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SPECIFICATIONS:B-24D Liberator
Crew: Ten
Powerplant: Four P&W R-1830-43 Twin Wasp radials of 1,200 hp each
Dimensions: Span 110 ft, length 66 ft 4 ins, wing area 1,048 sq ft.
Weights: Empty 34,000 lb; normal loaded 63,500 lb.
Performance: Max speed 303 mph at 25,000 ft.
Service ceiling 28,000 ft.
Range 2,300 miles with 5,000 lb l
Armament: Nine 0.5 in machine guns.
Max bomb load (unmodified): 12,800 lb.HISTORY:
A contemporary of the Boeing Fortress in WW2, the Liberator was in fact a
much later design being conceived in January 1939 - four and a half years
after the Fortress - to meet USAAC requirements for a heavy bomber superior
to the Boeing product.It proved capable of carrying a larger bomb load than the Fortress, and it
was also faster and had a much longer range. On the debit side, however, it
had a relatively poor service ceiling, inferior engine-out performance and
was harder to handle.Nevertheless, more Libs were built than any other American aircraft in history,
and they served with great distinction during WW2, not only as a bomber with
US, RAF, RCAF, RAAF and SAAF units, but also as a passenger and cargo plane,
tanker, Ferret or radar reconnaisance aircraft and submarine hunter/killer.The major design feature of the Liberator was its high aspect ratio Davis
wing, whose high lift for minimum drag characteristics combined with its great
fuel capacity to give the aircraft a prodigious range. Other natable features
were the fowler flaps and tricycle ungercarriage configuration.While its relatively poor service ceiling restricted the numbers used in the
European Theatre, its long range and load carrying capacity proved decisive in
the Pacific Theatre and in the Battle of the Atlantic.RAF662_B24d USAAC
The aircraft depicted here is a B-24D of the 44th Bomber Group, 8th Air Force
operating from Shipdham, Norfolk, in Autumn 1943.RAF662_B24D RAF
366 B24d aircraft were supplied to the RAF under lend-lease, mostly going to
Coastal Command for the Battle of the Atlantic while a small number were
assigned to Middle East Command. This aircraft is a fictitious Liberator 111
assigned to RAF 662 Squadron for combat evaluation.
Computer Model
This model is equipped with a Sperry autopilot; on-line instructions for
its use are available by clicking on the small rectangle to the right of the
autopilot's command attitude indicator.The aircraft is also fitted with functioning navigation and landing lights
for night operations and is fitted with an adjustable clock for day or
night settings.I strongly suggest that you use the on-line checklist (SHIFT + C) until you
are fully familiar with the characteristics of this aircraft.
