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RAF Liberators...


Andre B

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Nor much i said or written about RAF Liberators. I knew that one was crashed outside Varberg in Sweden 1944 or 1945. Today no one can tell where i crashed. As I didn´t had any direct knewing about RAF Liberators I got interested.

So what differed the RAF Liberators from the USAAF variants? How would the best way to build one in 1/72? I knew about different gun turrets and longer nose. Is ther more to knew about them?

Best R.

André B

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Nor much i said or written about RAF Liberators. I knew that one was crashed outside Varberg in Sweden 1944 or 1945. Today no one can tell where i crashed. As I didn´t had any direct knewing about RAF Liberators I got interested.

So what differed the RAF Liberators from the USAAF variants? How would the best way to build one in 1/72? I knew about different gun turrets and longer nose. Is ther more to knew about them?

Best R.

André B

Bomber Command and Coastal Command both operated Liberators (which doesn't necessarily mean B-24's, they also operated LB-30's and RY-3's, the latter as Liberator C.IX's).

Like anything to do with the B-24 and its relatives, there's a rats nest of variants and sub-variants. And the UK operated a number of unique variants and refitted others extensively. Best to determine which aircraft you want to model, then figure out the right starting point & mods required.

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There's quite a lot available about RAF Liberators, but unless you can find the recent Air Britain book on the Liberator in RAF and Commonwealth Service, information is spread about a bit. You could perhaps start with Wikipedia and then Google around. At the moment you are asking for a thick book's worth of information, which is why Adam suggested that you narrow your request down a bit.

Basically, the RAF had almost every Liberator variant that the USAAF did, and perhaps a few more. Differences were largely confined to gun turrets (initially), radar and equipment fits. There were nine different marks, some of which existed in bomber, maritime and transport variants. You mention "longer nose" - this was not a feature of RAF aircraft specifically but an early change in the standard aircraft.

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Yes and no;

a total of five Liberator II was issued to No. 150 Sqn of Bomber Command in November 1941 for use as night bombers, but plans changed and they were withdrawn in January 1942 and passed to No. 108 Sqn in Egypt.

modelldoc

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This search http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/search?query=consolidated%20liberator&items_per_page=50&f[0]=themeString%3ARoyal%20Air%20Force%201939-1945&f[1]=themeString%3ARoyal%20Air%20Force%201939-1945%2C%20Coastal%20Command on the IWM website will give you a good idea of the RAF use of the Liberator. Although the words Coastal Command show in the short version seen in this post the full link text covers the RAF 1939-45 theme as well so all areas should get included.

Ross

Edited by rossm
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The Liberator was tested for the Bomber Command, but not used in Europe.

Here is my conversion from the old Revell kit:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/21603181@N08/6370397963/in/dateposted/

Later the Liberators are in North Africa in service

modelldoc

True but not quite complete, as Bomber Command did use some B-24s (not RAF Liberators) in 100 Group for the ECM role. Late in the war the RAF did use Liberators as bombers widely in Italy and India.

http://www.amazon.com/Special-Ops-Liberators-Steve-Bond/dp/1908117141

Well worth a read.

Don't forget the RAF and Commonwealth forces used the Lib in the Far East for bombing and special ops as well as probably every other role it could undertake.

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Since we're on the subject of Liberators, what about the LB-30? Other than the engines, cowlings, mid-upper turret and the tail gun position (and nose?), what would you need to do to convert a B-24 model into one?

Mike. :)

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Since we're on the subject of Liberators, what about the LB-30? Other than the engines, cowlings, mid-upper turret and the tail gun position (and nose?), what would you need to do to convert a B-24 model into one?

Mike. :)

Yes and let us not forget about the shorter nose and the altered nose transparencies

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Hmmm. :hmmm:

Anyway, I was thinking more along the lines of the requisitioned aircraft used by the 19th Bomb Group during the Java Campaign. I think they were called LB-30B's or something similar and had the longer B-24D style front end. I'm fairly sure I've deciphered the main external differences, but it's the actual mechanics of the conversion that I'm a little unsure of.

In addition, what colour would the interior have been on the early British ordered aircraft? RAF Green-Gray, or another colour?

Mike. :)

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Andre,

DK Decals from the Czech Republic are due to release a 1/72 decal sheet purely dedicated to RAF Liberators.

Link - http://dkdecals.cz/B24_RAF_navod.jpg

You might like this...

Cheers .. Dave

I like that a lot but where on earth am I going to put half a dozen Liberators?

Andy

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I like that a lot but where on earth am I going to put half a dozen Liberators?

Andy

Right next to half a dozen Fortresses of course !!!!! http://dkdecals.cz/B17_RAF_navod1.jpg

Edited by Rabbit Leader
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Andre,

DK Decals from the Czech Republic are due to release a 1/72 decal sheet purely dedicated to RAF Liberators.

Link - http://dkdecals.cz/B24_RAF_navod.jpg

You might like this...

Cheers .. Dave

Thanks Dave!

That´s was something usefull. Lots of different interesting aircrafts on that sheet!

Cheers!

André

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