FPP129 - B-24 Liberator

Bomber Month concludes with the Consolidated B-24 Liberator.

World War II was brewing but the United States had yet to officially join the war. Using the power of the Lend Lease Act, the call went out to aircraft manufacturers to create a new heavy bomber that could be sent to Europe and go faster, climb higher, and carry more payload than the legendary B-17 Flying Fortress. What was created was the unheralded, yet highest produced aircraft in U.S. history.

On this episode, Mr. Jim Harley joins us to discuss the oft overlooked B-24, describing its strengths & weaknesses, and why over 18,000 of these bombers were chosen to fill this skies of both the European and Pacific theaters throughout the course of the war. With over 2,500 hours in B-17s, B-24s, and B-25s, Mr. Harley also compares and contrasts the three bombers and tells us which one he would want to fly into battle.

Bumper music by Jaime Lopez / announcements by Clint Bell.