Consolidated B-24 Liberator | Great American Aircraft | Upscaled

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. 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.
At its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load. Early RAF Liberators were the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean as a matter of routine. In comparison with its contemporaries, the B-24 was relatively difficult to fly and had poor low-speed performance; it also had a lower ceiling and was less robust than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17, General Staff favored the B-24 and procured it in huge numbers for a wide variety of roles. 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.
The B-24 was used extensively in World War II. It served in every branch of the American armed forces as well as several Allied air forces and navies. It saw use in every theater of operations. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater. Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. Long-range anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain.
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. 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 Liberator originated from a United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) request in 1938 for Consolidated to produce the B-17 under license. 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.
The new Model 32 combined designer David R. Davis's wing, a high-efficiency airfoil design created by unorthodox means, with the twin tail design from the Consolidated Model 31 flying boat, together on a new fuselage. This new fuselage was intentionally designed around twin bomb bays, each one being the same size and capacity of the B-17 bomb bays.
Specifications:
B-24 photographed from above, showing the Davis wing design.
Data from Quest for Performance, Jane's Fighting aircraft of World War II, General Dynamics aircraft and their predecessors
General characteristics
Crew: 11 (pilot, co-pilot, navigator, bombardier, radio operator, nose turret, top turret, 2 waist gunners, ball turret, tail gunner)
Length: 67 ft 2 in (20.47 m)
Wingspan: 110 ft (34 m)
Height: 17 ft 7.5 in (5.372 m)
Wing area: 1,048 sq ft (97.4 m2)
Aspect ratio: 11.55
Zero-lift drag coefficient: CD0.0406
Frontal area: 42.54 sq ft (3.952 m2)
Airfoil: root: Davis (22%); tip: Davis (9.3%)
Empty weight: 36,500 lb (16,556 kg)
Gross weight: 55,000 lb (24,948 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 65,000 lb (29,484 kg) plus
Fuel capacity: 2,344 US gal (1,952 imp gal; 8,870 l) normal capacity; 3,614 US gal (3,009 imp gal; 13,680 l) with long-range tanks in the bomb bay; Oil capacity 131.6 US gal (109.6 imp gal; 498 l) in four self-sealing nacelle hopper tanks
Powerplant: 4 × Pratt & Whitney R-1830-35 Twin Wasp, R-1830-41 or R-1830-65 14-cylinder two-row air-cooled turbosupercharged radial piston engines, 1,200 hp (890 kW) each
Propellers: 3-bladed Hamilton Standard, 11 ft 7 in (3.53 m) diameter constant-speed fully-feathering propellers
Performance
Maximum speed: 297 mph (478 km/h, 258 kn) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m)
Cruise speed: 215 mph (346 km/h, 187 kn)
Stall speed: 95 mph (153 km/h, 83 kn)
Range: 1,540 mi (2,480 km, 1,340 nmi) at 237 mph (206 kn; 381 km/h) and 25,000 ft (7,600 m) with normal fuel and maximum internal bomb load
Ferry range: 3,700 mi (6,000 km, 3,200 nmi)
Service ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,500 m)
Rate of climb: 1,025 ft/min (5.21 m/s)
Time to altitude: 20,000 ft (6,100 m) in 25 minutes
Lift-to-drag: 12.9
Wing loading: 52.5 lb/sq ft (256 kg/m2)
Power/mass: 0.0873 hp/lb (0.1435 kW/kg)
Armament
Guns: 10 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns in 4 turrets and two waist positions
Bombs:
Short range (400 mi [640 km]): 8,000 pounds (3,600 kg)
Long range (800 mi [1,300 km]): 5,000 pounds (2,300 kg)
Very long range (1,200 mi [1,900 km]): 2,700 pounds (1,200 kg)

[@Dronescapes]

Watch more aviation videos and learn more about American pilots on our channel at: kzbin.info

[@dirtthunder1638]

My Father flew 28 missions in a B24 during WW2 as part of the US Army's 15th. Air Force 449th bomb group. He was qualified as a ball turret and waste gunner and navigator. But most of his missions he flew as a bomb damage assessment photographer. He survived 3 missions over Pitesti Romania at low level in 3 different B24's. All 3 were shot up so bad they were scraped. If he was still alive he would have turned 100 this year.

[@Dronescapes]

♥️👍

[@warthunder5629]

My great grandpa was a radio man in a b24 that’s all I know

[@HughButler-lb6zs]

Your father is my hero for his service in keeping America free.

[@theccpisaparasite8813]

28 ... you sure?

[@vasiluysaban5811]

Вы можете гордиться своим отцом. Все экипажи B-24 и B-17 настоящие герои! Они принесли на своих крыльях победу! 👍🇺🇸

[@jamesdonop445]

I had the opportunity to talk to a surviving pilot from the peloski raid in my home town. He was astonished that in the 90s anyone knew anything about that raid. He said every night he was over peloski. That no words could describe that experience. RIP Bill Broillier. Thank you for your service.

[@Dronescapes]

🇺🇸

[@bearcubs9497]

my grandfather was in the ploesti raid. was a bombardier in the 328th bombardment squadron.

[@stevek8829]

*Ploiești

[@bobbillings]

My Grandfather was a crew chief on the B-24 Libertor. He enlisted 10 days after the Pearl Harbor attack in 1941 and served until 1946. He was stationed in North Africa. I am proud to be his Grandson and am awaiting more info I requested to learn more about his service from the veterans affairs dept.

[@Dronescapes]

Thank you for your Grandfather’s service Bob, and thanks for sharing these memories

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

35 missions over target 455 BG out of Italy my father a bombardier absolutely loved the B24. Swore by it over the 17. Brought him back all 35 times, engine out or not with or without flak holes from 88's or FW's. He took his final flight in 2011. His DFC and Air Medal which he won over Auschwitz synthetic oil refinery Christmas 1944 is my prized possession. It was his influence that prompted me to make a career in Naval Aviation.

[@theccpisaparasite8813]

Probably 30 at the most

[@stevek8829]

​@@theccpisaparasite8813plenty did more than 25 missions 😱

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

@@stevek8829 B24 was the FIRST to do 25 missions. Later they did many more like my father did.

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

@@theccpisaparasite8813 Beings I have his official mission records you are wrong.

[@stevek8829]

@@fawnlliebowitz1772 your dad was very lucky. My dad did zero missions. He was ending training as B-17 radio/waist gunner when they switched him to B-29 training. Then the war ended. I was a Nam grunt and I’m glad I wasn’t in WWII bombers. Wish you well.

[@americanrambler4972]

The B-24 did find a home after WWII. In the Indian air force. The US scrapped hundreds of B-24s on site in India, but did not do a good job of it. The Indian army came in, sorted through the scrapped planes and put over 100 in service for a number of years.

[@henrybenrycat1]

As I understand it, my father (a Brit) who was flight engineer on B24s was seconded to the Indian Airforce during the war and remained along with many others well into 1946 because the UK Government decided that they were an expedient way of having a presence in the run up to independence. My father flew 2 1/2 tours over Burma in his role.

[@tomedgar4375]

Great piece of info

[@glennhalila8279]

My best friend's dad was a General in the Indian Army. The General (Haridibar Singh/Sohi) passed away He was my friend and I miss him. He was from Punjab. I'm told that he was a Descendant of one of Alexander The Greats Generals who were Defeated near Punjab India and ended up living the rest of their lives there. My Dad told me he's got some close Indian friends who he worked with @ General Electric Aircraft Engine Propulsion in Cincinnati Ohio. My Uncle Charlie Huff was a Gunner on board the B-17 & B-24 Bombers. He was a True Hero. The Army gave him a 21 gun salute at his funeral in South Florida. I was there helping them fold the American Flag that they also paid their tribute with. You must be proud of your family's Legacy. I don't understand why they didn't fighter Planes escorting the Bombers? It was a Truly Brave Moveby the US Army. The Rockets that the Navy Pilots were using in the Pacific Theater would have been affective knocking out some anti Aircraft Batteries. That would have been a Wise Move. My Dad was a Design Engineer who's expertise was Compressor Design for Jet Engines. His contribution was incredible. C-5A A-10 Warthog, F-14 Tomcat F-16 & F-18 plus commercial engine design too. I'm worried about China and India fighting in the Himalayas over the Actual Kine of Control right now. The current state of this Planet is facing a SERIOUS THREAT. If you're ready for the Truth about what's REALLY GOING ON. I'll be happy to provide a list of Videos for you to check out for yourself?

[@rodolfotaala4452]

They have done greatest good for their country. the unsung heroes forevermore. A living mad dog is better than a coward!

[@cswalker21]

I met a guy in Taiwan whose father flew a B-24 for the nationalist side during the Chinese civil war. They used it for reconnaissance missions!! He had tons of incredible photographs.

[@tedenderpal1299]

My old friend Hal Heist flew these raids as a navigator with the 367H, Hal passed away at 96. He loved his family and the Air Force. My father. John Pat flew the LB30 with RAF Coastal Command. Both men are heros!

[@paulely5031]

At 2:54, the Boliver is shown! That was my Dad's plane in 1945 over Iwo Jima! First time I have ever seen it!

[@Dronescapes]

Wow! Thank you for your Dad's service Paul

[@jobe_seed6674]

That’s amazing coincidence wow

[@rick2112rkrk]

While many prominent actors enlisted during WWII only to receive immediate commissions and remain behind to promote the sale of war bonds, actor Jimmy Stewart enlisted as private, working his way up to the rank of Colonel. During which time he piloted a B-24 Liberator on more than the required number of missions necessary to be rotated out. As a result, he was one of the most highly decorated American pilots of WWII.

[@brianwarden7250]

Gable flew dozens of missions without permission with the 8th.

[@Chiller01]

My father was responsible for maintaining the electronics on the new H2X radar equipped B24J’s in the 15th Air Force. The radar equipped bombers could “see” through the heavy smoke screen to accurately target the Ploesti refineries. His knowledge and ability to maintain and repair the new on board radar sets rated critical status for my dad’s MOS.

[@Dronescapes]

👍🙏🇺🇸

[@clancyquinn4178]

My Dad was a bombardier/navigator on a B24 in the South Pacific stationed on New Guinea. 5th air force 90th bomb group. The Jolly Rogers. Still have the patch with skull and cross bombs. He contracted malaria while fighting. He also got the Distinguish Flying Cross and two other medals. He said the ack ack sounded like you were in a 50 gallon drum and someone was hitting it with a hammer. His best friend in the air was a P38 fighter because it kept them alive during and after their missions. Especially flying back with damage. He also said if he would have been stationed in Europe fighting the Germans he would have been dead because the Germans had superior planes and pilots. He wouldn't buy a Japanese car because of his experience during WW 2. He was quite a Man.

[@thomasdavidson7057]

My father in law was a pilot in the 90th Jolly Rogers. 59 missions. I believe he was in the 319th. His best friend was in the 320 th I believe. Amazing stories. Real American hero’s.

[@keegan773]

My father was in the Royal Air Force, Coastal Command during WW2. He was a radio operator/mechanic in these aircraft on anti submarine patrols between Denmark and Sweden.

[@dalemullins4562]

They were just kids, Young men with incredible courage that is unimaginable today.

[@snake_ize136]

No doubt! 👍🇺🇸

[@mikerage1011]

The kids that are 17-23 right now would cry and piss themselves and curl up into the fetal position and beg for their mommy’s and bicycle helmets and participation ribbons

[@cdjhyoung]

Ever heard of Ukraine? Bravery and Valor exist in every generation. Fortunately, the men and women of most generations are not called on to display it.

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

Sadly today we could never fight a war of that magnitude with today's candyass generation.

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

@@cdjhyoung Those kids are Ukrainian, NOT what we spawned here.

[@nrich5127]

My Dad flew Liberators in WWII - RCAF 214 squadron - he flew over the Himalayans to supply the Chinese - he would never talk about the war except to say " some guys never came back ". I miss my parents who have both passed on - the nicest people I ever met.

[@Dronescapes]

God bless them

[@nrich5127]

@@briancooper2112 we carry on but they are in our thoughts daily.

[@williamfankboner4206]

A SERIOUS OMISSION: The Liberator's role in anti-submarine warfare in the Atlantic. A significant number of U-Boat losses were attributed to the B-24 made possible by its long range. "The Liberator contributed heavily in the Atlantic battles. According to one author, RAF Coastal Command Liberators sank, or assisted in sinking, 70 U-boats, starting with U-597 sunk off Iceland 12 October, 1942 by No. 120 Squadron."

[@Hi-lb8cq]

we need more videos about the B-24's...they have tons of videos about B-17's but not much on B-24 missions or the B-24'S themselves!!!

[@cdjhyoung]

The B-17 being more popular than the B-24 has a lot to do with how Army propaganda was developed in WW II. The B-17's were in the European air war first, and the news reels were directed to point their cameras at those crews. Not so much a B-24. It sounds lame, but a crew exiting a B-17 seems more noble coming out of the nose hatch or the mid ship door than the Crews of the B-24's did with their flight crew coming out of the front wheel opening or emerging from the bombay. Image is everything.

[@jimigreen2050]

My dad flew the B24 and always told me that he loved it but never felt safe but was always ready for what they tried to do to them. Thank God that his aircraft was never shot down

[@stargazeronesixseven]

Greatest Satisfaction when the B24 Liberators dropping Foods & Life Sustaining Parcels over starving Holland during WWII! May All These Heroes be Blessed to a Better World & Realm ...

[@terrymarkuson]

I’ve been inside both a 17 and a 24 , the Fort is cramped while the Lib has plenty of room .

[@stephenbesley3177]

My old man worked on B24s the RAF and RNZAF out of India and Burma (The forgotten airforce). The very good but often forgotten counterpart to the B17. Peace and repespect to all Vets past and present

[@Dronescapes]

Thank you for letting us know Stephen, and thank you for your dad's service

[@smooth_sundaes5172]

@@Dronescapes I apologise for mistakes in post concentration has suffered because of stroke. I appreciate you message of course

[@williamgibb5557]

I read about the 1000 plane Polesti raid in grade school in 1964. Amazing story. Have seen several B24s at airshow. Beautiful big pane even with it's problems.

[@steventurner9744]

A fine ole work horse. My Wife’s uncle a bombardier in one of these wonderful machines lost his life over Austria when in formation another B 24 was hit and on its way down hit his plane and cut it in half. This was early 1945. Only three crewman survived. Her Uncle’s body didn’t make it home till 1948.

[@fawnlliebowitz1772]

What bomb group and squadron? Any idea?

[@heaven-is-real]

My boss was a navigator for the B24 and flew over my parents house in Holland during WW2. He recently passed away at 99 yrs old. God Bless the heroes of the greatest generation.

[@Dronescapes]

Bless all of them

[@donscheid97]

I have always been a fan of twin tailed planes. My Favorite was the B- 25, but the B-24, Lancaster, P-38, P-61 and even the German ones also were special. Got to work on the A-10.

[@Dronescapes]

Great choice Donald

[@johnsherman7289]

Check out the Ercoupe, it was a breakthrough airplane, twin rudders and no rudder pedals.

[@al.march.7457]

Hi man! You did not recall p 82! so called "twin Mustang"! It also has two tails! I also like twin tailed aircrafts.

[@tdimentional2048]

I never met my children's grandfather for he passed of cancer before I met the family. Their wonderful grandmother stayed in touch with members of the Red Tails until her passing. On his first mission, responsible for 10 lives in addition to his own, he had to drop out of formation due to a malfunction. Three Messerschmidts made a pass at them. The fighters were starting to make another pass when bam, bam, bam they were blown out of the sky. P-51 pilots did victory rolls and all one could see was white scarves and teeth. They were Red Tails. I had the honor of meeting one once, how awesome. My former mother-in-law was a realtor for George Lucas and sent him the story when he was making the movie "Red Tails".

[@Dronescapes]

♥️👍

[@johnsherman7289]

It is said they never lost one under their protection. My dad (388th bg) could never figure out their devotion, given the way they were treated at home.

[@tdimentional2048]

@@johnsherman7289 I think that they were real men. Christian men and intelligent enough to know that those that were wrong were wrong. Though they had to endure it.

[@4speed3pedals]

When the narrator mentioned Halverson, I wondered if he became the Chocolate Bomber. No, just the same last name. Gail Halverson is the Chocolate Bomber "Uncle Wiggly Wing" that was the made that was dropping candy over Berlin in 1948. Gail lived to be 101 y.o. old and died on Feb. 16, 2022. I did not hear any fanfare about his passing. Dover AFB has a display about Gail Halverson and one of the guides is extremely knowledgeable about what this man did. Maybe they all are. Nice museum with many cargo planes on display outside and nice exhibits inside the museum. If you are ever in Delaware it is worth a visit. It is located on the south side of the air base.

[@mclarenscca]

This is a fantastic video! I encourage everyone to learn about any, and all history! Educate yourselves, so we don't repeat ourselves!

[@Dronescapes]

👍👍♥️

[@asdf9890]

Amazing documentary, the amount of war footage is awesmome. I remember the commentators voice from the 90's , back when I would sleep to this stuff on PBS or when History Channel first started.

[@hereforthechips7710]

It is a shame that none of these fine men are no longer with us. What they did secured the last 80 years.

[@Dronescapes]

❤🇺🇸👍

[@genegross2252]

my dad was a lower ball gunner, he flew missions from north africa, and then another 34 missions from england

[@Dronescapes]

♥️

[@georgetubbs8211]

god bless all the fine men who flew air missions. brave men one and all.

[@lawrencemarocco8197]

The Liberator could fly faster, farther and with a heavier bomb load than the B-17. My mother was a "Rosie the Riveter" at a factory in Detroit and she fabricated speed rings and wing sections for the Willow Run Ford Bomber Plant. Thanks to process and production innovations developed by Edsel Ford, Willow Run put out "a bomber an hour" around the clock.

[@buckhorncortez]

Edsel Ford had very little to do with the production or design of the Willow Run plant. The idea for the design of the factory was all Charles Sorensen. In fact, there is a reproduction of the sketch for the factory that he did overnight in his hotel room while he and Edsel were in California looking at B24 production at Consolidated in the book, "My Forty Years With Ford."

[@americanrambler4972]

Yes, the B24 could fly faster, farther and carry a heavier bomb load. But only by a little bit each. It was a newer plane design, and it’s features were the newer Davis wing design, it’s tricycle landing gear configuration, but most importantly, it’s much larger payload bay. It’s it’s internal bomb bay size and longer range that were its major advantages. The actual payload capability was actually quite close between the 2 airplanes. While seldom utilized, the B17 had the capability to carry an additional 4,000 pound of bombs on external bomb racks mounted under the inboard sections of the wings. There was also an additional capability to carry about and additional 500 each pounds of weapons on a pair of outboard racks. The main drawback was the external payload slowed the planes down and decreased the available range.

[@georgebarnes8163]

Neither were heavy bombers, the barely made the list as a medium bomber at best.

[@dukecraig2402]

@@georgebarnes8163 What makes you think they weren't heavy bombers? Some stupid KZbin videos made by people who don't bother checking the facts and make erroneous claims like B17's had a bomb payload of 4,000 lbs? B17's had a maximum internal bomb load of 12,600 lbs, they could carry 17,600 lbs using wing racks. B24's had a maximum internal load of 13,000 lbs. Mark Felton and other KZbin video makers are poor sources for information about WW2 bombers, like a certain famous British test pilot they have a tendency to lie and exaggerate.

[@georgebarnes8163]

@@dukecraig2402 the B17 rarely carried anymore than 4000Lbs due to its poor range with anything exceeding 4000 Lbs, never was going to cut it as a heavy bomber, more of a light bomber/ gunship than anything else.

[@Hi-lb8cq]

The b-24 & b-17 are my most favorite ww2 bombers....my grandfather who was a top turret gunner on a B-24 said they used to call it the "flying coffin"

[@kellybreen5526]

Great video. I have a soft spot for this unsung workhorse. I wish the video was just a bit longer and covered the role it played in the RAF and RAAF as a U-Boat killer and conventional bomber. The skipper of one B-24 (Trigg) won a posthumous VC destroying a U-Boat while RAAF and RAF Liberators also flew a sustained operations against the Japanese. This isn’t a criticism of the video. It is a salute to the Liberator. Although the Americans divested themselves of the Liberator post war it flew into the 60’s for India. It was a magnificent aircraft.

[@KapiteinKrentebol]

The likening the B-24 to the Libertyship is very interesting.

[@Seabee441]

My mother was a riveter on the B-24 Liberator during the war years in Michigan. She and my dad worked on the bomber. She said it was a gruesome job

[@Dronescapes]

🙏♥️

[@cdjhyoung]

My mother, her sister and their father all worked at the Willow Run plant. My mother's job was crawling into the wing base to finalize wiring attachments. A really tough job for someone that suffered claustrophobia as badly as she did. After the war, in the early 1950's, she met and married my dad. he had been a B-24 pilot in England. He arrived in England on 5 June 1944 and couldn't understand why the country was in such a lock down. He flew radar and radio jamming missions and was in the air during the Battle of the Bulge. On the third day of that battle, when the weather got so tough, his crew was in the air listening for German radio transmissions but never heard another airplane during their 8 hour mission. My dad and his crew think they may have been the only plane in the air that day, the weather being so bad.

[@davidca96]

the amount of these planes produced is astonishing to think about. Its also horrific to think of just how many of these bombers were shot down.

[@nadirdilemek5367]

Bir tanesi blac sea deep

[@RivetGardener]

I am always floored again and again, when I am reminded that the US bomber crews over Europe lost more men than the USMC did in the entire WW2 Pacific War.

[@mussnasir8587]

They definitely were all over the world in WW2! We had 23 Squadron of B-24 Liberators of the Royal Australian Airforce situated in Darwin, Northern Territory, Australia. I was fortunate enough to work on a gun turret during my youth in the Aviation Museum...to pay off all my speeding fines in my Holden HJ Monaro😎🇦🇺👌

[@Henry-dt9ht]

The B24 Was liked to a great deal by video by those who flew them who flew them. My friend's father was a Navigator for the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was a Navigator and his crew as well as himself we're trained for the B25 When they received their posting orders they were assigned a B24 to fairy from factory in the United States to the UK. They all found the B-24 the most Comfortable For long distance flying. Apparently all all of the stations had seats seats and benches that were made Forward automobile company . As a result they all had drifted to sleep in these comfortable seats and when They woke up They discovered that they were actually heading towards the azors and not Britain due to cry crosswinds. My friend's dad who was the aircraft Navigator made the course corrections and they made it to Britain with enough fuel to spare spare. When they were asked about the flight in their after flight report they left out the fact that they've slept for a inaudible period of time and simply said that they encountered headwinds which resulted in their tardiness . For the rest of the war they were assigned to their B-25 for the duration.

[@dukecraig2402]

My family lost someone who was a navigator on a B24, he was shot down and killed on his 21st mission, of the 20 missions him and his crew survived 3 were to the oil fields of Ploesti Romania, the rest were pretty hairy mission with 3 resulting in them having to land at emergency fields in Italy because of battle damage, they were shot down and he was killed on a mission to bomb the railroad bridge at Ferrara Italy, about 2 seconds after bomb release the 1st shell struck the #3 engine setting it on fire and causing the plane to swerve to the right, about 2 seconds later a 2nd shell hit the fuselage in front of the bomb bay then it started a slow right hand spiral downward, on it's way down 3 parachutes were seen coming out, at about 4,000 ft the wing burned through at the #3 engine and folded causing it to plunge straight to the ground. The next day the local Italian people removed his body from the plane and buried him next to it, shortly afterwards an American graves unit came along and moved his body to an American cemetery in Italy, then in 1947 after the war he was brought back home and buried in Arlington National Cemetery. Aerial reconnaissance after the mission showed they hit the bridge though, so for 2nd Lt Virgil Davison and six other members of his crew the last thing they did in their lives was put their bombs on target, and that's why he's buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

[@bearcubs9497]

my grandfather participated in the ploesti raid. he was a bombardier in the 328th

[@Dronescapes]

👍❤🙏🇺🇸

[@jameswoodbury2806]

My father-in-law flew in the B-24 while in the 5th Air Force. He told me that their B-24s would sometimes have to fly with the bomb bay doors open because aircraft fuel vapors could accumalate in the bomber and ignite in the plane.

[@Dronescapes]

😯😯

[@albutterfield5965]

My dad was a B-24 pilot in the early years of WWII in the South Pacific.

[@Dronescapes]

👍♥️👍

[@bennyringstrom7765]

Respect to this mens.😢😢what a hell.

[@possumpopper89]

A friend of the family flew that mission and another mission over Ploesti. His plane was destroyed and crash landed both missions. First mission, he crash landed in the Mediterranean, the second mission he made it to North Africa before he crash landed. One of his two DSC awards came from the Ploesti raid. He went on to fly in the Korean War and also the early years of the VietNam War. He retired after 24 years as a Lt. Colonel in 1964. His name was Denzel Gates.

[@manricobianchini5276]

Whether it was overshadowed by the B-17 or not, the B-24 was still a potent weapon, and one that deserved much more praise.

[@RUcookoo]

When i moved to Dallas, Tx in 1960 there was a group of B 17's at Love Field - they were later flown to GB to make a movie :(

[@barbarameaney8494]

My dad was a tail gunner in the 325th and 470th bomb groups stationed in Kunming China. His first mission the crew had to evacuate because they ran out of fuel and he was shot down on his last mission.

[@mandst5466]

Great documentary, thanks for the education on a much overlooked aircraft.

[@Dronescapes]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@swapmeetlus4096]

First model kit I ever build and why I got so into WWII. Only time I got praised by a teacher in high school was when my history class played WWII jeopardy lol my whole class was annoyed with me though

[@Dronescapes]

👍🙂

[@daxtonbrown]

My dad was a tail gunner on B24s, 460th bomb Group, out of Spinazola Italy.

[@Dronescapes]

👍🇺🇸

[@dusterman1972]

My dad was in the 15th AA 460th 762 squadron .maybe they knew each other

[@vimalkumar3815]

The last squadron of b24 was in Indian Air force. My father was in that squadron. Total 42 aircraft was in 3 squadron, no5, no6 and no16. All are retired in 1969. 5 aircraft one to USA, one to Canada, on to Britain and rest are in Indian Air force musium. It was interesting story all these aircraft were recovered from grave yard of USAF and CanadianAF aircraft near air force station chakeri near kanpur uttarpradesh india in 1949. After WWII these aircraft were abandoned in chakeri air field in kanpur.

[@Irish_For_Life1842]

1) I was surprised about the B-24s helping the Brits. For some reason the Brits sure don't mention it. 2) The below radar Ploesti raid was one of the dumbest decisions I have read about. 3) The losses of the B-24s to combat versus the same type losses for B-17s compared equitably. 4) The problems with the B-24s was a) They were much more difficult to get out of the plane and b) the plane did not survive crash landings well. This is why there are far far far fewer pictures of B-24s landing with serious combat damage. 5) Between how hard to fly they were and the two issues above, I would not expect crews to be fond of the airplane. Another history source reported that Consolidated was approached by the defense dept to build B-17s under license. Consolidated declined and countered back that they could produce a better one. After working on the design they gave anticipated performance numbers and the defense dept gave the go ahead. This was reported by the Imperial War Museum if I am not mistaken. Anyone else have additional information on this? Maybe both can be true at the same time?

[@MegaBloggs1]

bill foster is a legend

[@Dronescapes]

👍

[@ronalddunne3413]

27:00 River Rouge Plant- one of Henry Ford's (one of my personal- if conflicted- heroes) Detroit plants. Born not far from there when the memory of the war was still fresh...

[@Dronescapes]

Indeed Ford had a bit too much of a crush for Nazism, going as far as publishing forged and misleading books. Quite a sad story, just like Mr. IKEA and many others . Kudos to all the ones that figured out that Hitler was a psychopath killer, rather than an example to worship, support and follow. All the information was surely available for people like them, and companies like Ford, Porsche, IBM, Hugo Boss, etc. There are great examples of people that were filthy rich and lost everything for not following, or adoring Hitler. Look at the history of the steel industry in Germany, for example, not everyone was onboard with the Nazis, even without the privilege of leaving thousands of miles away from the war.

[@tonyhampton240]

My former father in law was a pilot on B24 .He was a member of the Jolly Roger's.

[@Dronescapes]

Bless him

[@MP-zf7kg]

This is really quite an excellent video.

[@Dronescapes]

👍🙏

[@al.march.7457]

All these airmen must receive medal of Honour! All of them!!!!

[@cdjhyoung]

River Rouge built tanks and Liberty ships. Willow Run was the home to Ford's assembly line B 24 plant, the factory that built more WW II aircraft than any other facility.

[@albutterfield5965]

My mother worked in the control tower at Willow Run

[@cdjhyoung]

@@albutterfield5965 My mother, her sister and their father all worked at Willow Run. My tiny, claustrophobic mother was tasked with running wires in the root of the wing.

[@kevanhubbard9673]

I had a model of a B24 but I'd forgotten about that aircraft as it was a bit in the shadow of the B17.

[@haroldmclean3755]

B - 2 4 Boys 👍 Sky High Kudos

[@orcstr8d]

Narrator’s voice sure sounds a lot like that of the late Al Wallace. Al was a Seattle area journalist at KOMO TV, channel 4.

[@glenndotter5065]

When a General says 50% losses would be worth the price, he should lead the mission!

[@dwightjennings2541]

Do you have any information on the B24-Pby used by the Navy in the Pacific during WW2. I had an uncle who was a gunner/maintenance on one.

[@peppapig9987]

Any chance you have documentarys on the Areo Vulcan?

[@rayw3294]

Love listening to the old boys. They should all get Medals of Honour. Maybe still can to the ones that are left. Same in UK.

[@cdjhyoung]

The assertion that a smaller pilot couldn't handle the B 24 is wrong. My father flew 52 missions out of England flying B 24's and he was only 5'5" and about 125 Lbs. Yes, he was too short to qualify, but it is amazing what some cardboard in the heals of his shoes, and a doctor looking the other way can do to help you pass a physical. Frequently lost in these narratives about the B 24's damage rate being higher than the B 17's, is the fact that the 24's were called on for deeper penetration lights into Germany. If the plane is exposed longer to enemy action, it is logical it will sustain more damage during its service life. The B 24, as delivered from the factory, had an expected service life of 100 flight hours. That is less than ten missions. Like is stated in the film, the logic behind their creation was very similar to that of the Liberty ship. And they were viewed as being just as expendable.

[@frankmuratore3639]

My father was a radio operator and waist gunner on the he B 24 Flew 51 missions in 1944 in the 15 th air force.. He said they called it the flying coffin

[@Dronescapes]

Bless him

[@amanciomaiafilho5013]

Entendi tudo!!! Legal! Parabéns!

[@theophilus7422]

Fun fact: There were more B-24s in service than B-17s.The Liberator was a newer design over the so-called "flying fortress". It flew higher, faster and further with a heavier bombload. It was a bitch to pilot and couldn't take as much battle damage compared to the B-17, but it was a better heavy bomber.

[@Bill23799]

I have read that B-17 crew said that the B-24 was the box that the B-17 came in.

[@ChristyD067]

My 2nd cousin was lost on one of these raids - July 15, 1944. Flack hit the plane and it broke in half. All on board were killed. RIP Wylie Farris

[@Dronescapes]

Bless him

[@johnt8636]

Yeah, the Canadian army was already in The Netherlands, feeding the people. The air drops by the 24's were of course of great help, but they didn't save the Dutch from starvation by themselves.

[@juliahaynie764]

This is really old! I’m old, and this is something I would expect to clime on a film projector.

[@markmorgan3091]

Pretty sure my boy scout troop leader was on one of the missions to ploesti,can remember him saying a few things about it because I asked him,he was a navigator on a 24 named fearless fosdick,a cartoon character at that time,he recalled one mission n88 shell went right up through the bombay,n exploded above their plane😮

[@bengorrell2658]

Dad was on that mission, he said it was the worst he was on, he was a waist and turret gunner, he said you could walk the sky on the flack

[@keithstudly6071]

At about 8:36 there was a famous bit of film. The narration is a bit misleading as they are talking about anti-aircraft fire but the film shown was of a lost B-24 which was hit by a bomb dropped by another B-24. The right wing was hit just outboard the root and the whole wing collapsed and all the crew lost. It was another way the raid went wrong as two different groups went over the target at the same time with the higher group dropping bombs through the bombers below them and sadly, hitting a few. A very bad day.

[@videocruzer]

My Grandmother Gwen Fussey was flown to the East coast of Canada right after the war from the UK in a B-24. There was a few of them that were converted for VIP human transport. Bill Fussey her husband was front line Artillery for Canada and met Gwen before he was ordered to the front lines during World War 2. Gwen Fussey was trained by the United Kingdom Home Guard to ID spies in her UK community and report to HQ during WW2. The first time I witnessed my Grandmother being assaulted by one of her neighbor's (Victoria British Columbia Canada) was on her Birthday 1976, I was told to watch for her from her bedroom window as to let my mom know so she could light the candles on her Birthday cake, Gwen had gone to mail a letter to her family back home. A neighbor that lived across the street and a few houses to the west of her, stopped her and chatted with her, and let his small dog wrap the leash around her legs a few times, she fell to the ground hitting her head. he was standing right beside and could have easily stopped the fall. As soon as I saw that I new something was wrong, I bolted out of the house hitting one foot on her fence to launch myself threw the air at the man that assaulted my Grandmother, My Grandmother grabbed me out of the air before i could make contact and held me as tight as she could (I was 7 years old), the guy told my Grandmother, you better put that thing on a leash or we'll do it for you. The last year my Grandmother was alive she was dropped 5 times from the overhead transfer lift Glenn Gary Nurse care home (Gwen had only lost her mobility and her mind was as tight as a drum and was not a combative patient.) almost every Saturday shift in a row until she was dead from her injuries. My mother and her two sisters made the call not to tell anyone (and or stir the pot) in fear of retaliation, Her words not mine. when I was at my Grandmothers side when she was on her death bed, I asked her what was going on, her last words to me, "There are some very dumb people in this town." This was reported to constable Hemmings Saanich PD Victoria BC Canada, he then slapped the cuffs on me put me in the cruiser that I could fit in had two female officers drove me to the mental unit at the Royal Jubilee Hospital and dropped me off for an evaluation. Looks like my granny was right on her death bed.

[@garysilver718]

The B -24 was built just down the street from me at the Willow run plant. While stationed in Germany in 1960 (USARMY) I was sent to Libya to search for the crew of the LADY BE GOOD (B-24) that went down in 1943 and found in 1960 . The crew bailed out and she landed her self. Spent 30 days in the desert searching for our boys and bring them home.

[@alexrebmann1253]

My favorite story of a B-24 is the Lady be Good.

[@gkauto1959]

was that not an insane story? they thought they were over the ocean when they were really inland and over the desert! poor bastards, to have to die like that!

[@alexrebmann1253]

@@gkauto1959 If you ever get chance, watch the 1969 move Sole Survivor with William Shatner, and Richard Bashart. T

[@TheLATman]

my grandfather flew the B-24 in the pacific theater he was a captain

[@al.march.7457]

I have read so mahy amazing stories from you people! Thank you so mach for your stories about such brave american heroes!!!

[@melonshop8888]

🤗🤗🤗 MY FAVORITE PLANE. HOPE IT CAN LAND ON SEA TOO. ⭐⭐⭐😄

[@jimfinlaw4537]

Nice video. Too bad its not entirely accurate. What they failed to mention is that the 376th ran into weather on the way to Ploesti and some of the group got separated to the point where some of the B-24 bombers aborted the mission while others went on and bombed the target. The reason I know this is because my father was there flying as a co-pilot in a 512th Bomb Squdron, 376th Bomb Group B-24D. By the time they reached the target, the German anti-aircraft batteries were not fully alerted yet until the bombing began. My father's B-24D was hit by an 88-mm shell over the target area, which went through the right wing and punctured a fuel tank. My father quickly transferred as much fuel as possible from the damaged fuel tank to an emptied tank to conserve fuel. To conserve additional fuel, he pulled back the mixture controls beyond limits to what the tech manual recommended to conserve even more fuel. All four engines were running on the verge of detonation as a result. By the time they landed at their alternate air base in Italy, all four engines were junk from overheating, but their B-24D got them home safely despite the damage to the right wing. Dad only flew 5 combat missions with the 376th Bomb Group and then he returned to the states to become an instructor pilot in B-17 Flying Fortresses, B-24 Liberators and Martin B-26 Marauders when he was stationed at MacDill Field in Tampa, Florida. The Army wanted their instructor pilots to have some combat experience and thats how my dad got his. Alot of people do not understand just how complex the B-24 Liberator really is when compared to other bombers like the B-17. It was a very complex bomber for its time. My father went on to fly the D, E, H, and J model B-24's during the war. He flew a RB-24E on a weather reconnaissance mission to track a hurricane at night. When he reached the eye of the storm, he was surprised by how calm the winds were, because the storm itself was packing wind speeds of 180 to 200 mph according to the onboard weather radar that was in the plane. Dad said this was the most memorable night mision he ever flew during the war.

[@ropatidee5427]

my uncle was in the 512th of the 376th! in the 90's he communicated with other survivors. flew out of berka2 soluch libya

[@al.march.7457]

They all heroes! Rest in peace!!!

[@user-xv9sk2xq7g]

Not to take away from all the positive things said about the plane, but I have to comment. My father was a B-4 pilot with the 15th, flew thirty missions plus several Lone Wolf missions. 98th Bomb Group, 343rd Squadron (Kane's). Haven't read all the comments, so I don't know how many are from or relevant to pilot's perspectives. Dad was not a fan of the plane. It was difficult and extremely tiring to fly, both physically and mentally. You had to 'fly' it every second, unlike the B-17. During missions the 109s and 190s would scream right by the 17s and pounce on the 24s. Why? Cause as every Luftwaffe pilot knew, they burned quicker. They were dicey to bail out of as well. The stories of exhausted B-24 pilots and copilots having to be carried out of their planes by the crews after long misions are not apocryphal.

[@johnstudd4245]

That was the Willow Run plant, not the River Rouge.

[@grahamgardner2340]

Hah!!! Those observer guys just stood there while the planes crashed on the runway. What badasses!!! Said from a private pilot. I would salute them while crashing. On to the next soldier. Go America. 2,000 years strong, Wichita Indian.

[@ono147]

B-24's in the 8th AF were in the 2nd air division not the 3rd.

[@markperrins9485]

Hi there. 10 years ago I was a great and up coming pianist. I practiced at my lessons and 4 hours per day in my piano room that I built. At the time I was 30 years old and played until my 40’s when I got divorced, this spent my piano demise. I used to play many classic pieces and a lot of Elton John’s pieces of which was my inspiration from a young boy in primary school. I still have a piano at home but play it rare. I have now subscribed to your channel so as I can just get back to chords and practicing. Thank you

[@uncleray3354]

this was about a mission the some B-24 Liberators flew. NOT about the plane!!!!

[@johnjsabrowski2214]

Bloody awful way to die for our country 😢 Amen. I thank those Airmen.

[@timbarnett3898]

Friend Bob was multi-millionaire with million $ home & 38ft bayliner boat. One night kicked back in tv room drinking his toddy he played Victory at Sea movie showing a pilot jumping out window of B-24 helped to ground. Bob says, see that pilot, that's me!

[@Idahoguy10157]

The Navy patrol versions of the B-24’s. Especially the Privateer. Stayed in serve another decade with the US navy and US coast guard. The army got rid of theirs. The navy kept flying them till they wore out. Including combat missions

[@timbungarner3842]

Showed the disregard of life of the airforce commander,, old school thinking, like 1st WW

[@gregdyer3236]

Great video. Too many ads

[@Dronescapes]

Perhaps you do not know that if you have KZbin Premium, you will not see an ad ever again, among many other perks

[@edwinsalau150]

With that bomb load why did they go in at that altitude? Why was the general not relieved? No way could an aircraft escape the blast envelope of the preceding aircraft!

[@dwmzmm]

I think the goal of low altitude approach was to be below the radar sweep and effect a surprise attack.

[@danjones5848]

You never hear much about the naval version of the B-24, the PB4Y-1 AND 2. Also known as the Privateer.

[@pablonylos8022]

Wspaniały kanał, ale starsze odcinki nie mają napisów pl. 😒

[@johnsherman7289]

Ford cranked out B-24s faster than the Nazis could shoot them down, one rolled out of the Willow Run plant every 50min.

[@benquinneyiii7941]

In accordance with