B-24 Liberator Bomber in World War II

B-24 Liberator Bomber in World War II The Consolidated B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber that entered service in 1941. A highly modern aircraft for its day, it first saw combat operations with the Royal Air Force. With the American entry into World War II, production of the B-24 increased. By the end of the conflict, over 18,500 B-24s had been constructed making it the most-produced heavy bomber in history. Employed in all theaters by the US Army Air Forces and US Navy, the Liberator routinely served alongside the more rugged Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress. In addition to service as heavy bomber, the B-24 played a critical role as a maritime patrol aircraft and aided in closing the air gap during the Battle of the Atlantic. The type was later evolved into the PB4Y Privateer maritime patrol aircraft. Liberators also served as long-range transports under the designation C-87 Liberator Express. Origins In 1938, the United State Army Air Corps approached Consolidated Aircraft about producing the new Boeing B-17 bomber under license as part of the Project A program to expand American industrial capacity. Visiting the Boeing plant in Seattle, Consolidated president Reuben Fleet assessed the B-17 and decided that a more modern aircraft could be designed using existing technology. Subsequent discussions led to the issuing of USAAC Specification C-212. Intended from the outset to be fulfilled by Consolidateds new effort, the specification called for a bomber with a higher speed and ceiling, as well as a greater range than the B-17. Responding in January 1939, the company incorporated several innovations from other projects into the final design which it designated the Model 32. Design Development Assigning the project to chief designer Isaac M. Laddon, Consolidated created a high-wing monoplane that featured a deep fuselage with large bomb-bays and retracting bomb-bay doors. Powered by four Pratt Whitney R1830 twin Wasp engines turning three-bladed variable-pitch propellers, the new aircraft featured long wings to improve performance at high altitude and increase payload. The high aspect ratio Davis wing employed in the design also allowed it to have a relatively high speed and extended range. This latter trait was gained due to wings thickness which provided additional space for fuel tanks. In addition, the wings possessed other technological improvements such as laminated leading edges. Impressed with the design, the USAAC awarded Consolidated a contract to build a prototype on March 30, 1939. Dubbed the XB-24, the prototype first flew on December 29, 1939. Pleased with the prototypes performance, the USAAC moved the B-24 into production the following year. A distinctive aircraft, the B-24 featured a twin tail and rudder assembly as well as flat, slab-sided fuselage. This latter characteristic earned it the name Flying Boxcar with many of its crews. The B-24 was also the first American heavy bomber to utilize tricycle landing gear. Like the B-17, the B-24 possessed a wide array of defensive guns mounted in top, nose, tail, and belly turrets. Capable of carrying 8,000 lbs. of bombs, the bomb-bay was divided in two by a narrow catwalk that was universally disliked by air crews but served as the fuselages structural keel beam. B-24 Liberator - Specifications (B-24J): General Length: 67 ft. 8 in.Wingspan: 110 ft.Height: 18 ft.Wing Area: 1,048 sq. ft.Empty Weight: 36,500 lbs.Loaded Weight: 55,000 lbs.Crew: 7-10 Performance Power Plant: 4 Ãâ€" Pratt Whitney R-1830 turbo-supercharged radial engines, 1,200 hp eachCombat Radius: 2,100 milesMax Speed: 290 mphCeiling: 28,000 ft. Armament Guns: 10 Ãâ€" .50 in. M2 Browning machine gunsBombs: 2,700-8,000 lbs. depending on range An Evolving Airframe An anticipated aircraft, both the Royal and French Air Forces placed orders through the Anglo-French Purchasing Board before the prototype had even flown. The initial production batch of B-24As was completed in 1941, with many being sold directly to the Royal Air Force including those originally meant for France. Sent to Britain, where the bomber was dubbed Liberator, the RAF soon found that they were unsuitable for combat over Europe as they had insufficient defensive armament and lacked self-sealing fuel tanks. Due to the aircrafts heavy payload and long range, the British converted these aircraft for use in maritime patrols and as long range transports. Learning from these issues, Consolidated improved the design and the first major American production model was the B-24C which also included improved Pratt Whitney engines. In 1940, Consolidated again revised the aircraft and produced the B-24D. The first major variant of the Liberator, the B-24D quickly amassed orders for 2,738 aircraft. Overwhelming Consolidateds production capabilities, the company vastly expanded its San Diego, CA factory and built a new facility outside of Fort Worth, TX. At maximum production, the aircraft was built at five different plans across the United States and under license by North American (Grand Prairie, TX), Douglas (Tulsa, OK), and Ford (Willow Run, MI). The latter built a massive plant at Willow Run, MI that, at its peak (August 1944), was producing one aircraft per hour and ultimately built around half of all Liberators. Revised and improved several times throughout World War II, the final variant, the B-24M, ended production on May 31, 1945. Other Uses In addition to its use as a bomber, the B-24 airframe was also the basis for the C-87 Liberator Express cargo plane and the PB4Y Privateer maritime patrol aircraft. Though based on the B-24, the PBY4 featured a single tail fin as opposed to the distinctive twin tail arrangement. This design was later tested on the B-24N variant and engineers found that it improved handling. Though an order for 5,000 B-24Ns was placed in 1945, it was cancelled a short time later when the war ended. Due to the B-24s range and payload capabilities, it was able to perform well in the maritime role, however the C-87 proved less successful as the aircraft had difficulty landing with heavy loads. As a result, it was phased out as the C-54 Skymaster became available. Though less effective in this role, the C-87 fulfilled a vital need early in the war for transports capable of flying long distances at high altitude and saw service in many theaters including flying the Hump from India to China. All told, 18,188 B-24s of all types were built making it the most produced bomber of World War II. Operational History The Liberator first saw combat action with the RAF in 1941, however due to their unsuitability they were reassigned to RAF Coastal Command and transport duty. Improved RAF Liberator IIs, featuring self-sealing fuel tanks and powered turrets, flew the types first bombing missions in early 1942, launching from bases in the Middle East. Though Liberators continued to fly for the RAF throughout the war, they were not employed for strategic bombing over Europe. With the US entry into World War II, the B-24 began to see extensive combat service. The first US bombing mission was a failed attack on Wake Island on June 6, 1942. Six days later, a small raid from Egypt was launched against the Ploesti oil fields in Romania. As US bomber squadrons deployed, the B-24 became the standard American heavy bomber in the Pacific Theater due to its longer range, while a mix of B-17 and B-24 units were sent to Europe. Operating over Europe, the B-24 became one of the principal aircraft employed in the Allies Combined Bomber Offensive against Germany. Flying as part of the Eighth Air Force in England and the Ninth and Fifteenth Air Forces in the Mediterranean, B-24s repeated pounded targets across Axis-controlled Europe. On August 1, 1943, 177 B-24s launched a famous raid against Ploesti as part of Operation Tidal Wave. Departing from bases in Africa, the B-24s struck the oil fields from low altitude but lost 53 aircraft in the process. Battle of the Atlantic While many B-24s were hitting targets in Europe, others were playing a key role in winning the Battle of the Atlantic. Flying initially from bases in Britain and Iceland, and later the Azores and the Caribbean, VLR (Very Long Range) Liberators played a decisive role in closing the air gap in the middle of the Atlantic and defeating the German U-boat threat. Utilizing radar and Leigh lights to locate the enemy, B-24s were credited in the sinking of 93 U-boats. The aircraft also saw extensive maritime service in the Pacific where B-24s and its derivative, the PB4Y-1, wreaked havoc on Japanese shipping. During the course of the conflict, modified B-24s also service as electronic warfare platforms as well as flew clandestine missions for the Office of Strategic Services.   Crew Issues While a workhorse of the Allied bombing effort, the B-24 was not hugely popular with American air crews who preferred the more rugged B-17. Among the issues with the B-24 was its inability to sustain heavy damage and remain aloft. The wings in particular proved vulnerable to enemy fire and if hit in critical areas could give way completely. It was not uncommon to see a B-24 falling from the sky with its wings folded upwards like a butterfly. Also, the aircraft proved highly susceptible to fires as many of the fuel tanks were mounted in the upper parts of the fuselage. In addition, crews nicknamed the B-24 the Flying Coffin as it possessed only one exit which was located near the tail of the aircraft. This made it difficult to impossible for the flight crew to escape a crippled B-24. It was due to these issues and the emergence of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress in 1944, that the B-24 Liberator was retired as a bomber at the end of hostilities. The PB4Y-2 Privateer, a fully navalized derivative of the B-24, remained in service with the US Navy until 1952 and with the US Coast Guard until 1958. The aircraft was also used in aerial firefighting through 2002 when a crash led to all remaining Privateers being grounded.

Case Study- Applied Research skills subject Assignment

Case Study- Applied Research skills subject - Assignment Example Mr. Abdulla would be required to collect data from all the machine operators on their efficiency and also make observations on the amounts of fumes being emitted by the factory at the same time. The observations will be dependent on the levels of efficiency of the machines. These, therefore, would only mean that the type of unit of analysis being used in this study is the individual. Individual unit of analysis will allow Mr Abdulla to have an understanding of the fumes emitted by each of the machines, which forms the main reason for the individual as a choice of unit of analysis. Individual unit of analysis will also ensure that data would be obtained from every machine operator so as to get the levels of efficiency and the levels of fume production under each state. Having the results on each of the machines will allow the researcher to understand machine efficiency in comparison with fumes

The Three C's Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 250 words

The Three C's - Essay Example Known as great hunter-gatherers, American Indians are recognized as the legend of metallurgy. Their craftsmanship and knowledge in metallurgy enabled them to devise the latest and pliable tools for hunting. Also, being skillful hunters allowed American Indians to become substantial keepers of livestock which helped them to grow economically through the Columbian Exchange which they participated in the product barter with the use of their animals as trade currencies. Their involvement in the Columbian Exchange elevated the social status of the American Indians as their economy continuously stabilizing. But, such luxury was revealed to be short-lived since the Columbian Exchange, the very reason of their loft, has also been the means to their own fall. Through the Columbian Exchange, animal and human resource trade signaled the spread of communicable foreign diseases which affected all the potential livelihood resources for the American Indians. Thus, their chiefdom immediately fell ba ck to the hinters.

Defining Race and Ethnicity Essay Example for Free

Defining Race and Ethnicity Essay The use of the terms race and ethnicity is varied. The two terms are misused as if they are identical. The casual and common appearance of the terms side by side in the public discourse may discourage people from regarding them as distinct terms. Race is based on the premise of biological and physical differences. the concept of race included any essential zing of groups of people which held them to display inherent, heritable, persistent or predictive characteristics, and which thus had a biological or quasi-biological basis. Ethnicity is an embodiment of values, institutions, and patterns of behavior, a composite whole representing a peoples historical experience, aspirations, and worldview. Ethnic classification, either externally imposed or intrinsically engendered, often defines peoples membership to a group. Aside from social constructs, ethnicity is innately more central to human experience and identity than race. I do not believe that these concepts should be important to society. Racial and ethnic categories are neither fixed across societies nor within a society. Racial and ethnic categories are fluid and changing depending on the socio-political context of a society at any given time. Ethnic and racial differences do not inherently lead to conflict. Instead, these differences can take on a social meaning of hierarchy leading to conflict when divided groups fail to negotiate. In such cases, the imbalance of power, not the racial or ethnic differences per se, is the underlying cause of the conflict. In each of these cases, it is critical that the topic of race and ethnicity receives continual examination. The ideology and myth of racial and ethnic differences cannot be validated to support or legitimate superiority, privilege, or conflict as has often been the case in both historical and global contexts.

Balboa, a Spanish conqueror and explorer :: History

Balboa, a Spanish conqueror and explorer. Vasco Nuà ±ez de Balboa, a Spanish conqueror and explorer, was the first to see the coast of the Pacific Ocean. He saw the ocean in September of 1513, from the top of a mountain of what is now Panama. On September 29, 1523, Balboa claimed it and all its shores for Spain. His findings opened Spanish explorations and conquests along the western coast of South America began. The Spanish called the ocean the South Sea because it lay south of the isthmus of Panama. In 1520 a Portuguese explorer named Ferdinand Magellan sailed through it and named it the Pacific, meaning peaceful, which until this day the name remains the same. Balboa ´s early life was a normal one. He was born in Jerez de los Caballeros, Spain. His father, whom we know little about, did not have influence or wealth. When he was young, Vasco served in the household of a rich nobleman in Moguer, one of Spain’s main ports. After Christopher Columbus ´ voyage in 1492, more sailors were taken to the New World, and many sailor stories could be heard throughout Spain about the new lands across the ocean. The opportunities attracted Balboa, who in 1501 joined a Spanish voyage to South America. They explored the north coast of what is now Colombia. There were not enough people to attempt a settlement. In 1502 they sailed to the Hispanola, the main Spanish base in America. Vasco had a very rough time making a living on the island. For a time he even raised pigs there. Balboa ´s rise to fame was one that happened little by little. In 1509, the first expedition to colonize the mainland of South America left Hispanola. Balboa wanted to join this expedition, but he had fallen heavily into debt, and he was prevented from leaving Hispanola. On the mainland, the Spaniards established the settlement of San Sebastian along the eastern coast of Uraba. In 1510, Vasco stowed away on a ship that carried some supplies and new settlers to the colony. When they reached the mainland, they met some of the San Sebastian settlers who had abandoned the settlement because they lacked food and the Indians were very dangerous there. The two groups united and went back to San Sebastian. Balboa, who had more experience on the continent than the rest, suggested moving to the western side of the gulf.

Examining Cell Phone Effects Essay

Kailla Schlimm’s article â€Å"The Effect of Cell Phones in Modern Society† addresses issues on how cell phones have altered modern day society. Schlimm’s article is mainly targeted towards children and teenagers. She begins by expressing the main point that some people rely on their cell phones for everything and gives reason of why this may be and list examples. Schlimm then extends her argument and tells how cell phones are used and what they are used for. Schlimm also confers how cell phones may be great, but they also can cause problems. After each problem is addressed, the reader may want to stop and think about the positive effects and negative effects of cell phones. Schlimm focuses on the many problems that cell phones can cause. In doing so, she reveals examples of danger and harm that they may cause. She begins by proposing explanations of how cell phones can be used improperly. For example, she say â€Å"Phones of the twenty-first century may be great at times, but at the same time the do cause a few problems. For instance, there are people who text and drive† (Schlimm). Schlimm then makes a reference to how this problem may add to the chance of getting into a car wreck even more than drinking alcohol and driving. She explains how this increases problems for the safety of the person texting, as well as all the other drivers. Not only does Schlimm address problems that occur while driving, she also approaches problems that are increasing in schools and homes. Schlimm declares, â€Å"Children are becoming distant for their parents because they are always on their phones focused on other less important thing.† After her statement she explains how some children admit to playing games during dinner, or even church. Also how students use their cell phones to text during school, and their cameras to cheat. She ventures on to acknowledge how these actions cause problems in relationships, families, and the workplace. Overall, Schlimm has her article formatted well. She addresses and lists the problems the have arose since cell phones have become a vital part of society. She provides reasoning and examples behind each statement made. She says, â€Å" Cell phones are basically miniature computers.† She adds that sooner or later there will be no need for computers at all. If this statement is true, it proves that cell phones have had an enormous effect on society and have taken over lives. Schlimm’s essay was effective in many ways. She has fully presented each statement without out-weighing the positives and negatives. . One thing Schlimm could have done differently is given herself more credibility to equal out the balance of the logical and facts and examples she expresses. She could have given an example of a positive time where she has used a call phone and a negative. This would have made the reader feel more inclined to believe that all of her statements are true. With all the facts she finishes by saying that cell phones can be very negative at times and may cause problems, but when they are used properly they may be a wonderful thing. Works Cited Schlimm, Kaila. â€Å"The Effects of Cell Phones in Modern Society.† The Talon. 11 November 2010. Web. 5 February 2012. http://www.elhstalon.net/features/2010/ 11/11/the-effects-of-cell-phones-in-modern-society/

The Effect Of Environmental And Genetics On The...

One of these oldest arguments in the history of psychology is the debate of whether or not ones environment or genetic background plays more of a role in the development of a person. Both nature and nurture have been proven to play an important role in one’s development. Nature is what we think of as pre-wiring and is influenced by genetic inheritance and other biological factors. Nurture is generally taken as the influence of external factors after conception e.g. the product of exposure, experience and learning on an individual. Throughout this paper the effects of environmental and genetics factors on a person will be discussed, and one will learn how they aid in the development of a person. It has long been established that certain physical characteristics are biologically determined by genetic inheritance. Color of eyes, the texture and color of one’s hair, pigmentation of the skin and certain diseases are all a function of the genes we inherit. Other physical cha racteristics, if not determined, appear to be at least strongly influenced by the genetic make-up of our biological parents. Characteristics such as height, weight, hair loss, life expectancy and vulnerability to specific illnesses are positively correlated between genetically related individuals. These facts have led many to speculate as to whether psychological characteristics such as behavioral tendencies, personality attributes and mental abilities are also established in an individual before he is evenShow MoreRelatedIndividual Diffferences - How environmental factors affect Personality Intelligence1525 Words   |  7 Pageswhich environmental factors can impact on the development of an individual’s personality and intelligence. The discussion in this essay entails the extent to which environmental factors impact an individual’s development of personality and intelligence. 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