Consolidated B-24 Liberator Model

The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is a heavy bomber designed and produced by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California. It was also known as the Model 32 and some initial production aircraft were designated as various LB-30s for export as part of the Land Bomber category. The B-24 featured a highly efficient, shoulder-mounted Davis wing with a high aspect ratio, which gave it a high cruise speed, long range, and the ability to carry a large bomb load. It was one of the first aircraft to routinely cross the Atlantic Ocean. However, compared to its contemporaries, the B-24 was more difficult to fly and had poorer low-speed performance, a lower ceiling, and was less durable than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. Despite this, the B-24 was favored by the General Staff and procured in large numbers for a variety of roles, making it the most produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history with nearly 19,000 units, including over 8,000 manufactured by Ford Motor Company.

The B-24 was widely used during World War II by all branches of the American armed forces as well as several Allied air forces and navies, and saw action in every theater of the war. Along with the B-17, it was a mainstay of the U.S. strategic bombing campaign in Western Europe. It was also used in the Pacific for bombing operations, including the bombing of Japan, and long-range anti-submarine Liberators played a critical role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. The C-87 transport derivative, which had a longer range and higher capacity, served as a counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain.

By the end of World War II, the B-24 had been phased out of U.S. service in favor of more advanced aircraft such as the Boeing B-29 Superfortress. However, the PB4Y-2 Privateer maritime patrol derivative continued to be used by the U.S. Navy during the Korean War.