrets.
Produced 1941 - 1942
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 40-2378 / 40-2386 | 1 / 9 |
9 |
Total: 00009 |
B-24D
As B-24C, engine upgrade, ventral turret, astrodome,
many block no. changes.
First s/n range reassigned from YB-24 order.
Second s/n range reassigned from LB-30B order.
Produced 1942 - 1943
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 40-696 / 40-701 | 1 / 6 | ||
| 40-2349 / 40-2368 | 7 / 26 | ||
| 41-1087 / 41-1142 | 27 / 82 | ||
|
41-11587 / 41-11938 - 305 as B-24D. - 8 as B-24D-CF. - 4 as B-24D-DT. - 35 as C-87-CF. |
83 / 434 | ||
|
41-23640 / 41-24311 - 628 as B-24D. - 6 as B-24D-DT. - 35 as C-87-CF. - 3 as C-87A-CF. |
435 / 1106 | ||
| 41-24339 | 1134 | ||
| 42-40058 / 42-41257 | 1135 / 2334 | ||
| 42-72765 / 42-72963 | 2335 / 2533 |
2415 |
|
| 12 to RAAF as
A72-1 / A72-12. 27 additional airframes cancelled. |
|||
Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas (CF)
| 8 mixed with B-24D-CO s/n. | |||
| 42-63752 / 42-64046 | 1 / 295 |
303 |
|
Douglas Tulsa, Oklahoma (DT)
| 10 mixed with B-24D-CO s/n. | mixed 250 to
553 (DT c/n: 15514 / 15523) |
10 | Total: 02728 |
C-87 Liberator Express
As B-24D, cargo transport, side doors, windows, solid nose
and tail, unarmed. Prototype was B-24D s/n: 41-11608.
Produced 1942 - 1944
Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas (CF)
| 70 mixed with B-24D-CO s/n. | |||
|
42-107249 / 42-107275 - 26 as C-87. - 1 as AT-22-CF. |
1107 / 1133 (renumbered: 1 / 27) |
||
|
43-30548 / 43-30627 - 73 as C-87. - 3 as C-87A-CF. - 4 as AT-22-CF. |
28 / 107 | ||
| 44-39198 / 44-39298 | 1 / 101 | ||
| 44-52978 / 44-52987 | 102 / 111 | 280 | Total: 00280 |
| 125 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
C-87A Liberator Express
As C-87, VIP interior, engine upgrade.
Produced 1942 - 1943
Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas (CF)
| 41-23863, 41-24159 | 658, 954 | ||
| 41-24174 | 969 | ||
| 43-30569 / 43-30571 | 49 / 51 | 6 | Total: 00006 |
AT-22
As C-87, trainers for flight engineers.
Redesignated as TB-24D in 1944.
Produced 1943
Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas (CF)
| 42-107266 | 1124 (renumbered: 18) | ||
| 43-30549, 43-30561 | 29, 41 | ||
| 43-30574, 43-30584 | 54, 64 | 5 | Total: 00005 |
B-24E
As B-24D, modified props, no ventral turret.
Produced 1942 - 1943
Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas (CF)
| 41-29009 / 41-29115 | 1 / 107 | ||
| 42-64395 / 42-64431 | 108 / 144 |
144 |
Douglas Tulsa, Oklahoma (DT)
| 41-28409 / 41-28573 | 1 / 165 (DT c/n: 15524 / 15688) |
||
| 41-29007, 41-29008 | unknown |
167 |
Ford-Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Michigan (FO)
| 42-6976 | unknown | ||
| 42-6977 / 42-7464 | 1 / 488 | ||
| 42-7770 | unknown |
490 |
Total: 00801 |
B-24G
NAA version (NA-95) of B-24D, minor changes.
Produced 1943 - 1944
North American Dallas, Texas (NT)
| 42-78045 / 42-78069 | 1 / 25 (NT c/n: 95-15131 / 15155) |
25 |
B-24G-1
Introduction of powered nose turret.
| 42-78070 / 42-78474 | 26 / 430 (NT c/n: 95-15156 / 15560) |
405 |
Total: 00430 |
| 650 NA-118 and 300 NA-125 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
B-24H
As B-24G-1, engine / armament upgrade, ventral turret.
Produced 1943 - 1944
Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas (CF)
| 41-29116 / 41-29211 | 154 / 249 | ||
| 41-29212 / 41-29258 | 261 / 307 | ||
| 41-29259 / 41-29608 | 358 / 707 | ||
| 42-50277 / 42-50451 | 708 / 882 | ||
| 42-64432 / 42-64440 | 145 / 153 |
|
|
| 42-64441 / 42-64451 | 250 / 260 | ||
| 42-64452 / 42-64501 | 308 / 357 |
738 |
Douglas Tulsa, Oklahoma (DT)
| 41-28574 / 41-29006 | 166 / 598 (DT c/n: 15689 / 16121) |
||
| 42-51077 / 42-51225 | 599 / 747 (DT c/n: 16122 / 16270) |
582 |
Ford-Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Michigan (FO)
| 42-7465 / 42-7769 | 489 / 793 | ||
| 42-52077 / 42-52776 | 794 / 1493 | ||
| 42-94729 / 42-95503 | 1494 / 2268 |
1780 |
Total: 03100 |
B-24I - Not used.
B-24J
As B-24H, engine upgrade, many block no. changes.
NAA built had charge number NA-95.
Produced 1943 - 1944
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 42-72964 / 42-73514 | 2534 / 3084 | ||
| 42-99936 / 42-100435 | 3085 / 3584 | ||
| 42-109789 / 42-110188 | 3585 / 3984 | ||
| 44-40049 / 44-41389 | 3985 / 5325 |
2792 |
|
| 39 to RAAF as
A72-13, A72-31 / A72-68. 434 additional airframes cancelled. |
|||
Consolidated Fort Worth, Texas (CF)
| 42-50452 / 42-50508 | 883 / 939 | ||
| 42-64047 / 42-64394 | 296 / 643 | ||
| 42-99736 / 42-99935 | 644 / 843 | ||
| 44-10253 / 44-10752 | 844 / 1343 | ||
| 44-44049 / 44-44501 | 1344 / 1796 |
1558 |
|
| 47 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
Douglas Tulsa, Oklahoma (DT)
| 42-51226 / 42-51430 | 748 / 952 (DT c/n: 16271 / 16475) |
205 |
North American Dallas, Texas (NT)
| 42-78475 / 42-78794 | 431 / 750 (NT c/n: 95-15561 / 15880) |
||
| 44-28061 / 44-28276 | 751 / 966 (NT c/n: 95-unknown) |
536 |
|
| 106 to RAAF as
A72-300 / A72-405. 345 additional B-24J-NC airframes cancelled. |
|||
Ford-Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Michigan (FO)
| 42-50509 / 42-51076 | 2394 / 2961 | ||
| 42-51431 / 42-52076 | 2962 / 3607 | ||
| 42-95504 / 42-95628 | 2269 / 2393 | ||
| 44-48754 / 44-49001 | 3609 / 3856 | 1587 | Total: 06678 |
B-24L
As B-24J, revised gun turret positions.
Produced 1944 - 1945
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 44-41390 / 44-41806 | 5326 / 5742 |
417 |
|
| 83 to RAAF as
A72-69 / A72-142, A72-149 / A72-157. |
|||
Ford-Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Michigan (FO)
| 44-49002 / 44-50251 | 3857 / 5106 |
1250 |
Total: 01667 |
B-24M
As B-24L, lightweight tail turret, minor changes.
Produced 1944 - 1945
Consolidated San Diego, California (CO)
| 44-41807 / 44-42722 | 5743 / 6658 |
916 |
|
| 47 to RAAF as
A72-143 / A72-148, A72-158 / A72-198. 1326 additional airframes cancelled. |
|||
Ford-Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Michigan (FO)
| 44-50252 / 44-51928 | 5107 / 6783 |
1677 |
Total: 02593 |
| 124 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
XB-24N
Prototype, single tail, nose ball turret, minor changes.
Produced 1944
Ford-Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Michigan (FO)
| 44-48753 | 3608 |
1 |
Total: 00001 |
YB-24N
As XB-24N, service test aircraft.
Produced 1945
Ford-Willow Run, Ypsilanti, Michigan (FO)
| 44-52053 / 44-52059 | 6908 / 6914 | 7 | Total: 00007 |
B-24N - 5168 ordered but cancelled on VJ Day.
PB4Y-2 Privateer
As PB4Y-1, lengthened fuselage, single tail,
engine upgrade, oval waist turrets.
Consolidated Model 40, (Convair Model 100).
Redesignated as P4Y-2 in 1951.
Redesignated as P-4B in 1962.
Produced 1944 - 1945
Consolidated San Diego, California (Y)
| BuNo.59350 / 60009 | ? | ||
| BuNo.66245 / 66324 | ? | 740 | Total: 00740 |
| 630 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
RY-3 Liberator Express
USN version of C-87, single tail, unofficial USAAF
designation was C-87C, of which 125 cancelled.
Consolidated Model 32, (Convair Model 101).
Produced 1944
Consolidated San Diego, California (Y)
| BuNo.90020 / 90050 | ? | ||
| BuNo.90057 / 90059 | ? | 34 | Total: 00034 |
| 78 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
R2Y-1 Liberator Liner
Prototype, new fuselage, B-24 wings, PB4Y-2 tail.
Later registered to a civil operator for evaluation.
Consolidated Model 39, (Convair Model 104).
Produced 1944
Consolidated San Diego, California (Y)
XR2Y-1
| BuNo.09803 NX30039 (civil reg.) |
? |
1 |
R2Y-1
| NX3939 (civil reg.) | ? | 1 | Total: 00002 |
| 253 additional airframes cancelled. | |||
|
Grand Total: 19258 |
B-24 CONVERSIONS
USAAF / USAF
| RB-24 | 1 | B-24, 1942, "restricted" from combat for company testing. |
| RB-24A | 1+ | B-24A, 1941, "restricted" from combat for company testing. |
| XB-24B | 1 | XB-24(39-556), 1941, oval
nacelles, upgraded engines, armour. Basis for the 9 B-24C's, new s/n: 39-680. |
| RB-24C | 9 | B-24C, 1942, "restricted" from combat for company testing. |
| SB-24D | 10 | B-24D, 1943-1945, "Snooper", blind bombing capable conversions. |
| XB-24F | 1 | B-24D(41-11678), 1943-1947, tests for thermal anti-icing system. |
| TB-24H | 1 | B-24H, training aircraft for B-29 gunners. |
| XB-24J | 2 | B-24H(42-95100), prototype for
Ford Motor Co. "J" production, B-24J(42-73130), prototype fitted with B-17G nose section. |
| CB-24J | 1+ | B-24J, cargo conversions. |
| TB-24J | 621 | B-24J, 1944-1945, conversions for crew training. |
| RB-24L | 1+ | B-24L, 1944, training aircraft for B-29 gun crews. |
| (TB-24L) | 194 | RB-24L, redesignation for radar training. |
| TB-24M | 111 | B-24M, 1944-1945, conversions for crew training. |
| ZB-24M | 1+ | B-24M, 1948, redesignation as "obsolete". |
| (EZB-24M) | 1 | ZB-24M, 1945-1953, conversion for anti-icing tests. |
| XB-24P | 1 | B-24D(42-40344), 1943-1945, conversion for fire control research. |
| XB-24Q | 1 | B-24L(44-49916), 1946-1948, tests for radar-controlled turret on B-47. |
| B-24ST | 1 | B-24D(42-40058), 1943, Single Tail prototype. |
| (XB-24K) | 1 | B-24D(42-40234), 1943-1945,
tail section of 42-40058 grafted to front end of more developed 42-40234 for further flight testing. |
| XB-41 | 1 | B-24D, 1943, prototype gunship
escort, later redesignated as TB-24D. |
| BQ-8 | 1+ | B-24D/J's, unmanned flying bombs, no operational use. |
| XC-87 | 1 | C-87(41-11608), 1944-1945, temporary
conversion of original prototype, new s/n: 41-39600. |
| XC-87B | 1 | B-24D(42-40355), 1943,
unofficial designation for C-87 / RY-3 hybrid for CAC use, named "Pinocchio". |
| C-87B | 1+ | C-87, armed transport conversion, few converted. |
| XC-109 | 1 | B-24E(42-7221), 1943-1944, prototype for unarmed fuel tanker. |
| C-109 | 209 | 93 B-24J / 116 B-24L, 1943-1945, fuel tanker transports. |
| XF-7 | 1 | B-24D, 1943-1945, conversion as photo reconn. aircraft. |
| F-7 | 4 | B-24D, 1943-1945, photo reconnaissance aircraft. |
| F-7A | 87 | B-24J, 1944-1945, photo reconn. aircraft with 3 cameras. |
| F-7B | 123 | 47 B-24J / 5 B-24L / 71
B-24M, 1944-1945, photo reconn. aircraft with 6 cameras. |
| LB-30 | 75 | Liberator Mk. II, 1942, returned
to US
as cargo transports. RAF s/n's retained. |
| "Liberator Ferret" | 173 | 1 B-24D / 172 B-24J, 1943-1945, conversions
with passive radar detecting / jamming equipment. |
US Navy
| PB4Y-1 | 977 | 273 B-24D / 1 B-24G / 372
B-24J / 186 B-24L / 145 B-24M, 1942-1945, aircraft serving with the US Navy. Assigned BuNo. 31936 / 32335, 38733 / 38965, 46725 / 46737, 63915 / 63959, 65287 / 65396, 90132 / 90271, 90462 / 90483. 46 additional conversions cancelled. |
| (PB4Y-1G) | 5 | PB4Y-1, 1944-1946, conversions of PB4Y-1 for Coast Guard. |
| (PB4Y-1P) | 65 | PB4Y-1, 1944-1950, conversions for photo reconnaissance. |
| (P4Y-1P) | 1+ | 1951-1953, redesignation of PB4Y-1P. |
| (XPB4Y-2) | 3 | PB4Y-1, 1943, prototypes for PB4Y-2 with single tail etc. |
| PB4Y-2B | 1+ | PB4Y-2, conversions with anti-shipping missiles. |
| (P4Y-2B) | 1+ | 1951, redesignation of PB4Y-2B. |
| PB4Y-2G | 9 | PB4Y-2, US Coast Guard
conversions, observation windows added in place of turrets, glass nose. |
| (P4Y-2G) | 9 | 1951, redesignation of PB4Y-2G. |
| PB4Y-2K | 1+ | PB4Y-2, radio controlled drones. |
| (P4Y-2K) | 1+ | 1951, redesignation of PB4Y-2K. |
| (QP-4B) | 1+ | 1962, redesignation of P4Y-2K. |
| PB4Y-2M | 1+ | PB4Y-2, meteorological conversions. |
| PB4Y-2P | 1+ | PB4Y-2, photo reconn. conversions. |
| (P4Y-2P) | 1+ | 1951, redesignation of PB4Y-2P. |
| PB4Y-2S | 1+ | PB4Y-2, aircraft with surface search radar. |
| (P4Y-2S) | 1+ | 1951, redesignation of PB4Y-2S. |
| QP4Y-2 | 1 | PB4Y-2, personnel transport. |
| (QP-4B) | 1 | 1962, redesignation of QP4Y-2. |
| RY-1 | 3 | C-87A, 1943, aircraft serving with the US
Navy. Assigned BuNo. 67797 / 67799. |
| RY-2 | 5 | C-87, aircraft serving with the US
Navy. Assigned BuNo. 39013 / 39017. 15 additional conversions cancelled. |
British RAF
| Liberator C.Mk. II | 16 | Liberator Mk. II, conversions to cargo transports. |
|
Liberator Mk. III & Liberator Mk. V |
382 | B-24D, aircraft serving with the
RAF, Mk. V were modified for Coastal Command with ASV radar. Delivered as Mk. III (156), GR.Mk. V (226). Assigned RAF s/n: BZ711 / BZ959, FK214 / FK245, FL906 / FL995, LV336 / LV346. Conversions: C.Mk. III (1), Mk. IIIA (11), C.Mk. V (23). 15 Mk. III / V to RCAF as 586 / 600. |
| Liberator Mk. IV | - | B-24E, not used, assigned to Liberator Mk. VI conversions. |
|
Liberator Mk. VI & Liberator Mk. VIII |
1512 | B-24H/J/L, aircraft serving with the
RAF. Delivered as B.Mk. VI (899), GR.Mk. VI (247), B.Mk. VIII (108), GR.Mk. VIII (258). Assigned RAF s/n: BZ960 / BZ999, EV812 / EV899, EW100 / EW322, KG821 / KG999, KH100 / KH420, KK221 / KK378, KL348 / KL689, KN702 / KN836, KP125 / KP146, TS519 / TS539, TT336, TT340, TT343, TW758 / TW769, VB852, VB904, VD245, VD249. 156 Mk. VI probably not delivered, not counted. Conversions: B.Mk. IV (12), C.Mk. IV (16), C.Mk. VI (144), C.Mk. VIII (86). 57 GR.Mk. VI to RCAF as 570 / 579, 3701 / 3742, 11101 / 11105. 16 GR.Mk. VIII to RCAF as 11120 / 11135. |
| Liberator C.Mk. VII | 24 | C-87, aircraft serving with
the RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: EW611 / EW634. |
| Liberator C.Mk. IX | 28 | RY-3, aircraft serving with the
RAF. Assigned RAF s/n: JT973 / JT999, JV936. 1 to RCAF. 83 additional conversions cancelled. |
FOREIGN MILITARY / CIVILIAN SERVICE
- B-24's in service during and post World War II with Australia,
Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, France, Honduras, India,
The Netherlands, South Africa and Turkey.
- Several P4Y-2's used by civil Latin-American Airlines in the 1960's.
- Super Privateer, conversions in the US to fire bombing
aircraft.