Jump to content

1/72- Consolidated B-24H Liberator by Airfix - released


Homebee

Recommended Posts

1 hour ago, Ad-4N said:

Hoping for the eventual B-24D with optional P4BY-1 USN markings.  Then they will have my hard earned.  Airfix are you following this thread?  

The changes from the D to H series were extensive. The only PB4Y-1 we are likely to see from Airfix will be based on the B-24J (very likely just Ford-built). Likewise, the only RAF versions will be GR.VI and B.VI based on the H or J. I'm afraid if the Hasegawa or Academy D offerings don't cut it, then you may be waiting for a very long time.

  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 minutes ago, pengland007 said:

Realistically, I'd imagine they would cater to the RAF versions, and most likely a J. I cannot see them doing L or M versions.

Snap! I was just writing the same myself in response to the post about the D version.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

54 minutes ago, pengland007 said:

Realistically, I'd imagine they would cater to the RAF versions, and most likely a J. I cannot see them doing L or M versions.

 

Besides nose glazing and possibly turret fairing changes, whats more different about an L or M version that would discount these versions from the base fuselage parts being offered? I’m not suggesting it can, rather I’m not aware of whats so different between a H, J, L or M. 

Cheers.. Dave 

  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I refer you to the book Consolidated Mess, which goes with considerable detail into all the variations of the nose-turret Liberators.  They were built in several factories, with differences in each separate production batch from each factory.  Then you will be aware of what discourages anyone attempting to actually get all these variations into a model.

 

EDIT: correct title.  Sorry for anyone who tried to find it by the wrong one.

Edited by Graham Boak
  • Like 2
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Rabbit Leader said:

 

Besides nose glazing and possibly turret fairing changes, whats more different about an L or M version that would discount these versions from the base fuselage parts being offered? I’m not suggesting it can, rather I’m not aware of whats so different between a H, J, L or M. 

Cheers.. Dave 

It's a nightmare in detail, like Sherman tanks,  the book title Graham refers to below is not a joke.

58 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

I refer you to the book Consolidated Me4ass, which goes with considerable detail into all the variations of the nose-turret Liberators.  They were built in several factories, with differences in each separate production batch from each factory.  Then you will be aware of what discourages anyone attempting to actually get all these variations into a model.

 

If the base kit is as good as it appears, I forsee various bits of AM catering for the specific bits and pieces if Airfix don't, and I suspect they won't even try,  but does look set up for some variations.

@Colin @ Freightdog Models?  Gap for you ;) 

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

18 hours ago, klr said:

The changes from the D to H series were extensive. The only PB4Y-1 we are likely to see from Airfix will be based on the B-24J (very likely just Ford-built). Likewise, the only RAF versions will be GR.VI and B.VI based on the H or J. I'm afraid if the Hasegawa or Academy D offerings don't cut it, then you may be waiting for a very long time.

 

That is the beauty of this site, B-24 expertens to guide the way.  Hasegawa B-24D it is.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

15 hours ago, Ad-4N said:

 

That is the beauty of this site, B-24 expertens to guide the way.  Hasegawa B-24D it is.  

😄By no stretch of the imagination would I call myself that. As often happens with such major kit releases, I find myself learning on the job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 09/04/2024 at 18:07, Sabrejet said:

"B-24 experten"? That is a curious Luftwaffe "what-if?", but it did make me laugh. 

They actually flew the B-24….so it is possible to have  B-24 experten 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I fancy building one of these in British markings.

I don't think these were used by Coastal Command, but I suspect there might have been some in CBI?

Anybody know if any of this type of B-24H were used by the RAF? if so which serials? @Geoffrey Sinclair production block / bu nos / serial tie-ups? TIA 🙂
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

There certainly were Coastal Command aircraft with the Emerson nose turret, and quite a few B-24H delivered to the RAF (excuse me for not chasing up all the details as to which).  That's not counting the ones transferred from the 8th AF, which I presume did all end up in Bomber Command.  RAF B-24H can be found in Oughton's  book on the Liberator for Air Britain, with individual histories.

 

Identifying which ones had noses which would match the Airfix kit (or be easily modified to) is another matter, taking us back to Consolidated Mess for the details.  But if you are happy with just getting that nose turret in Coastal White, yes there are several.

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

26 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

There certainly were Coastal Command aircraft with the Emerson nose turret, and quite a few B-24H delivered to the RAF (excuse me for not chasing up all the details as to which).  That's not counting the ones transferred from the 8th AF, which I presume did all end up in Bomber Command.  RAF B-24H can be found in Oughton's  book on the Liberator for Air Britain, with individual histories.

 

Identifying which ones had noses which would match the Airfix kit (or be easily modified to) is another matter, taking us back to Consolidated Mess for the details.  But if you are happy with just getting that nose turret in Coastal White, yes there are several.

Hi Graham, l don't have either Air Britain or Consolidated Mess, hence the question. I've just got the latest wingleader on the CC Liberators, from what I can see all bar 1 of the Liberators with nose turrets that served with RAF CC were J's, or a few L's,the exception being BZ970 which was a B-24H-1-CF.

RAF mark no. doesn't appear to correlate with Consolidated mark/block numbers either.

The purpose of the question was to try and establish which, if any, RAF Liberators match or can easily modified from the new Airfix kit.

I have a stash of Hasegawa/Eduard kits which are planned for CC schemes, and a couple each of DK Decals and Kits at War Decals which feature RAF Liberators

It might be easier to ID any of these as being B-24H's? - TS530, TT343, KH393, KH160, KL574, KL629, BZ938, KK320, KN746, BZ721, EW166

The kit purports to represent a B-24H-10-FO or B-24H-15-FO - so built by Ford at Willow Run

Just a thought, would a Ford Willow Run B-24J look more like the Airfix B-24H than a Consolidated Fort Worth B-24J (Hasegawa/Eduard Kit) ?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

One of the main differences is in the additional windows in the nose in the later blocks. One use for RAF might be a 100 Group aircraft - 233 Squadron had a number of H-15-FOs transferred from the USAAF

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Certainly easier: TS530 was a B-24H-20  The rest appear to be J/B.VIs or Mk.Vs.

 

B-24H deliveries to the RAF appear to be all in the serials BZ, EV and EW, in Oughton's table, but at the moment I can't don't have to hand the link between US serial and variant.  I think this is in Consolidated Mess.  However BZ970 is 42-64431, whereas the other BZ are in the 2-640xx range.  This could be a hint...

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, Graham Boak said:

BZ970 is 42-64431, whereas the other BZ are in the 2-640xx range.  This could be a hint...

42-64431 is a CF (Fort Worth) aircraft, as are all of:

63752 to 64236

and 

64395 to 64501

this is all per The B-24 Liberator, by Allan G Blue

 

Edited by Work In Progress
Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Graham Boak said:

Certainly easier: TS530 was a B-24H-20  The rest appear to be J/B.VIs or Mk.Vs.

 

B-24H deliveries to the RAF appear to be all in the serials BZ, EV and EW, in Oughton's table, but at the moment I can't don't have to hand the link between US serial and variant.  I think this is in Consolidated Mess.  However BZ970 is 42-64431, whereas the other BZ are in the 2-640xx range.  This could be a hint...

From Consolidated Mess (I have it as an ebook)

IMG_2344

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The only B-24H received by the RAF "from the factory" was BZ970, Taken on Charge 16 February 1944, Air Britain and Air Arsenal North America says B-24H-1 42-64432 became BZ970 (Its USAAF card says accepted 13 August 1943, earmarked for Britain October, sent for modification, to ATC Dorval for ferrying 5 February 1944).  The other B-24H were theatre transfers, the only official document I have is an ADO-478 report which says,

 

B-24H transferred in November 1944. 41-29568 (contract AC-18723 Fort Worth), 41-28868 (AC-18722 Douglas)

1 from contract AC-26992 Fort Worth, serial not given, not considered a transfer (became BZ970)

16 from contract AC-21216 Ford, serials not given, not considered transfers.

 

The British Air Commission and Lend Lease says 18 transfers, all in Britain, 1 each from AC-18722 and 18733 and 16 from AC-21616, it gives the US serials but not the RAF ones.  Air Arsenal North America agrees with this while saying they were for 223 Radio Countermeasures squadron in Bomber Command (reformed in August 1944) and gives the tie ups, presented here in RAF order
TS519 / 41-29568 / H-15 / Fort Worth
TS520 / 41-28868 / H-15 / Douglas
TS521 / 42-52483 / H-15 / Ford
TS522 / 42-52712 / H-15 / Ford
TS523 / 42-52620 / H-15 / Ford
TS524 / 42-52753 / H-15 / Ford
TS525 / 42-52771 / H-15 / Ford
TS526 / 42-52572 / H-15 / Ford
TS527 / 42-52591 / H-15 / Ford
TS528 / 42-52731 / H-15 / Ford
TS529 / 42-94856 / H-20 / Ford
TS530 / 42-94891 / H-20 / Ford
TS535 / 42-94813 / H-20 / Ford
TS536 / 42-94771 / H-15 / Ford
TS537 / 42-94847 / H-20 / Ford
TT340 / 42-94797 / H-20 / Ford
VB904 / 42-52766 / H-15 / Ford
VD245 / 42-52681 / H-15 / Ford

 

In Addition Air Arsenal North America says another 3 B-24H were transferred in January 1945 in the Mediterranean to support partisan supply operations
TW758 / 41-29278 / H-10 / Fort Worth (in book as 42-)
TW759 / 42-52205 / H-10 / Ford
TW762 / 41-28722 / H-10 / Douglas (in book as 42-)

 

B-24H Serials, maker, No. a/c, Block
41-28574/28639    Douglas    66    B-24H-1
41-28640/28668    Douglas    29    B-24H-5
41-28669/28752    Douglas    84    B-24H-10
41-28753/28941    Douglas    189    B-24H-15
41-28942/29006    Douglas    65    B-24H-20
42-51077/51103    Douglas    27    B-24H-20
42-51104/51181    Douglas    78    B-24H-25
42-51182/51225    Douglas    44    B-24H-30
41-29116/29187    Fort Worth    72    B-24H-1
41-29188/29258    Fort Worth    71    B-24H-5
41-29259/29335    Fort Worth    77    B-24H-10
41-29336/29606    Fort Worth    271    B-24H-15
41-29607/29608    Fort Worth    2    B-24H-20
42-50277/50354    Fort Worth    78    B-24H-20
42-50355/50410    Fort Worth    56    B-24H-25
42-50411/50451    Fort Worth    41    B-24H-30
42-64432/64440    Fort Worth    9    B-24H-1
42-64441/64451    Fort Worth    11    B-24H-5
42-64452/64501    Fort Worth    50    B-24H-10
42-7465/7717    Ford    253    B-24H-1
42-7718/7769    Ford    52    B-24H-5
42-52077/52113    Ford    37    B-24H-5
42-52114/52302    Ford    189    B-24H-10
42-52303/52776    Ford    474    B-24H-15
42-94729/94794    Ford    66    B-24H-15
42-94795/95022    Ford    228    B-24H-20
42-95023/95288    Ford    266    B-24H-25
42-95289/95503    Ford    215    B-24H-30

 

Douglas 66 B-24H-1, 29 B-24H-5, 84 B-24H-10, 189 B-24H-15, 92 B-24H-20, 78 B-24H-25, 44 B-24H-30, Total 582 aircraft.
Ford 253 B-24H-1, 89 B-24H-5, 189 B-24H-10, 540 B-24H-15, 228 B-24H-20, 266 B-24H-25, 215 B-24H-30, Total 1,780 aircraft.
Fort Worth 81 B-24H-1, 82 B-24H-5, 127 B-24H-10, 271 B-24H-15, 80 B-24H-20, 56 B-24H-25, 41 B-24H-30, Total 738 aircraft.
Totals 400 B-24H-1, 200 B-24H-5, 400 B-24H-10, 1,000 B-24H-15, 400 B-24H-20, 400 B-24H-25, 300 B-24H-30, Total 3,100 aircraft.

 

Other serials mentioned above, BZ721 D-45, BZ938 D-20, EW166 J-20, KH160 J-80, KH393 J-90, KK320 J-100, KL574 L-5, KL629 L-15, KN746 L-20

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

When I was looking at the RAF use of the B-24H as a possible subject of a 'Colour Conundrum' article a couple of months ago, the only 'H' models I found were those supplied to 223 (Bomber Support) Squadron in Bomber Command. I evidently missed the three in the Middle East.

 

If everything goes according to plan, the resulting article should appear in the June and July issues of Scale Aircraft Modelling.

 

223 Squadron also used a number of 'J' models and these are also covered, which might be of interest to anyone wanting to have a go at modelling  a Bomber Support Liberator using the new Hobby Boss kit in 1/48.

 

 

  • Like 1
  • Thanks 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

42 minutes ago, Geoffrey Sinclair said:

The British Air Commission and Lend Lease says 18 transfers, all in Britain,

That's brilliant Geoffrey, exactly what I was looking for, just need to reasearch the markings for these

 

11 minutes ago, Paul Lucas said:

If everything goes according to plan, the resulting article should appear in the June and July issues of Scale Aircraft Modelling.

I'll keep my eye out for that so I can mark my own homework 😉

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From B-24 Liberator by Allan G Blue page 210

Theatre transfers to RAF in ETO: 41-28868, 41-29568, 42-50744, 42-51226, 42-51350, 42-51529, 42-52483, 42-52572, 42-52591, 42-52620, 42-52681, 42-52712,  42-52731, 42-52766, 42-52771, 42-94771, 42-94797, 42-94813, 42-94847, 42-94856, 42-94891, 44-10421 returned US control April 1945, 44-10533, 44-10574, 44-10594, 44-10597, 44-10611, 44-40380, 44-40457.  Total 30.  42-52753 is not mentioned.

 

Theatre transfers to RAF in MTO: 41-11906, 41-28722, 41-29278, 42-52205, 42-64341, 42-78080, 42-78096, 42-78110, 42-78113, 42-78129, 42-78143, 42-78144, 42-78153, total 13.  All except 41-11906 and 42-78129 returned to US control after VE day

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...