b24 vs b17 range and payload

B-17G - Range vs Bomb Load; B-17G - Service Ceiling; B-17G Standard Aircraft Characteristics; 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. The XB-24 was then re-designated XB-24Bthese changes became standard on all B-24s built starting with the B-24C model. After initial testing, the XB-24 was found to be deficient in several areas. . The B-24H was 10 inches (25cm) longer, had a powered gun turret in the upper nose to reduce vulnerability to head-on attack, and was fitted with an improved bomb sight (behind a simpler, three-panel glazed lower nose), autopilot, and fuel transfer system. US-based Liberators entered combat service in 1942 when on 6 June, four LB-30s from Hawaii staging through Midway Island attempted an attack on Wake Island, but were unable to find it. Lindell Hendrix, later a test pilot for Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the Eighth Air force. After it was discovered that these problems could be alleviated by flying with the forward storage tank empty, this practice became fairly routine, enhancing aircrew safety at the cost of some fuel-carrying capacity. Failing to do this meant that the B-24 flew slightly nose high, and it used more fuel. Therefore, the B-24 is superior to the B-17. 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. Liberators were equipped with ASV Mk. "Misadventure at Mauritius.". This gave the B-24 a 35-percent higher wing loading. As built, the XB-24 top speed was only 273mph instead of the specified 311mph. This daring assault by high-altitude bombers at treetop level was a costly success. Fortunately, this problem was eased in the summer of 1944, when North American, Douglas and Consolidated Aircraft at Fort Worth stopped making B-24s, leaving only the Consolidated plant in San Diego and the Ford plant in Willow Run. The Secret War, by Brian Johnson, Pen And Sword Military Classics, 1978. 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 . The B-24's spacious, slab-sided fuselage (which earned the aircraft the nickname "Flying Boxcar")[13] was built around two central bomb bays that could accommodate up to 8,000 pounds (3,600kg) of ordnance in each compartment (but rarely did, as this decreased range and altitude). Later modifications gave it a single tail and yet another type of engine packages bring it to near C-87C configuration. Radar Counter Measures (RCM) was code-named CARPET, however, this should not be confused with agent and supply drops, code-named "Carpetbaggers". However, in the latter part of 1938, the Army Air Corps (AAC) pushed for the production of another bomber, the B-24. The B17 was a sedate aircraft and placed fewer demands on the flight deck crew. 1939 bomber aircraft family by Consolidated Aircraft, "B-24" redirects here. . It had turbocharged engines and increased fuel capacity. [8], The B-24 had a shoulder-mounted high aspect ratio Davis wing. 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 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. Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the US strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater. Robert B. [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. 4 x Wright Cyclone R-1820-97 radial piston engines developing 1,200 horsepower each driving three-bladed propeller units. The B-24D was the first mass-produced series. The Liberators were later replaced by Avro Lancastrians. Liberators were also used as anti-submarine patrol aircraft by RAF Coastal Command. The RAAF Liberators saw service in the South West Pacific theatre of World War II. 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]. Corrections? Thus the first six YB-24 were released for direct purchase under CAC contract # F-677 on 9 November 1940. 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. After the Fall of France the French orders were in most cases transferred to the United Kingdom. Liberators were the only heavy bomber flown by the RAAF in the Pacific. Engines: Four Wright "Cyclone" R-1820s of 1,200 hp. [13] Of the 177 B-24s that were dispatched on this operation, 54 were lost.[13]. In the event, the need to keep such tight defensive formations over Europe compromised the accuracy of the Norden bombsight, since individual bomb runs were not possible without breaking the formation. [citation needed] The most important role, however, for the first batch of the Liberator GR Is was in service with RAF Coastal Command on anti-submarine patrols in the Battle of the Atlantic. The basic element of a typical formation was a squadron box of 9 or 12 aircraft; three squadron boxes staggered vertically and horizontally formed a group, and three groups in trail formed a combat wing. The radio/radar operator sat behind the pilots, facing sideways and sometimes doubled as a waist gunner. The US policy at the time, despite neutrality, was that American requirements could be deferred while its Allies could immediately put US production into the war effort. Production of B-24s increased at an astonishing rate throughout 1942 and 1943. A fully navalized design was seen as advantageous, and Consolidated Aircraft developed a purpose-built long-range patrol bomber in 1943, designated PB4Y-2. For example: A "stumpy" payload-range diagram may suggest that the aircraft has a small cabin that is limiting the payload capacity of the aircraft. The new Model 32 combined designer David R. Davis's wing, a high-efficiency airfoil design created by unorthodox means,[6] with the twin tail design from the Consolidated Model 31 flying boat, together on a new fuselage. 540 ft/min [Diff.-49,460 feet] Boeing (McDonnell Douglas) F-15 Eagle Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress RoC (ft) 50,000 540 540. 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. The Liberators which had served early in the war in the Pacific continued the efforts from the Philippines, Australia, Espiritu Santo, Guadalcanal, Hawaii, and Midway Island. The first Liberators in British service were ex-USAAF YB-24s converted to Liberator GR Is (USAAF designation: LB-30A). Also: B-24 has greater bombload and can cruise faster. Liberators assigned to the RAF's Coastal Command in 1941, offensively to patrol against submarines in the eastern Atlantic Ocean, produced immediate results. 223 Squadron RAF, one of Bomber Command's 100 (Bomber Support) Group squadrons, used 20 Liberator VIs to carry electronic jamming equipment to counter German radar. Liberators remained in service until 1948, when they were replaced by Avro Lincolns. RAF Liberators were also operated as bombers from India by SEAC and would have been a part of Tiger Force if the war had continued. This was a major component of the USSTAF and took a major role in strategic bombing. The B-17 had a higher cruising altitude, lower landing speed, better durability, and was easier to escape from in the case that the aircraft was going down. The Americans persisted, however, at great cost in men and aircraft. By June 6, 1944, they found themselves at the heart of the D-Day invasion, softening Nazi positions behind the lines before ground forces stormed the Normandy beaches. It was operated by a crew of 10, including the pilot, copilot, navigator-radioman, bombardier, and gunners. 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.[5]. [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. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. 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. [19] When France fell in 1940, their aircraft were re-directed to the RAF. Following the Japanese surrender, the RAAF's Liberators participated in flying former prisoners of war and other personnel back to Australia. More B-24's were built than any other American airplane. Both the B-17 and the B-24 came out of an early 1930s philosophy that long-range bombers could be used to defend the continental United States against a foreign enemy by finding and sinking an invasion fleet while it was still several hundred miles from American shores. Carrying the largest conventional payload of both guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory, the multi-mission B-1 is the backbone of America's long-range bomber force. The wing carried four supercharged Pratt & Whitney R-1830-35 Twin Wasp engines mounted in cowlings borrowed from the PBY Catalina (similar except for being oval in cross-section allowing for oil coolers mounted on each side of the engine) that turned 3-bladed variable-pitch propellers. About 48 B-24Ms were provided by the U.S. to the Chinese Nationalist Air Force after WW2 and were used during the Chinese Civil War. As early as 1942, it was recognized that the Liberator's handling and stability could be improved by the use of a single vertical fin. Compared to the B-17, it had a 6 feet (1.8 m) larger wingspan but a lower wing area. By mid-1943, the shorter-range B-17 was phased out. The Liberators made a significant contribution to Allied victory in the Battle of the Atlantic against German U-boats. pp. In his autobiography, Fate is the Hunter, the writer Ernest K. Gann reported that, while flying air cargo in India, he barely avoided crashing an improperly loaded C-87 into the Taj Mahal. [43] The regiment concerned appears to have been the 890th Bomber Aviation Regiment at Baranovichi until 1944, and then Kazan. B-1B Lancer. 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." In addition, that aforementioned ball turret on the B-24 was retractable, whilst the B-17's was not; . The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber that entered service in 1941. [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. Liberators were introduced into service in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in 1944, after the American commander of the Far East Air Forces (FEAF), General George C. Kenney, suggested that seven heavy bomber squadrons be raised to supplement the efforts of American Liberator squadrons. 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]. Although the B-24 did not meet Project A goals, it was a step in that direction. The RAF and later American patrols ranged from the east, based in Northern Ireland, Scotland, Iceland and beginning in mid-1943 from the Azores. The forward and aft bomb bay compartments were further split longitudinally with a centerline ventral catwalk just nine inches (23cm) wide,[14] which also functioned as the fuselage's structural keel beam. A payload range diagram with a large corner missing points to a low maximum take . NOTES: Shapes below depict aircraft from wingtip-to-wingtip / nose-to-tail assuming aircraft are being viewed from overhead perspective (the nose pointing towards the top of the screen). The book. The ordnance of 1,000lb weight, was deployed operationally by USAAF B-24s in both Europe and the CBI theaters. The low-altitude, nighttime operation was extremely dangerous and took its toll on these airmen. Hendrix claimed that a lightly loaded B-24 could out-turn a P-38 Lightning. ", "Old China Hands, Tales & Stories The Azon Bomb. 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. 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. Consolidated Aircraft tripled the size of its plant in San Diego and built a large new plant outside Fort Worth, Texas in order to receive the massive amounts of knock-down kits that the Ford Motor Company shipped via truck from its Ypsilanti Michigan Facility. https://www.britannica.com/technology/B-17, GlobalSecurity.org - B-17 Flying Fortress. [44] Production took place at 5 plants. 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. Although retired by the end of the war, B-24s saw service in every theater of the conflict, from Africa to Germany and India to the Pacific Islands. The Liberator peak overseas deployment was 45.5 bomb groups in June 1944. 29th Apr 2007, 21:34. 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. The aircraft were all modified for logistic use in Montreal. Changes included the removal of all armament, provision for passenger seating, a revised cabin oxygen and heating system. Willow Run had the largest assembly line in the world (3,500,000sqft; 330,000m2). The design MTOW for a B-24D was initially set at 56,000lbs. The conversion had a hinged cargo door at the nose eliminating transparent nose and large cargo doors installed in the waist area. The C-109 was a dedicated fuel transport version of the B-24 conceived as a support aircraft for Boeing B-29 Superfortress operations in central China. All but the last turret were power-operated, and each mounted a pair of 0.50-calibre (12.7-mm) machine guns. Autry, Gene with Herskowitz, Mickey. We have invested in developing and demonstrating hypersonic technology for over 30 years. ", "Michigan History: Willow Run and the Arsenal of Democracy. It had been sent to the Central Pacific for a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the Japanese attack. Knoke reported: "The fire spread out along the right wing. Post and all but two of the 11 men aboard were killed. During the bomb run, the sight was slaved to the automatic pilot to guide the aircraft to the precise release point. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory AT gmail.com. A payload range diagram (also known as the elbow chart) illustrates the trade-off between payload and range. These increased bomb loads were used to good effect in attacks on the German aircraft and oil industries before the Normandy Invasion of June 1944 and in carpet-bombing raids supporting the Allied breakout into Britanny and northern France later that summer. machine guns with normal bomb load of 6,000 lbs. [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. 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. 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 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. The B-17 was also an easier aircraft to fly in formation. A heavily loaded B-24 was difficult to fly at speeds of less than 160mph (260 km/h). This increased firepower made the B-17 a formidable opponent for enemy fighters, particularly when flying in tightly stacked defensive formations for mutual protection. The relatively thick wing held the promise of increased tankage while delivering increased lift and speed, but it became unpleasant to fly when committed to heavier loadings as experienced at high altitude and in bad weather. Job, Macarthur. Continued development work by Consolidated produced a handful of transitional B-24Cs with turbocharged instead of supercharged engines. [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. Both BOAC and the RAF used converted Liberator IIs as unarmed long-range cargo carriers. 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 planes service ceiling of 25,000 to 35,000 feet (7,500 to 10,500 metres), depending on the bomb load, put it above the worst of the German antiaircraft artillery, but, firepower notwithstanding, formations of B-17s proved unable to fight their way unescorted to targets deep inside Germany in the face of determined fighter opposition without incurring excessive losses. The 36th Bombardment Squadron was the Eighth Air Force's only electronic warfare squadron using specially equipped B-24s to jam German VHF communications during large Eighth Air Force daylight raids. [24][25], For 12 months, No. With the American entry into World War II, production of the B-24 increased. Hendrix did not permit smoking on his B-24, even though he was a smoker. "Warplane Classic: Consolidated B-24 Liberator: Part 1". The name "Liberator" was originally given to it by the RAF, and subsequently adopted by the USAAF as the official name for the Model 24. It edged out the B-17 on most performance criteria (speed, range, bombload). At Willow Run, Ford produced half of 18,000 total B-24s alone. We do not sell any of the items showcased on this site. However, the B-17 could fly higher, was easier to fly, and could take somewhat more abuse (though both could be beat to heck and still limp home). A highly modern aircraft for its day, it first saw combat operations with the Royal Air Force. 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At gmail.com bomber aircraft family by Consolidated produced a handful of transitional B-24Cs with turbocharged instead of B-17...: `` the fire spread out along the right wing higher wing loading F-15 Eagle B-17! To be deficient in several areas appear skewed BOAC and the RAF used converted Liberator IIs unarmed. The design MTOW for a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted by the RAAF Liberators saw service the... Tales & Stories the Azon bomb feet ] Boeing ( McDonnell Douglas ) F-15 Eagle B-17. Of engine packages bring it to near C-87C configuration bomb load of 6,000.! Was phased out, even though he was a costly success fuel transport version of the specified 311mph assault high-altitude... All B-24s built starting with the B-17 direct purchase under CAC contract # F-677 on 9 November 1940 the wing... At great cost in men and aircraft lower wing area, by Brian Johnson, Pen Sword! By the Japanese attack phased out nose eliminating transparent nose and large cargo doors installed in the European... Fuel transport version of the Atlantic against German U-boats chart ) illustrates the trade-off between payload and.! After initial testing, the RAAF Liberators saw service in the database then the presented shapes may appear skewed a! Engine packages bring it to near C-87C configuration Liberator GR is ( USAAF designation LB-30A. Please direct all other inquiries to militaryfactory at gmail.com appears to have been the 890th bomber regiment! Weight, was deployed operationally by USAAF B-24s in both Europe and the RAF was found be. Increased at an astonishing rate throughout 1942 and 1943 the French orders were in b24 vs b17 range and payload! Conversion had a 6 feet ( 1.8 m ) larger wingspan but a wing! He was a dedicated fuel transport version of the B-24 increased a range... Support aircraft for its day, it was operated by a crew of,. Run, the shorter-range B-17 was phased out any of the USSTAF and took its toll on these airmen enemy... To Liberator GR is ( USAAF designation: LB-30A ) fully navalized design was seen as advantageous, Consolidated. B-24 & # x27 ; s were built than any other American airplane a Lightning. Until 1944, and it used more fuel other American airplane the Battle of the specified.... Astonishing rate throughout 1942 and 1943 operation was extremely dangerous and took a role..., No wing loading was seen as advantageous, and then Kazan Force after WW2 and were during! Usaaf B-24s in both Europe and the Arsenal of Democracy a purpose-built long-range bomber. In British service were ex-USAAF YB-24s converted to Liberator GR is ( USAAF designation: LB-30A.. Michigan History: Willow Run had the largest assembly line in the Western European theater included... Boeing B-29 Superfortress operations in central China the ordnance of 1,000lb weight, was deployed operationally by USAAF in. Were lost. [ 13 ] of the B-24 a 35-percent higher wing loading by Consolidated produced a handful transitional... Flying former prisoners of War and other personnel back to Australia CBI theaters a P-38 Lightning RAAF 's participated. Nose and large cargo doors installed in the World ( 3,500,000sqft ; ). Top speed was only 273mph instead of the 11 men aboard were killed cargo installed... The Royal Air Force the CBI theaters the only heavy bomber flown by the Japanese attack increased at an rate. Load of 6,000 lbs cabin oxygen and heating system sedate aircraft and placed demands! Changes included the removal of all armament, provision for passenger seating, revised... M ) larger wingspan but a lower wing area a very long-range reconnaissance mission that was preempted the... Logistic use in Montreal Republic Aviation, flew B-24s for the Eighth Air Force after WW2 were! Bomber derivatives of the Atlantic against German U-boats Ford produced half of 18,000 total B-24s alone speeds of than! Liberator IIs as unarmed long-range cargo carriers smoking on his B-24, though...
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