Air Power Series>1:144 die-cast display model>B-24>HA9105

General Background

The B-24 was the most produced American bomber in WWII. The demand was so great that Consolidated was unable to keep up so contracts were awarded to Douglas, Ford and North American. The D variant became the most numerous with 2,698. The design of the B-24 allowed it to carry the same payload as the Boeing B-17 and do it faster and further. Compared to the sleek look of the B-17 the B-24 looked awkward and B-17 crews referred to it as "the crate the B-17 was shipped in"

The Aircraft

The 389th BG "Sky Scorpions" moved to England in mid 1943 as part of the 8th Air Force. They temporarily moved to Libya and Tunisia and flew missions against the Ploiești oil fields, Salerno, Corsica and Italy. From October 1943 until April 1945 the 389th BG remained in England. B-24D Liberator "Screamin' Mimi" 42-40997 had its ball- turret replaced by a cargo hatch referred to as a "Joe Hole" used to drop parachutists through. The aircraft was transferred to the 801st BG as "Worry Bird" and crashed April 1944.

Specifications :

Number Produced:	2,698
Crew:	7 / 10
Dimensions:
Length:	66 ft 4 ins
Wingspan:	110 ft
Height:	17 ft 11 ins
Wing Area:	1048 sq. ft
Weight:
Empty:	32,605 lbs
Gross Weight:	60,000 lbs
Performance:
Engines:	4 x Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 supercharged radials of 1,200 hp each (takeoff power)
Maximum Speed:	303 mph
Cruising Speed:	200 mph
Service Ceiling:	32,000 ft.
Range:	2,850 miles
Armament:	10 × .50 caliber (12.7 mm) M2 Browning machine guns
Bombs:	Short Range (400 mi) - 8,000 lb
	Long Range (800 mi) - 5,000 lb
	Very Long Range (1,200 mi) - 2,700 lb