The B-24 gave Allied air forces a reliable option in both the European and Pacific theaters of war.
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was arguably the most celebrated heavy bomber of World War II. Renowned for long ranges, heavy payloads, and high cruise speeds, the B-24 gave Allied air forces a reliable option in both the European and Pacific theaters of war. By war’s end, however, the B-24 had already grown obsolete and was phased out of the service quickly—but not before having made an indelible mark on world history’s most consequential conflict.
Designing the B-24
The B-24 featured a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. Used on several bomber models during World War II, the Davis wing offered a lower drag coefficient than other contemporary designs—which allowed for higher speeds and more lift generation at relatively low angles of attack. The B-24’s Davis wing was thick, which allowed for increased tankage while providing increased lift and speed. Yet, the B-24’s Davis wing had some drawbacks, namely, a susceptibility to ice accumulation and an inability to absorb battle damage.
Mounted to cowlings on the wings were four supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-1830-35 Twin Wasp engines. Each engine featured three-bladed variable-pitch propellers. Combined, the four engines produced 4,800 horsepower.
The shape of the B-24’s tail section was distinct, featuring two oval-shaped vertical stabilizers mounted at the ends of a rectangular horizontal stabilizer. The twin vertical stabilizer design was found to reduce the aircraft’s handling and stability, and a single vertical stabilizer concept was indeed designed. But before the design could be ordered the war concluded.
The B-24’s slab-sided fuselage earned the aircraft its nickname, the “Flying Boxcar.” The fuselage was constructed around two central bomb bays. The bomb bays were each capable of carrying up to 8,000 pounds of ordnance, although the aircraft was rarely fully loaded with 16,000 pounds of ordnance as doing so would have reduced its range and service ceiling (a full load limited the service ceiling to just 25,000 feet). Between the two bomb bays was a nine-inch-wide catwalk, which ran longitudinally.
Manning the B-24
The B-24 could accommodate as many as ten airmen: pilot, co-pilot in the cockpit; navigator and bombardier in the nose; radio/radar operator behind the pilot; flight engineer adjacent to the radio/radar operator; and up to four crew members in the waist. At the disposal of the crew were a variety of machine guns. Two guns were mounted on the sides of the aircraft nose; the nose itself featured a nose turret with two .30-caliber (and later .50-caliber) machine guns. Beneath the B-24 was a ball turret, within which a crewmember could sit, providing defensive measures to the underside of the B-24. And in the rear of the aircraft was the tail gun turret, providing coverage to the B-24’s “six.” In total, the B-24 carried up to ten machine guns.
Before the war’s end, approximately 18,500 B-24s were produced, making it the most numerously produced bomber and multi-engine aircraft in U.S. military history. At the peak of the program, a new B-24 was being rolled off the assembly line every fifty-nine minutes.
About the Author: Harrison Kass
Harrison Kass is a senior defense and national security writer with over 1,000 total pieces on issues involving global affairs. An attorney, pilot, guitarist, and minor pro hockey player, Harrison joined the US Air Force as a Pilot Trainee but was medically discharged. Harrison holds a BA from Lake Forest College, a JD from the University of Oregon, and an MA from New York University. Harrison listens to Dokken.
Images: Shutterstock