B-24 Liberator bomber - Willow Run
hope it opens for you! I know its a bit off topic, but after watching, you Ford boys may want to go out to the old Ford truck and salute. as it's got a little of Willow Run in it. A good vid...
Forum Discussion
The B-24 Liberator was a Consolidated Aircraft Company design. Ford built them under license.
The statement that Willow Run was building B-24s before Pearl Harbor is not totally correct. Ford was building B-24 components prior to the December 7 1941 attack on Oahu. However, the first actual fly able B-24 didn't leave Willow Run until September 1942.
Willow Run wiki
Just like the Chevy vs Ford wars on here the WWII aircrews used to hack on each other's airplane. The B-17 crews used to joke that the B-24 was the packing crate that the B-17 was shipped in.
Many aircrews, given a choice would choose the B-17 over the B-24. The B-24, being a later design had superior range, interior space, comfort, and bomb load. However the only thing that mattered to the aircrews was what made the B-17 legendary. The B-17 would absorb battle damage well beyond the point where the B-24s wings would fold up.
As the war progressed the B-17 continued to carry the load of the Army Air Force's daylight precision bombing doctrine while the B-24 was relegated to anti submarine patrols, weather reconnaissance, assembly ships, and diversionary raids. Both of which required little interaction with German anti aircraft measures.
After the war the B-17 served in many capacities including fire bombing, and cargo. The B-24 was not so called upon. Out of the 18,188 B-24s built only a couple survive to this day in fly able condition. Their total number is only 12 IIRC.
The B-17 has been more lucky whereas there are atleast 12 fly able, another 10 or so that can be returned to fly able, and about another 50 static airframes beyond that.
The statement that Willow Run was building B-24s before Pearl Harbor is not totally correct. Ford was building B-24 components prior to the December 7 1941 attack on Oahu. However, the first actual fly able B-24 didn't leave Willow Run until September 1942.
Willow Run wiki
Just like the Chevy vs Ford wars on here the WWII aircrews used to hack on each other's airplane. The B-17 crews used to joke that the B-24 was the packing crate that the B-17 was shipped in.
Many aircrews, given a choice would choose the B-17 over the B-24. The B-24, being a later design had superior range, interior space, comfort, and bomb load. However the only thing that mattered to the aircrews was what made the B-17 legendary. The B-17 would absorb battle damage well beyond the point where the B-24s wings would fold up.
As the war progressed the B-17 continued to carry the load of the Army Air Force's daylight precision bombing doctrine while the B-24 was relegated to anti submarine patrols, weather reconnaissance, assembly ships, and diversionary raids. Both of which required little interaction with German anti aircraft measures.
After the war the B-17 served in many capacities including fire bombing, and cargo. The B-24 was not so called upon. Out of the 18,188 B-24s built only a couple survive to this day in fly able condition. Their total number is only 12 IIRC.
The B-17 has been more lucky whereas there are atleast 12 fly able, another 10 or so that can be returned to fly able, and about another 50 static airframes beyond that.
