Preproduction B-24 - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

The Consolidated Preproduction B-24 aircraft began in the fall of 1938 when the United States Army Air Corps

United States Army Air Corps

The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...

(USAAC) approached Consolidated Aircraft Corporation

Consolidated Aircraft

The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors. Consolidated became...

(CAC) with the intent of starting a second Boeing

Boeing

The Boeing Company is an American multinational aerospace and defense corporation, founded in 1916 by William E. Boeing in Seattle, Washington. Boeing has expanded over the years, merging with McDonnell Douglas in 1997. Boeing Corporate headquarters has been in Chicago, Illinois since 2001...

B-17 Flying Fortress production line. The president of Consolidated Aircraft, Reuben H. Fleet, as well as the Chief Designer Isaac M. Laddon

Isaac M. Laddon

Isaac Machlin Laddon , was an American aeronautical engineer and designer, as well as a prolific inventor.He was educated at McGill University in Montreal from 1915. He joined the U.S...

after reviewing the Seattle production lines felt that Consolidated Aircraft could build a better, more modern bomber than the B-17.

Background

Using a highly advanced wing airfoil

Airfoil

An airfoil or aerofoil is the shape of a wing or blade or sail as seen in cross-section....

design created by David Davis

David Davis

David Davis may refer to:*David Davis , Liberal member of the Victorian Legislative Council*David Davis , British Conservative Member of Parliament, Conservative leadership candidate in 2001 and 2005*David Davis , head of the BBC's Children's Hour*David Davis ,...

as well as the twin tail

Twin tail

A twin tail is a specific type of vertical stabilizer arrangement found on the empennage of some aircraft. Two vertical stabilizers — often smaller on their own than a single conventional tail would be — are mounted at the outside of the aircraft's horizontal stabilizer...

design from the Consolidated Model 31 flying boat

Flying boat

A flying boat is a fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a float plane as it uses a purpose-designed fuselage which can float, granting the aircraft buoyancy. Flying boats may be stabilized by under-wing floats or by wing-like projections from the fuselage...

, both were mated to new fuselage. This new fuselage was intentially designed around the twin bomb bays, each one being the same size and capacity of the B-17.

Based on several mock-ups, the issued Type Specification # C-212 on 1 February 1939, which was specifically designed for the Consolidated Model 32 to be the winning design.

History

On 30 March 1939, the formal contract for the initial B-24 was signed.

After initial testing, the XB-24 was found to be deficient in several areas. One major failure of the prototype was that it failed to meet the top speed requirements specified in the contract. As built, the XB-24 top speed was only 273 mph instead of the specified 311 mph. As a result, the mechanically supercharged

Supercharger

A supercharger is an air compressor used for forced induction of an internal combustion engine.The greater mass flow-rate provides more oxygen to support combustion than would be available in a naturally aspirated engine, which allows more fuel to be burned and more work to be done per cycle,...

Pratt & Whitney

Pratt & Whitney is a U.S.-based aerospace manufacturer with global service operations. It is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation . Pratt & Whitney's aircraft engines are widely used in both civil aviation and military aviation. Its headquarters are in East Hartford, Connecticut, USA...

R-1830-33s were replaced with the turbo-supercharged

Turbocharger

A turbocharger, or turbo , from the Greek "τύρβη" is a centrifugal compressor powered by a turbine that is driven by an engine's exhaust gases. Its benefit lies with the compressor increasing the mass of air entering the engine , thereby resulting in greater performance...

R-1830s. Additionally, the tail span was widened by 2 foot (0.6096 m) 2 feet and the pitot-static probes

Pitot-static system

A pitot-static system is a system of pressure-sensitive instruments that is most often used in aviation to determine an aircraft's airspeed, Mach number, altitude, and altitude trend. A pitot-static system generally consists of a pitot tube, a static port, and the pitot-static instruments...

were relocated from the wings to the fuselage

Fuselage

The fuselage is an aircraft's main body section that holds crew and passengers or cargo. In single-engine aircraft it will usually contain an engine, although in some amphibious aircraft the single engine is mounted on a pylon attached to the fuselage which in turn is used as a floating hull...

. The XB-24 was then redesigned XB-24B – these changes became standard on all B-24’s built starting with the B-24C model.

The USAAC initially ordered 7 YB-24s under CAC

Consolidated Aircraft

contract # 12464 in April 1939, but like the prototype these aircraft were being built by hand and were not considered combat ready. Since both the Royal Air Force

Royal Air Force

The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...

and French

France

The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...

were shopping for aircraft the first 6 YB-24 were released for direct purchase under CAC contract # F-677 on 9 November 1940. These aircraft were redesigned LB-30A. The seventh aircraft was used by Consolidated and the USAAC to test armor installations as well as self-sealing fuel tanks. Initially, these aircraft were to be given USAAC serials 39-618 to 39-687 however, delays with the actual purchase the serials numbers were changed to 40-696 to 40-702. When the RAF purchased the first 6 YB-24 aircraft, the serial numbers were reassigned to a later block of B-24Ds.

The RAF like the USAAC

United States Army Air Corps

found the LB-30A unsuitable for combat and had them assigned to the transatlantic Ferry Service

RAF Ferry Command

The RAF Ferry Command had a short life, but it spawned, in part, an organisation that lasted well beyond the war years during which it was formed.-History:...

between Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

and Prestwick

Prestwick

Prestwick is a town in South Ayrshire on the south-west coast of Scotland, about south-west of Glasgow. It adjoins the larger town of Ayr, the centre of which is about south...

, Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

. The aircraft were all modified in Montreal

Montreal

Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...

and included the removal of all armaments, provision for passenger seating, and a revised cabin oxygen

Oxygen

Oxygen is the element with atomic number 8 and represented by the symbol O. Its name derives from the Greek roots ὀξύς and -γενής , because at the time of naming, it was mistakenly thought that all acids required oxygen in their composition...

& heating system

Heating system

A heating system is a mechanism for maintaining temperatures at an acceptable level; by using thermal energy within a home, office, or other dwelling. Often part of an HVAC system. A heating system may be centralized or distributed.-See also:...

XB-24

39-556
- 29 October 1939 fuselage to wing mated.
- 29 December 1939 first flight (CAC Chief Pilot Bill Wheatley).
- 17 February 1940, first flown by USAAC (Major Umstead).
- 18 March 1940, first official USAAC flight.

In the spring of 1940, the XB-24 was modified with turbo-supercharged engines

Turbocharger

(P&W R-1830-41) wider horizontal tail plane, moved pitot static ports and redesigned XB-24B.

XB-24B

39-680
- 13 August 1940 accepted by the USAAC.
- 1944 Modified as VIP transport for CAC personnel
- 20 June 1946, Scrapped at Brookley Field, Mobile, Alabama
  Mobile, Alabama
  Mobile is the third most populous city in the Southern US state of Alabama and is the county seat of Mobile County. It is located on the Mobile River and the central Gulf Coast of the United States. The population within the city limits was 195,111 during the 2010 census. It is the largest...
  
  .

YB-24 / Liberator LB-30A

AM258 (ex 40-696) s/n 167. Delivered December 1940. Assigned as a transport with No.1425 Flight on the transatlantic ferry routes.
- 25 June 1946 Scrapped Albuquerque, New Mexico
  Albuquerque, New Mexico
  Albuquerque is the largest city in the state of New Mexico, United States. It is the county seat of Bernalillo County and is situated in the central part of the state, straddling the Rio Grande. The city population was 545,852 as of the 2010 Census and ranks as the 32nd-largest city in the U.S. As...
  
  .

AM259 (ex 40-697) s/n 168. Delivered December 1940. Assigned as a transport with No.1425 Flight RAF on the transatlantic ferry routes.
- Assigned to BOAC
  Boac
  Boac may refer to:* Boac, Marinduque, a municipality in the Southern Philippines* Boac , an American rapper* British Overseas Airways Corporation, a former British state-owned airline...
  
  with registration G-AGCD.
- 5 January 1943 midair collision with USSR A-20 Havoc.

AM260 (ex 40-698) s/n 169. Delivered December 1940. Assigned as a transport with No.1425 Flight on the transatlantic ferry routes.
- June 1941 Ferry Flight (Pilot F/L Spencer Leonard Ring).
- 14 August 1941 Crashed and burned on takeoff at RAF Heathfield Airfield
  RAF Heathfield
  RAF Heathfield, sometimes known as RAF Ayr/Heathfield due to its proximity to Glasgow Prestwick Airport, which was also used by military flights, was a Royal Air Force Second World War airfield....
  
  , Ayr
  Ayr
  Ayr is a town and port situated on the Firth of Clyde in south-west Scotland. With a population of around 46,000, Ayr is the largest settlement in Ayrshire, of which it is the county town, and has held royal burgh status since 1205...
  
  , Scotland
  Scotland
  Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
  
  , after veering off the runway and striking a small building, then an embankment. (22 Killed)) (Pilot was Captain Stafford) Arthur Blaikie Purvis Head of the British Purchasing Commission
  British Purchasing Commission
  The British Purchasing Commission was a United Kingdom organization of the Second World War.Also known at some time as the "Anglo-French Purchasing Board", it was based in New York City, where it arranged the production and purchase of armaments from North American manufacturers.The Board was able...
  
  was one of those killed as a passenger on transit to Canada.

AM261 (ex 40-699) s/n 170. Delivered December 1940. Assigned as a transport with No.1425 Flight on the transatlantic ferry routes.
- 02 August 1941 flew the Duke of Kent
  Prince George, Duke of Kent
  Prince George, Duke of Kent was a member of the British Royal Family, the fourth son of George V and Mary of Teck, and younger brother of Edward VIII and George VI...
  
  across the Atlantic.
- 10 August 1941 Crashed on Goat Fell
  Goat Fell
  Goat Fell is the highest point on the Isle of Arran. At 874 metres , it is one of four Corbetts on the island...
  
  , Isle of Arran
  Isle of Arran
  Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...
  
  , Scotland (BOAC Pilot Ernest Robert White

AM262 (ex 40-700) s/n 171. Delivered December 1940. Assigned as a transport with No.1425 Flight on the transatlantic ferry routes.
- June 1941 Ferry Flight (Pilot F/L Spencer Leonard Ring).
- Assigned to BOAC with registration G-AGHG.
- 30 May 1946 SOC

AM263 (ex 40-701) s/n 172. Delivered December 1940. Assigned as a transport with No.1425 Flight on the transatlantic ferry routes.
- Assigned to BOAC with registration G-AGDS.
- 15 February 1942, crashed Eddystone
  Eddystone
  See also Eddystone Rock, Falklands Islands and Eddystone, PennsylvaniaThe Eddystone, or the Eddystone Rocks, are a seaswept group of rocks situated some 9 statute miles south west of Rame Head in Cornwall, England, United Kingdom...

YB-24 40-702 s/n 173. Delivered December 1940
- Assigned to Wright Field
  Wright Field
  Wright Field was an airfield of the United States Army Air Corps and Air Forces near Riverside, Ohio. From 1927 to 1947 it was the research and development center for the Air Corps, and during World War II a flight test center....
  
  , Dayton, Ohio
  Dayton, Ohio
  Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...
  
  . Codes MD 120
- 28 March 1944 surveyed and scrapped at MacDill Field
  MacDill Air Force Base
  MacDill Air Force Base is an active United States Air Force base located approximately south-southwest of downtown Tampa, Florida...
  
  , Tampa, Florida
  Tampa, Florida
  Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....