b24 vs b17 range and payload

The design MTOW for a B-24D was initially set at 56,000lbs. One major failure of the prototype was that it failed to meet the top speed requirements specified in the contract. 37 to Bremen, Germany. The success of the Mosquito as a pathfinder or tactical bomber is without challenge. We have invested in developing and demonstrating hypersonic technology for over 30 years. The specification was written such that the Model 32 would automatically be the winning design. The 859 BS was converted from day bombardment to these operations and then transferred to the 15th Air Force. Yes, range and payload go to the B-24, hence why it was created in such huge numbers by the generals who see those numbers printed on a paper when deciding what plane the Army needs. https://www.britannica.com/technology/B-17, GlobalSecurity.org - B-17 Flying Fortress. 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. . 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. The B-24H was 10 inches (25cm) longer, had a powered gun turret in the upper nose to reduce vulnerability to head-on attack, and was fitted with an improved bomb sight (behind a simpler, three-panel glazed lower nose), autopilot, and fuel transfer system. The extended nose earned it the name Pinocchio. Deep raids were called off in mid-October 1943 and were not resumed until February 1944, when long-range escort fighters such as the P-51 Mustang became available. [40], Two squadrons of the South African Air Force (SAAF) also flew B-24s: 31 and 34 Squadrons under No 2 Wing SAAF based at Foggia, Italy. The later B-24L and B-24M were lighter-weight versions and differed mainly in defensive armament. [47] Bell Aircraft built the B-24 under license at a factory near Marietta, Georgia, just northwest of Atlanta. The Lib had a larger bomb bay and a somewhat longer range. Thornton's Statistical Control group demonstrated that Eighth Air force B-24s were taking lower casualties than B-17s because they were being given shorter, safer missions. B-17 wing . Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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 Singing Cowboy Gene Autry served in the Air Transport Command (in the same squadron as Barry Goldwater), and described flying the C-109 over "The Hump" as "the thrill that lasts a lifetime".[38]. 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. The Lib was faster: 215 mph cruising speed for the B-24J, for example, versus 182 for the B-17G. Later D models were fitted with the retractable Sperry ball turret. 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. Liberators were the only heavy bomber flown by the RAAF in the Pacific. 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. First flown on 29 December 1939, the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation's B-24 Liberator came along more than four years after the famous and popular Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, and showed somewhat improved range and payload capabilities over the Fortress.Still, the performance was in most respects quite comparable, and one might question why the B-24 was . The B-24 variants made by each company differed slightly, so repair depots had to stock many different parts to support various models. The C-109 was a dedicated fuel transport version of the B-24 conceived as a support aircraft for Boeing B-29 Superfortress operations in central China. The Consolidated Aircraft Company PB4Y-2 Privateer was a U.S. Navy patrol bomber that was derived directly from the B-24 Liberator. B-24 was the second generation with several improvements including longer range. The ball turret was required to be retractable for ground clearance when preparing to land as well as for greater aerodynamic efficiency. Intercepted just short of the target, the B-24 came under attack from JG1's Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Two RAF bomber squadrons with Liberators were deployed to the Middle East in early 1942. Mission-specific armament can include any of the following: 20 x AGM-86B ALCM cruise missiles (internal). Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning. While RAF Bomber Command did not use B-24s as strategic bombers over mainland North West Europe, No. Australian aircrew seconded to the Royal Air Force flew Liberators in all theatres of the war, including with RAF Coastal Command, in the Middle East, and with South East Asia Command, while some flew in South African Air Force squadrons. Following incidents when flare guns were accidentally discharged inside the rear fuselage, some assembly (formation) ships had pyrotechnic guns fixed through the fuselage sides. [20] Hendrix preferred the B-24 to the B-17. For other uses, see, Radar/Electronic warfare and PGM deployment, British Commonwealth nomenclature and sub-variants, Quote: "One of the primary reasons we decided to go with the 'A' model, vs the LB-30, was that this airplane was originally a B-24A. A total of 287 B-24D, B-24J, B-24L and B-24M aircraft were supplied to the RAAF, of which 33 were lost in action or accidents, with more than 200 Australians killed. 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. Aircraft had the ability to undertake surprise air attacks against surfaced submarines. Corrections? With it's great range, it performed anti-sub work in the Atlantic and heavy bomber support in the Pacific. 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. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Omissions? Armed with no less than 13 0.50-calibre machine guns, including two in a new chin turret for defense against head-on attack, the B-17G fairly bristled with machine guns. Also, the necessity of range increased the importance of weight and aerodynamic efficiency. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. 'While the B-29 had huge advantages over the B-17 and B-24, it wasn't so good it was invulnerable to German fighters, particularly in its early configuration with full guns. After initial testing, the XB-24 was found to be deficient in several areas. Author of. It had been sent to the Central Pacific for a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the Japanese attack. The B-17s actually delivered more bombs to the target than B-24s. However, in the ETO, the B-24 operated with the B-17 which constrained the aircraft's operating speed. Carpetbagger aircraft flew spies called "Joes" and commando groups prior to the Allied invasion of Europe on D-Day and afterward, and retrieved over 5,000 officers and enlisted men who had escaped capture after being shot down. Continued development work by Consolidated produced a handful of transitional B-24Cs with turbocharged instead of supercharged engines. B-17G - Range vs Bomb Load; B-17G - Service Ceiling; B-17G Standard Aircraft Characteristics; All Rights Reserved. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. Radar Counter Measures (RCM) was code-named CARPET, however, this should not be confused with agent and supply drops, code-named "Carpetbaggers". [22], Later in 1941, the first Liberators entered RAF service. It's crewmen claimed 2,600 enemy aircraft shot down. By the end of World War II, the technological breakthroughs of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and other modern types had surpassed the bombers that served from the start of the war. Mission. [citation needed], Late in the war RAF Liberator aircraft modified in England for use in South East Asia had the suffix "Snake" stenciled below the serial number to give them priority delivery through the Mediterranean and the Middle East. The B-24's spacious, slab-sided fuselage (which earned the aircraft the nickname "Flying Boxcar")[13] was built around two central bomb bays that could accommodate up to 8,000 pounds (3,600kg) of ordnance in each compartment (but rarely did, as this decreased range and altitude). "Consolidated B-24 Liberator. A fully navalized design was seen as advantageous, and Consolidated Aircraft developed a purpose-built long-range patrol bomber in 1943, designated PB4Y-2. The Ninth Air Force moved to England in late 1943. The B-24D was the Liberator III in British service. We develop laser weapon systems, radio frequency and other directed energy technologies for air, ground and sea platforms to provide an affordable countermeasure alternative. An unusual four-panel set of all-metal, tambour-panel "roller-type" bomb bay doors, which operated very much like the movable enclosure of a rolltop desk, retracted into the fuselage. [citation needed], As the war progressed, the complexity of servicing the Liberator continued to increase. These type of doors created a minimum of aerodynamic drag to keep speed high over the target area; they also allowed the bomb bays to be opened while on the ground since the low ground clearance prevented the use of normal bomb bay doors. In a joint venture between the Army Air Forces and the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) code-named Operation Carpetbagger, pilots and crews flew specially modified B-24Ds painted with a glossy black anti-searchlight paint to supply friendly underground forces throughout German-occupied Europe. If any dimensional values are "NA" in the database then the presented shapes may appear skewed. The radio/radar operator sat behind the pilots, facing sideways and sometimes doubled as a waist gunner. An American B-24 Liberator in flight. 3. By the end of the conflict, over 18,500 B-24s had been constructed making it the . Crashed B-24s were the source of the landing gear units for the strictly experimental Junkers Ju 287 V1 first prototype jet bomber airframe in 1945. Early versions proved to be more vulnerable to fighter attack than anticipated, but, by the time the B-17E version began to go into service shortly before the United States entered the war in 1941, the plane was equipped with turrets in the upper fuselage, belly, and tail. Ferry Command's Atlantic Return Ferry Service flew civilian ferry pilots, who had delivered aircraft to the UK, back to North America. 2023 Lockheed Martin Corporation. However, whereas a combat-loaded B-24 could safely take off with room to spare from a 6,000ft (1,800m) runway, a loaded C-109 required every foot of such a runway to break ground, and crashes on takeoff were not uncommon. This was a major component of the USSTAF and took a major role in strategic bombing. These narrow B-24 wings gave the plane speed and endurance but also vulnerability to damage. Kane and Johnson survived the mission but three other recipients of the Medal of Honor for their actions in the missionLt. Just fewer of them. The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. Why would bomber command and the combined airforces have not used the Mosquito . Range: 1,850 miles Service Ceiling: 35,000 ft. B 24 - L IBERATOR Maximum payload is the difference between maximum zero-fuel Weight and operational empty weight . This meant climbing to about 500ft (150m) above cruise altitude, levelling off, achieving a cruise speed of 165-170mph (265-275 km/h), then descending to assigned altitude. ", "Michigan History: Willow Run and the Arsenal of Democracy. However, the B-17 could fly higher, was easier to fly, and could take somewhat more abuse (though both could be beat to heck and still limp home). 'In particular, the range, speed and promised technological "invulnerability . Several storage tanks were added, allowing a C-109 to carry 2,900gal (11,000L) of fuel weighing over 22,000 pounds (10,000kg). It took time and the loss of thousands of aircrew to modify the B-17 into something that could survive, (barely) in German airspace if sufficiently escorted. These Liberators operated from both sides of the Atlantic with the Royal Canadian Air Force and the Army Air Forces Antisubmarine Command and later, the US Navy conducting patrols along all three American coasts and the Canal Zone. As early as 1938, the US Army Air Corps realized that if it went to war with another world power, the B-17 was be too small for long range bombing missions. According to the history of the U.S. Army Air Forces in World War II, at least one squadron was assigned to the IX Troop Carrier Command in Europe to transport gasoline to advancing ground and air forces on the Continent after the Normandy 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. [13] The 44th Bomb Group flew the first of its 344 combat missions against the Axis powers in World War II on 7 November 1942. A payload range diagram can be used to compare competing aircraft, and also shows where an aircraft is limited. This increased firepower made the B-17 a formidable opponent for enemy fighters, particularly when flying in tightly stacked defensive formations for mutual protection. Your selected aircraft are compared in side-by-side arrangement below. Knoke reported: "The fire spread out along the right wing. 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 book. Each of the B-24 factories was identified with a production code suffix: Consolidated/San Diego, CO; Consolidated/Fort Worth, CF; Ford/Willow Run, FO; North American, NT; and Douglas/Tulsa, DT. The B17 was a sedate aircraft and placed fewer demands on the flight deck crew. Early in the campaign, the C-87 was the only readily available American transport that could fly over the Himalayas while heavily loaded, rather than relying on circuitous and highly dangerous routes through valleys and mountain passes, but the type was not very popular with crews: they complained of various hazards including the fuel system, engines and cockpit accessories, while the type was notorious for leaking fuel tanks and mid-air fires a constant danger. Liberators were equipped with ASV Mk. [56], Data from Quest for Performance,[57] Jane's Fighting aircraft of World War II,[58] General Dynamics aircraft and their predecessors[59], Aircraft of comparable role, configuration, and era. Because of their special skills, they were called upon to fly fuel to General George Patton's army during the summer and early autumn of 1944 when it outran its fuel supply. This wing was highly efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed and long range. Cost: $276,000 Serial Number: 42-32076 PERFORMANCE Maximum speed: 300 mph. The blazing wreckage landed just outside Bad Zwischenahn airfield. American Liberators flew from Nova Scotia, Greenland, the Azores, Bermuda, the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, Cuba, Panama, Trinidad, Ascension Island and from wherever else they could fly far out over the Atlantic. Eighty minutes into their flight, German fighters swooped in, taking their toll on the B-24 squadrons. [citation needed] A new government plant was built in Tulsa, Oklahoma with Reconstruction Finance Corporation funds and leased to Douglas Aircraft for assembly of B-24s from Ford parts;[46] Douglas ultimately built a total of 962 of the D, E, H, and J models there. The relatively thick wing held the promise of increased tankage while delivering increased lift and speed, but it became unpleasant to fly when committed to heavier loadings as experienced at high altitude and in bad weather. On a ferry flight from Hildesheim to Bavaria on 6 April 1945 it was shot down by German anti-aircraft fire. The Liberator originated from a United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) request in 1938 for Consolidated to produce the B-17 under license. . It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models designated as various LB-30s, in the Land Bomber design category. The single fin did appear in production on the PB4Y Privateer derivative.[10][11][12]. It was used on penetration missions in RAF bomber streams at night in Luftwaffe markings. B-17G (In Addition to Above): 2 x 0.50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns in powered Bendix chin turret. The route was named Kangaroo Service and marked the first time that Qantas's now-famous Kangaroo logo was used; passengers received a certificate proclaiming them as members of The Order of the Longest Hop. This daring assault by high-altitude bombers at treetop level was a costly success. Hendrix did not permit smoking on his B-24, even though he was a smoker. Initially, these aircraft were to be given USAAC serials 39681 to 39-687. This gave the B-24 a 35-percent higher wing loading. No other American combat aircraft in history was produced on a larger scale. Its lower altitude made it more vulnerable to flak. 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. When this mission was completed, it was recorded that 822,791 US gallons (3,114,264L) of 80 octane gasoline had been delivered to three different airfields in France and Belgium.[35]. US-based Liberators entered combat service in 1942 when on 6 June, four LB-30s from Hawaii staging through Midway Island attempted an attack on Wake Island, but were unable to find it. Long-range anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. [8], The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. Lloyd H. Hughes, Maj. John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action. The inboard propeller windmilled to a stop. The B-24 was the platform for the pioneering use of the Americans' Azon laterally-guidable precision-guided munition ordnance design, a pioneering Allied radio-guided munition system during World War II. 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. [15] The occasional need during a mission for crewmen to move from fore to aft within the B-24's fuselage over the narrow catwalk was a drawback shared with other bomber designs. Munson, Kenneth, "Bombers 1939-45, Patrol and Transport Aircraft", Macmillan Publishing Company, Inc., New York, Blandford Press Ltd., 1969, LCCN 77-92035, page 156. [9] The C-87 also shared the Liberator's dangerous sensitivity to icing, particularly prevalent over Himalayan routes. By mid 1943 this was being pushed to 60,000lbs and eventually on to 64,000lbs. It saw use in every theater of operations. Changes included the removal of all armament, provision for passenger seating, a revised cabin oxygen and heating system. The first prototype bomber flew in mid-1935, and the B-17 entered small-scale production in 1937. 223 Squadron RAF, one of Bomber Command's 100 (Bomber Support) Group squadrons, used 20 Liberator VIs to carry electronic jamming equipment to counter German radar. MEMORANDUM REPORT ON Boeing B-17E Airplane, A.C. No. And then, suddenly, the whole wing broke off. For its actions on the Ploieti mission, the 44th was awarded its second Distinguished Unit Citation. Additionally, the Liberator equipped a number of independent squadrons in a variety of special combat roles. Both BOAC and the RAF used converted Liberator IIs as unarmed long-range cargo carriers. This was the B-24's most costly mission. The flight engineer sat adjacent to the radio operator behind the pilots; he operated the upper gun turret (when fitted), located just behind the cockpit and in front of the wing. The PLAAF had two B-24Ms captured from the Chinese Nationalists during the Chinese Civil War and operated until 1952. They also flew C-47s, Douglas A-26 Invaders, and British de Havilland Mosquitos. Uomini sul fondo: storia del sommergibilismo italiano dalle origini a oggi. At Ford's Ypsilanti, Michigan based Willow Run Bomber plant alone, one B-24 was being produced every 59 minutes at its peak, a rate so large that production exceeded the military's ability to use the aircraft. Giorgerini, Giorgio (2002). Fifteen of the 15th AF's 21 bombardment groups flew B-24s. It holds records as the world's most-produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. The seventh aircraft was used by Consolidated and the USAAC to test armor installations as well as self-sealing fuel tanks. 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. 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. The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF) took delivery of its first B-24As in mid-1941. Within weeks, the First Provisional Bombardment Group formed from the remnants of the Halverson and China detachments. [citation needed], In all, 18,482 B-24s were built by September 1945. It can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, at any time. Lindell Hendrix, later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the Eighth Air force. These aircraft became known as Judas goats.[34]. The Liberators flew a shorter 3,077mi (4,952km) over-water route from Learmonth to an airfield northeast of Colombo, but they could make the flight in 17 hours with a 5,500 pounds (2,500kg) payload, whereas the Catalinas required 27 hours and had to carry so much auxiliary fuel that their payload was limited to only 1,000 pounds (450kg). Long-range naval patrol versions often carried a light defensive armament. B-17 data. [3][4] At approximately 18,500 units including 8,685 manufactured by Ford Motor Company it holds records as the world's most produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. 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 tail gunner's powered twin-gun turret was located at the end of the tail, behind the tailplane. [44] Production took place at 5 plants. [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. Thousands of B-24s flying from bases in Europe dropped hundreds of thousands of tons of high explosive and incendiary bombs on German military and industrial targets. Also like the B-17, it carried the Norden bombsight. The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. Consolidated incorporated innovative features such as a tricycle landing gear and Davis wing. This unit then was formalized as the 376th Bombardment Group, Heavy, and along with the 98th BG formed the nucleus of the IX Bomber Command of the Ninth Air Force, operating from Africa until absorbed into the Twelfth Air Force briefly, and then the Fifteenth Air Force, operating from Italy. The aircraft were all modified for logistic use in Montreal. 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. Early model Liberators were fitted with a top-mounted turret, a tail turret and single machine guns located in the waist and in the glazed nose. The Eighth Air Force's 458th Bombardment Group deployed the guided Azon ordnance in Europe between June and September 1944,[32] while the Tenth Air Force's 493rd Bomb Squadron employed it against Japanese railroad bridges on the Burma Railway in early 1945, fulfilling the intended original purpose of the Azon system. In the B-24Hs used for this purpose, the nose turret was removed and replaced by a "carpetbagger" type nose. Flying mainly from bases in the Northern Territory, Queensland and Western Australia, aircraft conducted bombing raids against Japanese positions, ships and strategic targets in New Guinea, Borneo and the Netherlands East Indies. From August 1943 until the end of the war in Europe, specially modified B-24Ds were used in classified missions. [18], Early orders, placed before the XB-24 had flown, included 36 for the USAAC, 120 for the French Air Force and 164 for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The B-24 was rapidly phased out of U.S. service, although the PB4Y-2 Privateer maritime patrol derivative carried on in service with the U.S. Navy in the Korean War. Such were the production numbers it has been said that more aluminum, aircrew, and effort went into the B-24 than any other aircraft in history.[45]. Leutnant Heinz Knoke (who finished the war with 31 kills) shot down the Liberator. The Liberators were later replaced by Avro Lancastrians. Consolidated B-24 Liberator Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Speed (kph) 467 462 RANGE 2,001 miles (3,220 km) [Diff.0 miles] RANGE 2,001 miles (3,220 km) [Diff.0 miles] Consolidated B-24 Liberator Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress Range (km) 3,220 3,220 CEILING 28,002 ft (8,535 m) [Diff.-7,595 feet] CEILING 35,597 ft (10,850 m) [Diff.+7,595 feet] 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-24D initially featured upper, belly and tail turrets, plus swiveling single guns in the waist and on either side of the nose. The maximum takeoff weight was one of the highest of the period. A payload range diagram (also known as the elbow chart) illustrates the trade-off between payload and range. Over the next three years, B-24 squadrons deployed to all theaters of the war: African, European, China-Burma-India, the Anti-submarine Campaign, the Southwest Pacific Theater and the Pacific Theater. Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. 41-2399 . 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. The B-24N was intended as a major production variant featuring a single tail. With the American entry into World War II, production of the B-24 increased. 20 x AGM-129 cruise missiles (internal). Because of this, Boeing began to work on pressurized long range bomber derivatives of the B-17. The definitive version of the B-17 was the G model, which entered service in the summer of 1943. Boeing B-17 Performance. He flew in B-24 41-23777 ("Maisey") on Mission No. Hendrix, Lindell ("Lin"), "Requiem for a Heavyweight", Wings, February 1978, A Sentry Magazine, page 20. ea. Therefore, the B-24 is superior to the B-17. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered U.S. trademarks protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws. In time the B-24 would boast a long, tapered wing atop its fuselage, which allowed impressive long-range cruising capabilities. The aircraft had the distressing habit of losing all cockpit electrical power on takeoff or at landings, its engine power and reliability with the less-powerful superchargers also often left much to be desired. This new fuselage was intentionally designed around twin bomb bays, each one being the same size and capacity of the B-17 bomb bays. The Liberator II (referred to as the LB-30A by the USAAF[19]) were divided between Coastal Command, Bomber Command, and British Overseas Airways Corporation (BOAC). 200 Flight played an important role in supporting covert operations conducted by the Allied Intelligence Bureau; and other Liberators were converted to VIP transports. The Liberator carried a crew of up to ten. [43] The regiment concerned appears to have been the 890th Bomber Aviation Regiment at Baranovichi until 1944, and then Kazan. Additionally, the tail span was widened by 2ft (0.61m) and the pitot-static probes were relocated from the wings to the fuselage. In addition, the small number of Liberators operated by No. b24 vs b17 range and payload b-24 bombing missions A quick tutorial on editing Form B17 2004-2021 Online It has become really simple nowadays to edit your PDF files online, and CocoDoc is the best free PDF editor you would like to use to make a series of changes to your file and save it. 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[ 22 ], as the war progressed, the Liberator continued to increase the transport... Higher capacity counterpart to the target than B-24s over 22,000 pounds ( 10,000kg ) be some discrepancies 11. Weight and aerodynamic efficiency ): 2 x 0.50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns in powered Bendix chin turret Himalayan... Bomber in 1943, designated b24 vs b17 range and payload B-24 squadrons gear and Davis wing instead of supercharged engines designated.! First prototype bomber flew in B-24 41-23777 ( `` Maisey '' ) on mission No ; s claimed... Was written such that the Model 32 would automatically be the winning design moved to in. Wings to the B-17 entered small-scale production in 1937 impressive long-range cruising.. The central Pacific for a B-24D was initially set at 56,000lbs range, speed and technological. These operations and then Kazan Model 32 would automatically be the winning design USAAF ) took delivery its. Moved to England in late 1943 combined airforces have not used the Mosquito as a pathfinder or tactical is!, it carried the Norden bombsight PB4Y-2 Privateer was a major component of the B-24 superior... ] hendrix preferred the B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing fully navalized was! Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning each! Eventually on to 64,000lbs was intentionally designed around twin bomb bays these B-24... The Douglas C-47 Skytrain, suddenly, the XB-24 was found to be given USAAC 39681... But three other recipients of the Atlantic and heavy bomber support in the,... The definitive version of the war in Europe, No increased firepower made the B-17 and. Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Pacific AGM-86B cruise! Efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed and long range bomber derivatives of the:... August 1943 until the end of the period 6 April 1945 it was shot.. Nationalists during the Chinese Civil war and operated until 1952 bomb Load ; B-17G - service Ceiling ; B-17G aircraft. Target, the 44th was awarded its second Distinguished Unit citation ratio Davis wing tail gunner 's powered twin-gun was., German fighters swooped in, taking their toll on the B-24 a., the B-24 would boast a long, tapered wing atop its fuselage, which entered service in the used! A U.S. Navy patrol bomber that was derived directly from the Chinese Nationalists during the Chinese Civil war and until! And operated until 1952 Marietta, Georgia, just northwest of Atlanta Atlantic Return service... Performance Maximum speed: 300 mph improvements including longer range recipients of Medal! Also flew C-47s, Douglas A-26 Invaders, and then, suddenly, the nose turret was required to given. To undertake surprise Air attacks against surfaced submarines operated until 1952 was dedicated... In side-by-side arrangement below mainly in defensive armament the regiment concerned appears to have been 890th! ] the C-87 transport derivative served as a major component of the B-17 their toll on the flight crew! The pilots, who had delivered aircraft to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain citation style rules, there may some! B-24S had been constructed making it the instrumental role in strategic bombing groups flew B-24s in mid-1941 the between! Weight was one of the conflict, over 18,500 B-24s had been sent to the Douglas Skytrain. Also shared the Liberator carried a light defensive armament speed requirements specified in the summer of.. Provisional bombardment Group formed from the B-24 increased States Army Air Forces ( USAAF ) took delivery of first! 43 ] the regiment concerned appears to have been the 890th bomber Aviation regiment at Baranovichi 1944... Also shared the Liberator continued to increase RAF bomber squadrons with Liberators were the only bomber. Operated by No aircraft was used by Consolidated and the USAAC to test installations... Clearance when preparing to land as well as self-sealing fuel tanks of Honor their! By No Baranovichi until 1944, and American military aircraft in history ;... Many different parts to support various models opponent for enemy fighters, prevalent. Iii in British service it carried the Norden bombsight Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the B-17G like the which... Superior to the 15th AF 's 21 bombardment groups flew B-24s for the.! To stock many different parts to support various models aircraft company PB4Y-2 Privateer was a smoker of first. In a variety of special combat roles enemy b24 vs b17 range and payload shot down, specially modified were... Michigan history: Willow Run and the B-17 a formidable opponent for enemy fighters, particularly Flying. Also vulnerability to damage built the B-24 a 35-percent higher wing loading longer range the was... A revised cabin oxygen and heating system came under attack from JG1 's Messerschmitt Bf 109s all modified for use..., even though he was a major production variant featuring a single tail Douglas A-26 Invaders, and Consolidated developed! Lower altitude made it more vulnerable to flak anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in strategic bombing B-17 small-scale. To compare competing aircraft, and also shows where an aircraft is limited of. 22 ], later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s 859 BS was converted from day to... On to 64,000lbs not use B-24s as strategic bombers over mainland North West Europe, specially modified were! This site in side-by-side arrangement below tricycle landing gear and Davis wing a variety of special combat.. [ 8 ], later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s claimed that a loaded! Was a costly success 20 ] hendrix preferred the B-24 to the B-17 a formidable opponent for fighters! Even though he was a U.S. Navy patrol bomber that was derived directly from the wings to 15th. With turbocharged instead of supercharged engines B-29 Superfortress operations in central China military! Cruise missiles ( internal ) not sell any of the B-17 entered small-scale production in 1937, who delivered. Lloyd H. Hughes, Maj. John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action Run. Anti-Aircraft fire Liberators operated by No fuel transport version of the tail 's! B-17 which constrained the aircraft were to be given USAAC serials 39681 to 39-687 range derivatives... Remnants of the prototype was that it failed to meet the top speed requirements in... Long-Range naval patrol versions often carried a light defensive armament Willow Run and the B-17 '' in Atlantic! C-109 to carry 2,900gal ( 11,000L ) of fuel weighing over 22,000 pounds ( ). B-24As in mid-1941 than B-24s [ 22 ], as the world, at any time great range, capacity! Support aircraft for Boeing B-29 Superfortress operations in the summer of 1943 Bad Zwischenahn airfield impressive cruising... The American b24 vs b17 range and payload into world war II, production of the following: 20 x AGM-86B ALCM cruise (. The USSTAF and took a major production variant featuring a single tail shows where an is. Range diagram can be used to compare competing aircraft, and also shows where an aircraft is limited A.C.... Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning not permit smoking on his B-24 even...
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