The Liberator LB.30 & Mk.II

The Liberator LB.30 & Mk.II

The first production for the RAF; unarmed these aircraft retained the LB.30 designation; armed (Boulton & Paul mid-upper and tail turrets) and used operationally, they were designated Liberator Mk.II.
Powered by civil-rated Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830-S3C4-G engines with mechanical superchargers and Curtiss Electric propellers.

 

AL503.

Prototype, fitted with Boulton & Paul turrets, first flight 18 May 1941. Crashed into San Diego Bay on 26 June 1941 when a loose bolt fouled an elevator control just after take-off on final acceptance flight, the crew were all killed including William B. Wheatley, Consolidated’s chief test pilot.

 

AL507

First flight 9 August 1941. Fitted with SCR517 ASV radar in a ‘Dumbo’ fairing.
Saw service with several squadrons and eventually with the Return Ferry Service.
Written off 23 August 1947 and Reduced to Spares at Prestwick.

 

AL512

[FONT=&quot]Taken on charge at Dorval 23 September 1941 and used by the Return Ferry Service until crashing on take-off from Gander on 27 December 1943[/FONT]

 

AL523

Taken on charge 16 October 1941.
After trials at RAE Farnborough joined No.511 Squadron on 29 November 1942.
Crashed into the sea after take-off from Gibraltar on 4 July 1943, killing General Sikorski, premier of Polish government in exile.

Photograph taken on the morning after the crash from a low flying aircraft. AL523 is lying in 30 feet of water.

 

AL528

Crashed and caught fire at Charlottetown Prince Edward Island. 21 February 1946 while attempting emergency landing in snowstorm and severe icing conditions; civilian co-pilot the only fatality.

 

AL529

Retained in the US following Pearl Harbour. Released to the RAF and taken on charge at Dorval on 25 March 1942. Used by the Ferry Command Communications Squadron on the Pacific ferry service. First trip San Francisco to Australia 9-13 April 1942. On 25 May 1942 to Ferry Command and to BOAC on 11 June 1942 as G-AHYE on the Return Ferry Service.
Reduced to spares at Prestwick 13 December 1948.

 

AL543

Retained in the USA after Peal Harbour. Taken on charge by USAAC on 10 December 1941 and fitted with ASV Mk.II radar at Fairfield Air depot OH; 6th BG, Rio Hato, Panama; surveyed on 29 May 1934 at Panama and Struck off Charge

 

AL594

Retained in the USA after Pearl Harbour. Intended for the UK but went to Consolidated Aircraft on 16 May 1942. Modified to transport C-87 configuration and used by Consolidated to fly the trans-Pacific route (Consairway Airline) under contract to ferry Command.
Dumped at Kingman, Arizona February 1947 and scrapped there.

 

AL597

Taken on charge Dorval 7 December 1941.
Hit snowdrift at Goose Bay 16 January 1946 and written off 28 February 1946.

 

Typical view of an LB.30

 

Typical view of a Liberator Mk.II

 

Liberators did yeomans service but dammit they're an ugly aircraft. Looks like someone started to build a flying boat and changed their mind halfway through!

 

Hi Peter, nice shots. Is the 1st picture of 3 in the second posting taking at Aldergrove?

 

Hi Peter, nice shots. Is the 1st picture of 3 in the second posting taking at Aldergrove?

The first photo of AL507 was taken during June - July 1942 at East Boston Airport, USA. The aircraft was flown over to the US for the installation and trials of the SCR.517 ASV Mk.III radar installed in the 'Dumbo' fairing.

Regards
Peter

 

This was taken at Aldergrove 1942. 120 squadron.

 

Nice photo,

FK222 was coded OH-A and joined 120 Squadron on 27 August 1942, she went to 86 Squadron on 27 February 1943 and was damaged in a forced landing on a beach at Tullen Strand, Donegal on 18 March 1943 after a convoy patrol.
FK222 was SOC on 6 July 1945.

Regards
Peter.

 

Another shot of GR.III FK222.

 

Thanks Peter. you definitely know your B-24'S.

 

Peter. Have you seen the following dvd. All really great B-24 footage with quite a lot in colour.


Nearly two full hours featuring the B-24s and men of the 7th Air Force's 494th Bomb Group, more popularly known in the Pacific as "Kelley's Kobras". The Kobras were the last B-24 group formed for World War II, and they had the privilege of being the first Liberators over Japan.