Consolidated B-24J Liberator - The Definitive Liberator

Nostalgistic · October 3, 2024, 5:35pm

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Consolidated B-24J Liberator

Hello everybody. I’d like to suggest the Consolidated B-24J Liberator for US aviation in War Thunder. The B-24J was the most prolific variant of the Liberator, built at all five factories, with 6,678 B-24Js in total. This variant had an improved autopilot, bombsight, and changes to its defensive armament, especially replacing the greenhouse nose with a Consolidated A-6 nose turret.

This aircraft was originally featured on the Future of the American Aviation Tree in War Thunder back on June 30, 2014; however, there were no plans for it, so I made this suggestion to ensure it would get a place in War Thunder one day.

History

Background

By late 1942, the USAAF was aware that the earlier B-24 Liberators were insufficiently protected against frontal attacks, so in the summer of 1943, the Army Air Forces Depots introduced and installed A-6 tail turrets in the noses of B-24Ds as interim measures; these modifications were known as the B-24D-1, which was a success in the field. So, immediate orders were dispatched to introduce the new nose turrets as factory-installed equipment.

Factory-installed nose turrets were first introduced on the Liberator production line with the Ford-built B-24H and some North American-built B-24Gs. New plans were established for factory-installed nose turrets to be introduced on the Consolidated production line, and the designation B-24J was assigned to these bombers on the line. All factories at San Diego, Willow Run, Fort Worth, Dallas, and Tulsa readied to start producing B-24Js in August 1943.

Production

It was initially planned that the nose turret used on all five Liberator production lines would be the electrically-powered Emerson Electric A-15 nose turret. However, the Consolidated A-6 hydraulically-driven tail turret was selected instead since the production of B-24Js far exceeded the availability of Emerson turrets. Later in the production run of the B-24J, the supply of Emerson turrets was finally sufficient to allow them to be installed in the nose position, whereas the Consolidated turret remained only in the tail position. The change to the Emerson nose turret was made by Spring 1944 with production blocks B-24J-190-CO and B-24J-45-CF on the San Diego and Fort Worth assembly lines, respectively.

Other changes found on all B-24Js included an advanced M-1 series bombsight, an improved C-1 automatic pilot, electronic turbo-supercharger regulators, and new R-1830-65 engines with an improved fuel system, though only producing the same amount of pounds-force as the B-24D (These changes are, of course, meaningless in the game, nonetheless). A lot of production blocks of B-24Js introduced their distinctive features, which are too many to list here.

6,678 B-24Js would be produced before the end of the war. A number of the B-24Js were diverted to serve the Royal Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Royal Australian Air Force as the Liberator B Mk.VIII.

Operational Service

When the B-24J had been introduced to the frontlines with the USAAF Bomb Groups, the model was unpopular with its crew because the introduced changes caused excessive weight. Its empty weight of the Liberator was greater than the empty weight of the B-24D. Consequently, the B-24J suffered a moderate loss in overall performance caused by its heavier weight. The heavier weight made the B-24J slightly less stable and dangerous to fly as its controls were poor, and the response was more sluggish.

The B-24Js went overseas to equip the USAAF Bomb Groups in the European, CBI, and Pacific theaters. Most B-24Js bound for the Pacific had their ball turrets removed in the US before being dispatched to the front. In Europe, the B-24Js deleted their ball turret during the spring of 1944, when the increased availability of long-range escort fighters made the danger of Luftwaffe fighter attacks from below less likely.

By the end of 1944, the B-24J was replaced on the production lines by the B-24L and B-24M, and these were the lightened variants introduced in response to the B-24J’s excessive weight, with the ball turret omitted at the factories.

At the end of the war, almost all B-24Js and other variants were immediately retired from service and were scrapped shortly after.

Specifications

Consolidated B-24J Liberator

General Characteristics

Crew: 10

Dimensions:

Length: 67 ft 2 in (20.47 m)

Height: 17 ft 7.5 in (5.372 m)

Span: 110 ft (34 m)

Wing area: 1,048 sq ft (97.36 sq m)

Propellers:

Type: 4 x 3-bladed Hamilton Standard constant speed propellers

Diameter: 11 ft 7 in (3.53 m)

Powerplant: 4 x R-1830-65 air-cooled turbo-supercharged radial piston engines
→ 4,800 hp (3,530 kW)

Fuel/Oil Capacities:

Fuel: 2,344 US gal (8,870 L)

Oil: 131.6 US gal (498 L)

Weights:

Empty: 36,500 lb (16,556 kg)

Gross: 65,000 lb (29,484 kg)

Max. Bomb Load: 12,800 lb (4,000 kg)

Performance

Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.07 hp/lb (0.11 kW/kg)

Wing Loading: 62 lb/sq ft (303 kg/sq m)

Speed:

Cruising: 215 mph (346 km/h)

Critical Altitude: 297 mph @ 25,000 ft (478 km/h @ 7,620 m)

Stall: 95 mph (153 km/h)

Climb Performance:

Rate of Climb: 1,025 fpm (5.2 m/s)

Time to Altitude: 25 minutes to 20,000 ft (6,096 m)

Service Ceiling: 28,000 ft (8,534 m)

Combat Range: 1,540 miles @ 237 mph @ 25,000 ft (2,478 km @ 381 km/h @ 7,620 m)

Armament

Turrets

10 x .50-cal. M2 Browning machine guns (5,400 rounds in total)

2 x .50-cal. guns in nose turret (400 rpg; 800 rounds)

1,600 extra rounds stored in the nose section

2 x .50-cal. guns in top turret (400 rpg; 800 rounds)

2 x .50-cal. guns in belly turret (350 rpg; 700 rounds)

1 x .50-cal. guns in left waist turret (350 rounds)

1 x .50-cal. guns in right waist turret (350 rounds)

2 x .50-cal. guns in tail turret (400 rpg; 800 rounds)

Bombs:

2 x 4,000-lb bombs on wings

4 x 2,000-lb bombs + 2 on wings

8 x 1,600-lb bombs + 2 on wings

12 x 1,000-lb bombs

12 x 500-lb bombs

12 x 300-lb bombs

12 x 250-lb bombs

20 x 100-lb bombs

Conclusion | Why it should be in the game

I made this suggestion to request more World War II-era vehicles to add to War Thunder. I feel the B-24J itself is a long overdue addition to US aviation since it has an entirely different nose turret. Apart from totally new external visuals, the nose turret would greatly improve B-24J’s frontal defensive coverage. However, due to the new nose turret and other internal equipment, the performance of the B-24J dropped slightly. I do not perceive this as a deal breaker since it performs closely to the B-24D in-game. The B-24J would go into a folder with the B-24D without greatly hindering the grind in the bomber line.

I would prefer the production block of B-24J-100-CF as the final representation for the B-24J variant in War Thunder. This production block introduced the Emerson turret on the nose and the enclosed waist windows. What’s your preference for the B-24J block production? I’d like to see your input in the comments on this!

Related Suggestions

Liberator Family:

Sources

AN 01-5E-2 Erection and Maintenance Instructions for B-24D,G, H and J (25 October 1944)
AN 01-5EE-1 Pilot’s Flight Operating Instructions for B-24G,H,J, L and M (30 November 1944)
Aircraft Number 21: B-24 Liberator in Action (1975)
Aircraft Number 80: B-24 Liberator in Action (1987)
B-24 Liberator in Detail & Scale (2000)
World War 2 In Review No. 20: Consolidated B-24 Liberator (2017)
B24 Liberator Information
http://joebaugher.com/usaf_bombers/b24_18.html
Consolidated B-24 Liberator - Wikipedia

Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃

jon_man1199 · October 3, 2024, 8:20pm

A 100% absolute +1 from me! Honestly, more B-24s would be super appreciated; I always felt it was a bit of a shame that we only had the B-24D in-game and none of the later variants, so this would be a neat addition. As an added bonus the camo options for it would be near limitless

JamesPond1200-psn · October 3, 2024, 9:10pm

Heavy bombers are always fun! +1

(BTW, you listed the nose turret twice in the armament section.)

Nostalgistic · October 3, 2024, 10:28pm

It has been brought to my attention that B-24J can carry up to 12,800 pounds of bombload, including access to 2 x 4,000-lb bombs on external wing racks. Therefore, I have updated B-24J’s specs.

Here’s a screenshot of the page B-24J Erection and Maintenance Instructions that included every bomb and how many it can carry.

For more info, this source can be accessed with this link:

Starting from pg 1018 to pg 1026, it will describe B-24’s armament. The page shown in the screenshot is page 1019.

Nostalgistic · October 3, 2024, 10:29pm

Fixed, thank you!

JamesPond1200-psn · October 4, 2024, 3:55am

You’re welcome!

WalletWorrier · October 4, 2024, 4:18am

+1 it’s always bothered me that there’s only 1 B-24 model, foldered under a B-17.
Add this and maybe also the H and folder them all up plus the PB4Y, with B-17s in their own folder

HolmanTheHorror · October 4, 2024, 5:44am

+1 from me, seems like a good sidegrade.

Ochie · January 18, 2025, 2:40am

Stretch, get in the ball turret.

Nostalgistic · January 18, 2025, 2:44am

Call of Duty 2 Big Red One reference. That’s a fun mission!