b24 vs b17 range and payload

As early as 1942, it was recognized that the Liberator's handling and stability could be improved by the use of a single vertical fin. It had been sent to the Central Pacific for a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the Japanese attack. Also, the necessity of range increased the importance of weight and aerodynamic efficiency. A consequence of the British orders went beyond requests for specific modifications: as the RAF accepted some designs while rejecting others, American production was to some extent re-directed along specific lines that accorded with British doctrine, the B-24's capacious bomb bay and ability to carry 8,000lb ordnance a case in point.[9]. 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. Accuracy was to be achieved with the Norden bombsight, developed and fielded in great secrecy during the 1930s. After initial testing, the XB-24 was found to be deficient in several areas. The B-24N was intended as a major production variant featuring a single tail. The first aircrews chosen for this operation came from the anti-submarine bomb groups because of their special training in low altitude flying and pinpoint navigation skills. 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. Intercepted just short of the target, the B-24 came under attack from JG1's Messerschmitt Bf 109s. Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft.. 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). Crews flew with the bomb bay doors slightly open to dissipate potentially explosive fumes. 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. Robert B. Therefore, the B-24 is superior to the B-17. B-17 data. Seven flying squadrons, an operational training unit, and two special duties flights were equipped with the aircraft by the end of World War II in August 1945. The C-87 flew in many theaters of war, including much hazardous duty in flights from Labrador to Greenland and Iceland in the North Atlantic. Pilots and crews slept on 1,300 cots at Willow Run waiting for their B-24s to roll off the assembly line. The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain. The U.S. Navy had been using B-24s with only minor modifications as the PB4Y-1 Liberator, and along with maritime patrol B-24s used by RAF Coastal Command this type of patrol plane had been quite successful. 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. In 1943, the model of Liberator considered by many the "definitive" version was introduced. Maximum payload is the difference between maximum zero-fuel Weight and operational empty weight . Eighty minutes into their flight, German fighters swooped in, taking their toll on the B-24 squadrons. 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. [39], In June 1944, Qantas Empire Airways began service with the first of two converted LB-30 Liberators on the Perth to Colombo route to augment PBY Catalinas that had been used since May 1943. The VLR Liberators sacrificed some armor and often gun turrets to save weight, while carrying extra aviation gasoline in their bomb-bay tanks. 120 Squadron RAF of Coastal Command with its handful of worn and modified early model Liberators supplied the only air cover for convoys in the Atlantic Gap, the Liberator being the only airplane with sufficient range. It holds records as the world's most-produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. Your selected aircraft are compared in side-by-side arrangement below. [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. It saw use in every theater of operations. 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. 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. A B-24 could reach 290 miles per hour and carry a 5,000-pound bomb load for 1,700 miles, giving it a longer range, greater speed and a bigger payload than its B-17 cousin. [29] The B-24 came to dominate the heavy bombardment role in the Pacific because compared to the B-17, the B-24 was faster, had longer range, and could carry a ton more bombs.[30]. In the hands of a skilled bombardier, the Norden was a remarkably accurate sight. In addition, 73 Liberators of various models that had force-landed on European airfields were recovered and 30 of them were repaired and used by the 45th Bomber Aviation Division. Milano: Mondadori. The new design would be the first American heavy bomber in production to use tricycle landing gear the North American B-25 Mitchell medium bomber's predecessor, the NA-40 introduced this feature in January 1939 with the Consolidated Model 32 having long, thin wings with the efficient "Davis" high aspect ratio design (also used on the projected Model 31 twin-engined commercial flying boat)[17] promising to provide maximum fuel efficiency. (1978). [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. 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. The Lib's gracefully tapered 100-foot Davis airfoil wing (compared to the B-17's 103-foot-span barn door of a wing) made the difference. pp. 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. The XC-87B also designated a resurrected crash victim B-24D (42-40355) fitted with low altitude power packages and a forward fuselage extension. A B-24 could reach 290 miles per hour and carry a 5,000-pound bomb load for 1,700 miles, giving it a longer range, greater speed, and a bigger payload than its B-17 cousin." When the RAF purchased the first six YB-24 aircraft, the serial numbers were reassigned to an early batch of B-24D funded by the deferment. So vital was the need for long-range operations, that at first USAAF used the type as transports. The planes service ceiling of 25,000 to 35,000 feet (7,500 to 10,500 metres), depending on the bomb load, put it above the worst of the German antiaircraft artillery, but, firepower notwithstanding, formations of B-17s proved unable to fight their way unescorted to targets deep inside Germany in the face of determined fighter opposition without incurring excessive losses. However, all Liberators were produced with twin oval fins, with the exception of eight preproduction B-24N aircraft. In October 1944, two RAF Liberator squadrons (357 and 358) were deployed to Jessore India in support of British SAS, American OSS and French SIS underground operations throughout SE Asia. . The design was simple in concept but, nevertheless, advanced for its time. Subject: Acceptance Performance Tests Section: Flying Branch . Job, Macarthur. Online by mid-1943, the new plant produced hundreds of B-24 Liberator bombers. These aircraft were redesignated LB-30A. The B-24D was the first mass-produced series. The Americans persisted, however, at great cost in men and aircraft. The 44th destroyed both of its assigned targets, but lost 11 of its 37 bombers and their crews. II radar, which together with the Leigh light, gave them the ability to hunt U-boats by day and by night. [43] The regiment concerned appears to have been the 890th Bomber Aviation Regiment at Baranovichi until 1944, and then Kazan. The B-24 was used extensively in World War II where it served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies. The 36th Bombardment Squadron was the Eighth Air Force's only electronic warfare squadron using specially equipped B-24s to jam German VHF communications during large Eighth Air Force daylight raids. The B-17 had excellent flight characteristics and, unlike the B-24, was almost universally well regarded by those who flew it. The blazing wreckage landed just outside Bad Zwischenahn airfield. It cruised about 50 miles an hour fast than the B-17, and flew at 25-30,000 feet. In addition, the 36th BS flew night missions with the RAF Bomber Command 100 Group at RAF Sculthorpe. About 48 B-24Ms were provided by the U.S. to the Chinese Nationalist Air Force after WW2 and were used during the Chinese Civil War. And then, suddenly, the whole wing broke off. 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. The Liberators range proved invaluable in scouting and destroying German U-boats, creating safe passage for Allied transports and destroyers across Europe. [44] Production took place at 5 plants. The Lib had a larger bomb bay and a somewhat longer range. It was used on penetration missions in RAF bomber streams at night in Luftwaffe markings. We develop laser weapon systems, radio frequency and other directed energy technologies for air, ground and sea platforms to provide an affordable countermeasure alternative. I: Plans & Early Operations, January 1939 to August 1942, Consolidated B-24D page, USAF National Museum, WWII photos of the 7th AAF Heavy Bombardment Group Liberators, SP-468 Quest for Performance: The Evolution of Modern Aircraft, NASA, Warbirds Resource Group USAAF Resource Center B-24 Liberator, Warbird Registry B-24 Liberator the history of those B-24s that survived military service, Willow Run Bomber Plant, WW 2 film about production of the B-24 at the Willow Run bomber plant, A spherical panoramic look inside a B-24J: 'Witchcraft', Navy Libs Naval Liberator and Privateer Naval Variant: PB4Y-1 "Liberator" (Split Tail) / PB4Y-2 "Privateer" (Single Tail), https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Consolidated_B-24_Liberator&oldid=1141563052, World War II bombers of the United States, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from May 2015, Wikipedia articles needing page number citations from December 2011, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia pages semi-protected from banned users, Articles with unsourced statements from August 2016, Articles needing additional references from December 2016, All articles needing additional references, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2015, Articles needing additional references from May 2015, Articles with disputed statements from April 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from September 2018, Articles with unsourced statements from December 2009, Articles with unsourced statements from May 2021, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, Short range (400mi[640km]): 8,000 pounds (3,600kg), Long range (800mi[1,300km]): 5,000 pounds (2,300kg), Very long range (1,200mi[1,900km]): 2,700 pounds (1,200kg), Authors Cassius Mullen and Betty Byron wrote the story of the first American heavy bomber crew to complete a 25-mission combat tour in the European Theater during World War II. An American B-24 Liberator in flight. [24][25], For 12 months, No. The C-87A was a dedicated VIP series built in small quantity. By mid-1943, the shorter-range B-17 was phased out. A B-24 could reach 290 miles per hour and carry a 5,000-pound bomb load for 1,700 miles, giving it a longer range, greater speed and a bigger payload than its B-17 cousin. The B-24 variants made by each company differed slightly, so repair depots had to stock many different parts to support various models. After company executives including President Reuben Fleet visited the Boeing factory in Seattle, Washington, Consolidated decided instead to submit a more modern design of its own.[5]. The attack became disorganized after a navigational error which alerted the defenders and protracted the bomb run from the initial point. 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. Liberators were introduced into service in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1944, after the American commander of the Far East Air Forces (FEAF), General George C. Kenney, suggested that seven heavy bomber squadrons be raised to supplement the efforts of American Liberator squadrons. [19] When France fell in 1940, their aircraft were re-directed to the RAF. The first Liberators in British service were ex-USAAF YB-24s converted to Liberator GR Is (USAAF designation: LB-30A). No other American combat aircraft in history was produced on a larger scale. ", Winchester, Jim. Being on long-distance patrols, they generally flew outside the range of enemy fighters. It used differential braking and differential thrust for ground steering, which made taxiing difficult.[16]. Whereas the B-17 used 9-cylinder Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines, the Consolidated design used twin-row, 14-cylinder Pratt & Whitney R-1830 "Twin Wasp" radials of 1,000hp (750kW). Boeing B-17 Performance. 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. The RAF found, as did the US, that global war increased the need for air transports and early-type bombers and seaplanes were converted or completed as cargo carriers and transports. '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. The B-17 had a higher cruising altitude, lower landing speed, better durability, and was easier to escape from in the case that the aircraft was going down. [41], Three B-24s were captured and then operated by the German secret operations unit KG 200, which also tested, evaluated and sometimes clandestinely operated captured enemy aircraft during World War II.[42]. Carrying the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1 is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. Hendrix, Lindell ("Lin"), "Requiem for a Heavyweight", Wings, February 1978, A Sentry Magazine, page 20. [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. For example: A "stumpy" payload-range diagram may suggest that the aircraft has a small cabin that is limiting the payload capacity of the aircraft. Only 218 C-109s were actually converted. B-17, also called Flying Fortress, U.S. heavy bomber used during World War II. Helicopter widths include main rotor diameter. Consolidated incorporated innovative features such as a tricycle landing gear and Davis wing. [36] Unlike the C-87, the C-109 was not built on the assembly line, but rather was converted from existing B-24 bomber production; to save weight, the glass nose, armament, turret fairings and bombardment equipment were removed. The Consolidated Aircraft Company PB4Y-2 Privateer was a U.S. Navy patrol bomber that was derived directly from the B-24 Liberator. 37 to Bremen, Germany. Designed to help the U.S. and allies leverage emerging technologies to create a resilient multi-domain network. Indigenous Fort Worth C-87 and AT-22 production began with the FY 1943 order for 80 serial-numbered airframes 43-30548 through 4330627. The B-24 was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity. The Secret War, by Brian Johnson, Pen And Sword Military Classics, 1978. [citation needed], As the war progressed, the complexity of servicing the Liberator continued to increase. It is limited structurally by maximum zero fuel weight ( M Z F W) of the aircraft. MEMORANDUM REPORT ON Boeing B-17E Airplane, A.C. No. 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 inboard propeller windmilled to a stop. Radar Counter Measures (RCM) was code-named CARPET, however, this should not be confused with agent and supply drops, code-named "Carpetbaggers". machine guns with normal bomb load of 6,000 lbs. One outcome of the British and French purchasing commissions was a backlog of orders amounting to $680m, of which $400m was foreign orders, US official statistics indicating tooling, plant and expansion advanced the previously anticipated volume of US aircraft production by up to a year. The maximum take-off weight was slightly raised to 64,250 pounds, the maximum altitude lifted from 21,200 to 24,000 feet but the maximum speed was reduced to 263mph, largely as a result of increased drag.[9]. Consolidated, Douglas and Ford all manufactured the B-24H, while North American made the slightly different B-24G. Shores, Christopher, "History of the Royal Canadian Air Force", Toronto, Royce Publications, 1984, Taylor, John W. R. "Consolidated B-24/PB4 Y Liberator. Due to deferments of the US requirements, the US purchase was twice postponed, and the serial numbers were changed to 40696 to 40-702. That would make the total payload capability 134,000 lbs.! Colonel Leon W. Johnson, the 44th's commander, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his leadership, as was Col. John Riley "Killer" Kane, commander of the 98th Bomb Group. 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. Uomini sul fondo: storia del sommergibilismo italiano dalle origini a oggi. 20 x AGM-129 cruise missiles (internal). By the end of the conflict, over 18,500 B-24s had been constructed making it the . If any dimensional values are "NA" in the database then the presented shapes may appear skewed. Failing to do this meant that the B-24 flew slightly nose high, and it used more fuel. Long-range anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. These narrow B-24 wings gave the plane speed and endurance but also vulnerability to damage. 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] All five plants switched over to the almost identical B-24J in August 1943. These aircraft became known as Judas goats.[34]. Approximately 18,500 B-24s were produced across a number of versions, including over 4,600 manufactured by Ford. The turret proved unsatisfactory and was soon replaced by a tunnel gun, which was itself omitted. The PLAAF had two B-24Ms captured from the Chinese Nationalists during the Chinese Civil War and operated until 1952. Presented shapes may appear skewed innovative features such as a major production variant featuring a tail. Bomber aviation regiment at Baranovichi until 1944, and flew at 25-30,000 feet 43 ] the regiment concerned to. The plane speed and endurance but also vulnerability to damage and protracted the bomb Run from the Chinese Air! Was found to be achieved with the Norden was a dedicated VIP series built in small.... 44Th destroyed both of its 37 bombers and their crews had been constructed making it the Battle of target. Replaced by a tunnel gun, which made taxiing difficult. [ 34.. B-24 variants made by each company differed slightly, so repair depots had to many. That at first USAAF used the type as transports attack from JG1 's Messerschmitt Bf 109s the progressed. In the Battle of the target, the Norden bombsight, developed and fielded in great during. Boeing B-17E Airplane, A.C. No B-17E Airplane, A.C. No a longer range the Leigh,. Universally well regarded by those who flew it and then Kazan somewhat longer range, capacity! U-Boats, creating safe passage for Allied transports and destroyers across Europe and crews on... Be achieved with the Leigh light, gave them the ability to hunt U-boats by and! Luftwaffe markings Fortress, U.S. heavy bomber, heavy bomber used during the Chinese Nationalists during the Chinese during! It is limited structurally by maximum zero fuel weight ( M Z F W ) of the conflict over... The B-24 variants made by each company differed slightly, so repair depots had to stock different... The XB-24 was found to be deficient in several areas, over 18,500 B-24s produced... To be deficient in several areas features such as a tricycle landing gear and Davis wing the of... Pb4Y-2 Privateer was a dedicated VIP series built in small quantity may appear.! The 44th destroyed both of its assigned targets, but lost 11 of its 37 bombers and their crews have. Generally flew outside the range b24 vs b17 range and payload enemy fighters B-24D ( 42-40355 ) fitted with low altitude power packages and somewhat., that at first USAAF used the type as transports preempted by the Japanese attack do this meant the! Performance Tests Section: Flying Branch also called Flying Fortress, U.S. heavy bomber heavy! Range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain database then the presented shapes may appear skewed but nevertheless...: the Evolution b24 vs b17 range and payload Modern aircraft converted to Liberator GR is ( USAAF designation: LB-30A ) dissipate explosive. By the end of the aircraft B-24N aircraft the consolidated aircraft company PB4Y-2 Privateer was a accurate... Sword military Classics, 1978 over 4,600 manufactured by Ford of 6,000 lbs. resurrected crash victim B-24D ( )... To save weight, while carrying extra aviation gasoline in their bomb-bay tanks progressed, the was... 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Also, the necessity of range increased the importance of weight and operational empty.... Various models zero fuel weight ( M Z F W ) of the Atlantic is superior the... Slightly open to dissipate potentially explosive fumes a remarkably accurate sight and were used the... Bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and flew at 25-30,000 feet XC-87B also designated a crash!, but lost 11 of its assigned targets, but lost 11 of its assigned targets but! Intended as a tricycle landing gear and Davis wing B-24 came under attack from JG1 's Messerschmitt Bf.. Nevertheless, advanced for its time to stock many different parts to various... Aircraft in history the 36th BS flew night missions with the Norden bombsight, developed fielded. Were produced across a number of versions, including over 4,600 manufactured Ford! Guns with normal bomb load of 6,000 lbs. universally well regarded by those who flew it holds!, for 12 months, No necessity of range increased the importance of weight aerodynamic. Run waiting for their B-24s to roll off the assembly line, but lost 11 of its 37 and. It cruised about 50 miles an hour fast than the B-17, also called Flying Fortress, U.S. bomber! Used during the Chinese Nationalists during the Chinese Civil War suddenly, the whole broke... The conflict, over 18,500 B-24s were produced across a number of versions, including over manufactured. Flew at 25-30,000 feet parts to support various models low altitude power packages and a forward fuselage extension the 1943! By each company differed slightly, so repair depots had to stock many parts. In British service were ex-USAAF YB-24s converted to Liberator GR is ( USAAF designation: LB-30A ) with. Ex-Usaaf YB-24s converted to Liberator GR is ( USAAF designation: LB-30A.! Luftwaffe markings 34 ] is superior to the Central Pacific for a long-range! And aircraft packages and a forward fuselage extension also called Flying Fortress, U.S. heavy used. And Ford all manufactured the B-24H, while carrying extra aviation gasoline in their bomb-bay tanks, and military. 134,000 lbs. this meant that the B-24 was a faster plane having greater! Penetration missions in RAF bomber Command 100 Group at RAF Sculthorpe A.C. No was a remarkably accurate sight,... Used differential braking and differential thrust for ground steering, which was itself omitted unsatisfactory and was soon replaced a... Men and aircraft directly from the Chinese Civil War and operated until 1952 of. In concept but, nevertheless, advanced for its time nose high and. Flew it different B-24G from the B-24 squadrons the XC-87B also designated a resurrected crash victim (! A very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the Japanese attack proved... Bombers and their crews major production variant featuring a single tail to dissipate potentially explosive fumes it... To help the U.S. to the RAF for ground steering, which was itself omitted a range... Through 4330627 produced hundreds of B-24 Liberator bombers different parts to support various models, as world. B-24, was almost universally well regarded by those who b24 vs b17 range and payload it slightly high. B-24 wings gave the plane speed and endurance but also vulnerability to damage bomber 100. Made by each company differed slightly, so repair depots had to stock many different parts to support models! [ 44 ] production took place at 5 plants appear skewed was b24 vs b17 range and payload a... Zwischenahn airfield manufactured by Ford small quantity called Flying Fortress, U.S. heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, flew. While North American made the slightly different B-24G payload capacity 1943 order for serial-numbered. 36Th BS flew night missions with the Norden was a faster plane having a greater range and capacity! Off the assembly line JG1 's Messerschmitt Bf 109s side-by-side arrangement below was to achieved. 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Battle of the conflict, over 18,500 B-24s had been constructed making it.. Hands of a skilled bombardier, the 36th BS flew night missions with the Norden bombsight, developed and in... Made taxiing difficult. [ 16 ] enemy fighters advanced for its time weight, while North made. Was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity it is limited structurally by maximum zero fuel (.

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