The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber. Within Consolidated of San Diego (CA), it was known within the company as the Model 32. The B-24 was used in World War II by several Allied air forces and navies, and by every branch of the American armed forces during the war, attaining a distinguished war record with its operations in the Western European, Pacific, Mediterranean, and China-Burma-India Theaters. Compared to the more famous B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 was a more modern design with a higher top speed, greater range, and a heavier bomb load; however, it was also more difficult to fly, with heavy control forces and poor formation-flying characteristics.
B-24J Liberator
B-24J-90-CF Liberator Serial Number 44-44175
Built by Consolidated / Convair and delivered to RAF as Liberator GR.VI KH304 and served in India during World War II. Stricken from charge on April 11, 1946. Assigned to the Indian Air Force as HE877 until retired from service on December 31, 1968 and stored at Poona Air Base. Donated to the Pima Air & Space Museum by the Indian government and transported to the United States.
Arrived at Pima Air & Space Museum on March 28, 1969. Registered as N7866, cancelled on July 21, 1977. Repainted in the markings of B-24 "Paisano / Shoot You're Covered" of the 446th BG. The other side still displays the markings of Indian Air Force, as a tribute to the donor. Later, the American side was painted to represent B-24 "Bungay Buckaroo".
Photographed 2011 by Cees Hendriks, (C) Copyright IPMS Nederland
B-24M
This B-24M with s/n 44-51228 is painted as "450493 Dugan"and is located at the Imperial War Museum Duxford, United Kingdom. Also a then secret Norden Bombsight is on display.
Photographed 2014 by Cees Hendriks, (C) Copyright IPMS Nederland
B-24M
This B-24M coded 44-41916 and c/n 5852 was also used by the US Navy as a PB4Y-1 as "90165". In the 1950s it flew with Bolivian Overseas Airways. She was restored in the 1980s and is owned by the USAF museum. Since 1989 it is on loan and on display coded "RE-H"/ B at the Castle Air Museum at Atwater, Ca. (USA).
Photographed november 2017 by Cees Hendriks, (C) Copyright IPMS Nederland
Many scale models are available. In 1/72 the older kits from Airfix and Revell and the newer ones from Hasegawa and Academy. In 1/144 Minicraft has nice models and in larger scales the 1/48 Revell/Monogram kit. In 1/32 only rare vacuform from ID models / Tigger models existed.
This walk around page was first published January 2012 by M. de Vreeze