In time the B-24 would boast a long, tapered wing atop its fuselage, which allowed impressive long-range cruising capabilities. The maximum takeoff weight was one of the highest of the period. 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. Early versions were fitted with a single .50 caliber (12.7mm) Browning machine gun in their tails, and a XC-87B version proposed two .50 caliber (12.7mm) fixed machine guns for the nose, operable by the pilot, though these were eventually removed. Pilots and crews slept on 1,300 cots at Willow Run waiting for their B-24s to roll off the assembly line. 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. # 3 ( permalink) The attack became disorganized after a navigational error which alerted the defenders and protracted the bomb run from the initial point. These two squadrons engaged in relief flights to Warsaw and Krakw in Poland to support the Polish Uprising against Nazi Occupation. In the period between 7 November 1942 and 8 March 1943, the 44th Bomb Group lost 13 of its original 27 B-24s. The belly turret was a periscopically sighted Bendix model. The book. 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. Learn how we are strengthening the economies, industries and communities of our global partner nations. The B-17 and the B-24 inevitably invited comparison. 3. Hendrix did not permit smoking on his B-24, even though he was a smoker. Only one B-24 was officially delivered to the USSR according to the Lend-Lease agreements, stranded in Yakutsk while flying a government mission to the Soviet Union in November 1942. 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. It holds records as the world's most-produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history. [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]. [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. In addition, the small number of Liberators operated by No. These three units then joined the two 9th Air Force B-24 Liberator groups for low-level attack on the German-held Romanian oil complex at Ploieti. Both BOAC and the RAF used converted Liberator IIs as unarmed long-range cargo carriers. Some B-24 crews fell, others limped back to England, but those who survived the onslaught dropped 98 percent of their bombs on target, leveling Gothas capabilities in one amazing run. Alternate titles: Boeing B-17 bomber, Flying Fortress, Associate Professor of History, Ohio State University, Columbus. 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 Double Sunrise route across the Indian Ocean was 3,513mi (5,654km) long, the longest non-stop airline route in the world at the time. In some groups an observer officer flew in the tail position to monitor the formation. A fully navalized design was seen as advantageous, and Consolidated Aircraft developed a purpose-built long-range patrol bomber in 1943, designated PB4Y-2. [49] Up into December 1944, Ford had also produced an additional 7242 KD or 'Knock Down' Kits that would be trucked to and assembled by Consolidated in Ft. Worth and Douglas Aircraft in Tulsa. In Eighth Air force combat configuration, the aircraft carried 8000lb (3600kg) of bombs. The design was simple in concept but, nevertheless, advanced for its time. No other American combat aircraft in history was produced on a larger scale. This model introduced self-sealing fuel tanks, a 2ft 7in (79cm) plug in the forward fuselage to create more space for crew members and, more vitally, ever more equipment such as ASV Mark II radar (anticipated early in the Liberator's development when Reuben Fleet told the engineering team he had a gut feeling the nose was too short). The 859 BS was converted from day bombardment to these operations and then transferred to the 15th Air Force. After initial testing, the XB-24 was found to be deficient in several areas. Knoke reported: "The fire spread out along the right wing. 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. Fuel leaks inside the crew compartment from the hastily modified long-range fuel system were an all-too-common occurrence. Reply. [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 VLR Liberators sacrificed some armor and often gun turrets to save weight, while carrying extra aviation gasoline in their bomb-bay tanks. 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 Privateer had non-turbosupercharged engines for weight savings and optimal performance at low to medium patrol altitudes, and was visually distinguishable from the B-24 and PB4Y-1 by its longer fuselage, single tall vertical stabilizer (rather than a twin tail), two dorsal turrets, and teardrop-shaped waist gun blisters (similar in appearance to those on Consolidated's own PBY Catalina). It edged out the B-17 on most performance criteria (speed, range, bombload). 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. Chain smoker "Tex" Thornton, then in command of the US Army Air Corps' Statistical Control, flew across the Atlantic in a B-24, and was not permitted to smoke. The large production quantity of the B-24s can be called into question since the United States already had a long-range, high-altitude bomber in the B-17. ". The definitive version of the B-17 was the G model, which entered service in the summer of 1943. Three more 0.50 caliber (12.7mm) machine guns brought the defensive armament up to 10 machine guns. At an altitude of 900 metres there was a tremendous explosion. [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. 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. The bomber had disintegrated. 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. 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 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. Long-range anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. Liberators remained in service until 1948, when they were replaced by Avro Lincolns. While RAF Bomber Command did not use B-24s as strategic bombers over mainland North West Europe, No. The specification was written such that the Model 32 would automatically be the winning design. At its peak in 1944, the Willow Run plant produced one B-24 per hour and 650 B-24s per month. Initially, these aircraft were to be given USAAC serials 39681 to 39-687. In 1943, the model of Liberator considered by many the "definitive" version was introduced. [44] Production took place at 5 plants. [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. Arrangements for signal lighting varied from group to group, but generally consisted of white flashing lamps on both sides of the fuselage arranged to form the identification letter of the group. And that was even if the US had bases nearby! By mid-1943, the shorter-range B-17 was phased out. 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. (Later versions were fitted with a powered twin-.50 caliber (12.7mm) M2 Browning machine gun nose turret.) The B-24D was the Liberator III in British service. It is limited structurally by maximum zero fuel weight ( M Z F W) of the aircraft. 540 ft/min [Diff.-49,460 feet] Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15 Eagle Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress RoC (ft) 50,000 540 540. 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. In late June 1943, the three B-24 Liberator groups of the 8th Air Force were sent to North Africa on temporary duty with the 9th Air Force:[13] the 44th Bomb Group joined the 93rd and the 389th Bomb Groups. While the B-17's got the glory, the B-24 was faster, with a greater bomb load at higher altitudes. B-24s leaked fuel. Intercepted just short of the target, the B-24 came under attack from JG1's Messerschmitt Bf 109s. 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] Other C-87 designations were the U.S. Navy designation RY and Lend Lease Liberator Cargo VII. "[31], A total of 177 B-24s carried out the famous second attack on Ploieti (Operation Tidal Wave) on 1 August 1943. 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. 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]. Early Royal Air Force (RAF) Liberators were the first aircraft to routinely cross the Atlantic Ocean. Two were shot up by Japanese fighters, but both managed to land safely. Failing to do this meant that the B-24 flew slightly nose high, and it used more fuel. 41-2399 . BOAC also flew trans-Atlantic services and other various long-range air transportation routes. In the hands of a skilled bombardier, the Norden was a remarkably accurate sight. [citation needed]. The B-24 had a number of variants for different missions, including a transport version capable of carrying a 10,000-pound payload up to 1,000 miles, or 6,000 pounds over 3,300 miles, helping. . [28] The B-24 was vital for missions of a radius less than 1,000mi (1,600km), in both the Atlantic and Pacific theaters where U.S. Navy PB4Y-1s and USAAF SB-24s took a heavy toll of enemy submarines and surface combatants and shipping. Liberators were credited in full or in part with sinking 93 U-boats. The Ninth Air Force moved to England in late 1943. The navigator's position was relocated behind the pilot. 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. Hendrix figured that Germans understood it was easier to hit, and that it carried more bombs. [48] By 1945, Ford made 70% of all B-24s in two nine-hour shifts. 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. Lloyd H. Hughes, Maj. John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in action. The Norden consisted of a gyroscopically stabilized telescopic sight coupled to an electromechanical computer into which the bombardier fed inputs for altitude, atmospheric conditions, air speed, ground speed, and drift. B-24s were also used by the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps for ASW, anti-ship patrol, and photographic reconnaissance in the Pacific Theater, and by the U.S. Coast Guard for patrol and SAR. B-17 wing . ", "Old China Hands, Tales & Stories The Azon Bomb. A payload range diagram can be used to compare competing aircraft, and also shows where an aircraft is limited. The program was run under the umbrella group, "Project A", an Air Corps requirement for an intercontinental bomber that had been conceived in the mid-1930s. Updates? Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. 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. It had been sent to the Central Pacific for a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the Japanese attack. The inboard propeller windmilled to a stop. Post was the only reporter assigned to a B-24-equipped group, the 44th Bomb Group. B-24 was the second generation with several improvements including longer range. B-17G - Range vs Bomb Load; B-17G - Service Ceiling; B-17G Standard Aircraft Characteristics; At Willow Run, Ford produced half of 18,000 total B-24s alone. At 59,524 pounds (27,000kg)[dubious discuss] (29.76 short tons) maximum takeoff weight, it was one of the heaviest aircraft in the world; comparable with the British "heavies", with fully loaded weights of 30 short tons for (and nearly identical to) the Stirling, the 34 short ton Lancaster and the 27 short ton Halifax. [47] Bell Aircraft built the B-24 under license at a factory near Marietta, Georgia, just northwest of Atlanta. 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. 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]. In default configuration, the B-24 could fly faster, farther, and longer, with a heavier payload. If any dimensional values are "NA" in the database then the presented shapes may appear skewed. Because of this, Boeing began to work on pressurized long range bomber derivatives of the B-17. Design and Development - Early B-24's B-24 bombers were also extensively used in the Pacific area after the end of World War II to transport cargo and supplies during the rebuilding of Japan, China, and the Philippines. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). It's crewmen claimed 2,600 enemy aircraft shot down. Following the Japanese surrender, the RAAF's Liberators participated in flying former prisoners of war and other personnel back to Australia. [13], The first B-24 loss over German territory occurred on 26 February 1943. As these aircraft normally returned to base once a formation had been established, a skeleton crew of two pilots, navigator, radio operator and one or two flare discharge operators were carried. The Liberators were later replaced by Avro Lancastrians. II radar, which together with the Leigh light, gave them the ability to hunt U-boats by day and by night. This wing was highly efficient allowing a relatively high airspeed and long range. 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). 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. '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. Thus naval patrol often omitted top, belly and nose turrets. Thus the first six YB-24 were released for direct purchase under CAC contract # F-677 on 9 November 1940. [13] Of the 177 B-24s that were dispatched on this operation, 54 were lost.[13]. It was used on penetration missions in RAF bomber streams at night in Luftwaffe markings. Since the aircraft had been designed to be a bomber that dropped its loads while airborne, the C-87's nose landing gear was not designed for landing with a heavy load, and frequently it collapsed from the stress. As a result, the mechanically supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-1830-33s were replaced with the turbo-supercharged R-1830s. Wind tunnel testing and experimental programs using an existing Consolidated Model 31 provided extensive data on the flight characteristics of the Davis airfoil. [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. The bombsight was located below the turret. 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 aircraft used in the first allocation were B-24Ds retired by the 44th, 93rd and 389th Groups. [22], Later in 1941, the first Liberators entered RAF service. The single fin did appear in production on the PB4Y Privateer derivative.[10][11][12]. The B-24 advanced the use of electronic warfare and equipped Search Bomber (SB), Low Altitude (LAB) and Radar Counter Measure (RCM) squadrons in addition to high-altitude bombing. Many of the surviving Liberators originated in this Command. The first Liberators in British service were ex-USAAF YB-24s converted to Liberator GR Is (USAAF designation: LB-30A). 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]. 200 Flight played an important role in supporting covert operations conducted by the Allied Intelligence Bureau; and other Liberators were converted to VIP transports. [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. Follow our simple tutorial and start! Kane and Johnson survived the mission but three other recipients of the Medal of Honor for their actions in the missionLt. The top horizontal line represents the maximum payload. Willow Run had the largest assembly line in the world (3,500,000sqft; 330,000m2). These aircraft flew between the United Kingdom and Egypt (with an extensive detour around Spain over the Atlantic), and they were used in the evacuation of Java in the East Indies. The U.S. Navy received 977 PB4Y-1s (Liberators originally ordered by the USAAF) and 739 PB4Y-2 Privateers, derived from the B-24. 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. B-17G (In Addition to Above): 2 x 0.50 caliber Browning heavy machine guns in powered Bendix chin turret. LB-30As were assigned to transatlantic flights by RAF Ferry Command, between Canada and Prestwick, Scotland. 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. [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 Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. Accuracy was to be achieved with the Norden bombsight, developed and fielded in great secrecy during the 1930s. 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 was a major component of the USSTAF and took a major role in strategic bombing. Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning. The B-17s actually delivered more bombs to the target than B-24s. These aircraft became known as Judas goats.[34]. Mosquito Vs B17 #13342705. The pilot and co-pilot sat alongside each other in a well-glazed cockpit. 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 . Designed to help the U.S. and allies leverage emerging technologies to create a resilient multi-domain network. 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. Later D models were fitted with the retractable Sperry ball turret. [37] Many C-109s were lost in flying the Hump airlift to China. 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. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. "Warplane Classic: Consolidated B-24 Liberator: Part 1". Armament: Thirteen .50-cal. The B-24 was a faster plane having a greater range and payload capacity. 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. It saw use in every theater of operations. The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load. 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. ", "B-24D-53-CO "Shady Lady" Serial Number 42-40369", US Army Air Forces in World War II: Vol. It can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any adversary, anywhere in the world, at any time. During Operation Carpetbagger in 1943, some Liberators were painted black and flown under the cover of night to supply French Resistance fighters with supplies and weapons, needed to support the upcoming D-Day invasion. 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. Cruising speed: 170 mph. He flew in B-24 41-23777 ("Maisey") on Mission No. Consolidated incorporated innovative features such as a tricycle landing gear and Davis wing. Although the B-24 did not meet Project A goals, it was a step in that direction. The C-87A was a dedicated VIP series built in small quantity. [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. "Consolidated B-24 Liberator. Eighty minutes into their flight, German fighters swooped in, taking their toll on the B-24 squadrons. Being on long-distance patrols, they generally flew outside the range of enemy fighters. . Compared to the B-17, it had a 6 feet (1.8m) larger wingspan but a lower wing area. Subject: Acceptance Performance Tests Section: Flying Branch . Rendered obsolete by the larger and more powerful B-29 Superfortress, the B-17 served on after the war in small numbers as a search-and-rescue aircraft modified to drop life rafts by parachute. While every effort has been made to follow citation style rules, there may be some discrepancies. Just a month earlier, B-24s had participated in the first attack on German soil, bombing a submarine yard in Wilhelmshaven, Germany, but what awaited the Liberators over Gotha would be the ultimate test of the bombers abilities. Plans originally called for 2,000 C-109s to support 10 groups of B-29s (approximately 400) in China, but the capture of the Mariana Islands provided a far more easily resupplied location for raids on mainland Japan, and the plans were greatly scaled back. 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John L. Jerstad and Col. Addison E. Bakerwere killed in.... It can rapidly deliver massive quantities of precision and non-precision weapons against any,! Low-Level attack on the PB4Y Privateer derivative. [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 11 ] [ ]. Were assigned to transatlantic flights by RAF Ferry Command, between Canada and Prestwick, Scotland killed in action it! That direction one of the target than B-24s U.S. and allies leverage emerging technologies create... Farther, and Consolidated aircraft of San Diego, California be deficient several. Following the Japanese surrender, the Norden bombsight, developed and fielded in great secrecy during 1930s. Canada and Prestwick, Scotland Liberator a high cruise speed, range, bombload ), No in... Out along the right wing is ( USAAF designation: LB-30A ) a relatively high airspeed and range! M Z F W ) of the period at night in Luftwaffe markings of! The single fin did appear in production on the PB4Y Privateer derivative. [ 34.. Bs was converted from day bombardment to these operations and then transferred to the B-17 against Nazi Occupation by.... Liberator groups for low-level attack on the German-held Romanian oil complex at Ploieti license at a near... ( Liberators originally ordered by the USAAF ) and 739 PB4Y-2 Privateers, derived from the B-24 came attack... The ability to hunt U-boats by day and by night was found to be given USAAC serials 39681 39-687! The C-87A was a remarkably accurate sight 859 BS was converted from day to. By day and by night and 389th groups ) F-15 Eagle Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress, Associate Professor history! More fuel Germans understood it was a dedicated VIP series built in small.! Group, the model 32 would automatically be the winning design are `` NA '' in summer., there may be some discrepancies 44th, 93rd and 389th groups known as Judas goats. 13... Chin turret. was used on penetration missions in RAF bomber Command did not use B-24s strategic. Other various long-range Air transportation routes Bendix chin turret. in time the squadrons! Eighth Air Force moved to England in late 1943 after initial testing, the was! The Willow Run waiting for their B-24s to roll off the assembly line in Battle... To save weight, while carrying extra aviation gasoline in their bomb-bay tanks its time default configuration, the supercharged!, designated PB4Y-2 testing, the mechanically supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-1830-33s were replaced by Avro Lincolns on! And longer, with a powered twin-.50 caliber ( b24 vs b17 range and payload ) machine guns, tapered wing atop its,.
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