Lucky13
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As I've earmarked one of my Cats for a Coastal Command bird, I now want to do a B-24 in the same scheme and have decided to get another 'D' variant for that later, as an early x-mas pressie from me to me...
As it is, most, not all, had their tail turrets swapped to a four .303 gun Boulton Paul turret, which I think is the biggest difference between the US and these RAF Coastal Command birds...
But as I've found out, they also received 11 Liberator Mk IIIA's, which were:
LV336 (USAAF 41-1107), LV337 (USAAF 41-1087), LV338 (USAAF 41-1127) LV339 (USAAF 41-1096), LV340 (USAAF 41-1122), LV341 (USAAF 41-1097), LV342 (USAAF 41-1114), LV343 (USAAF 41-1111), LV344 (41-1093), LV345 (USAAF 41-1124), LV346 (USAAF 41-1108.)....
These however, retained there factory mounted tail turrets, as they were Lend-Lease only....
As I understand, they all went to No. 86 Squadron, LV342 was with No. 59 Squadron as their first Liberator I think...
As it is, I can't find these 11 birds anywhere and their (or bits of..) service history...
No. 86 Squadron:
Squadron Bases Airfields
Gosport, Hampshire 06/12/40
Leuchars, Fife, 02/02/41
Wattisham, Suffolk, 03/03/41
Ipswich, Suffolk, 04/03/41
North Coates, Lincolnshire, 01/06/41
North Coates, Lincolnshire, 12/05/41
Leuchars, Fife, 12/09/41
St. Eval, Cornwall, 13/12/41
St. Eval, Cornwall, 10/01/42
Thorney Island, Hampshire, 16/02/42
North Coates, Lincolnshire, 21/02/42
Leuchars, Fife, 22/02/42
Wick, Caithness, 09/03/42
Skitten, Caithness, 18/03/42
Thorney Island, Hampshire, 31/07/42
Aldergrove, County Antrim, 18/03/43
Ballykelly, Londonderry, 04/09/43
Reykjavik, Iceland, 24/03/44
Tain, Caithness, 05/06/44
Tain, Caithness, 28/06/44
Oakington, Cambridgeshire, 01/08/45
Equipment Used and Dates
Blenheim IV: Dec 1940 - Jul 1941
Beaufort I: Jun 1941 - Jul 1942
Liberator IIIa: Oct 1942 - Aug 1944
Liberator V: Mar 1943 - Feb 1945
Liberator VIII: Feb 1945 - Apr 1946
No.86 Squadron was formed on 1 September 1917 at Wye but did not become operational before being disbanded on 4 July 191 8, to provide reinforcements for active units in France. It began to reform as a ground attack squadron on 30 October 1918, but this was suspended when the Armistice was signed two weeks later. No.86 reformed on 6 December 1940 at Gosport and began convoy escort duties off the East Anglian coast on 28 March 1941. In June, re-equipment with Beauforts began and minelaying sorties started on 15 July. After flying reconnaissance and air-sea rescue missions for three months, the squadron's crews passed through a torpedo training course and anti-shipping strikes began on 11 November with the first torpedo-bomber operation taking place on 12 Dec*ember. A detachment sent to St. Eval on 13 December was joined by the rest of the squadron in January 1942, and anti-shipping patrols were flown off the French coast until March, when the squadron moved to northern Scotland. Patrols and strikes off the Norwegian coast continued until July when No.86 sent its aircraft to the Middle East and moved to Thorney Island where it was reduced to a cadre on 26 August 1 942 . Fresh aircrews began arriving early in October, Liberators being received for the conversion training of No.160 Squadron. By the end of the month, No.86's own crews were converting and the squadron flew its first patrol on 16 February 1943, from St. Eval. In March, it moved to Northern Ireland to fly anti-submarine patrols for a year before moving to Iceland. In July 1944, the squadron returned to Scotland for the rest of the war and on 10 June 1945 No.86 joined Transport Command's No.301 Wing. Trooping flights to India began in October and continued until disbandment took place on 25 April 1946.
British nomenclature and sub-variants.
Liberator B Mk I
B-24A, direct purchase aircraft for the RAF. (Total: 20) Considered unsuitable for combat, some rebuilt as the GR.1 and used in British anti-submarine patrol squadrons.
Liberator B Mk II
The first combat-ready B-24. The modifications included a three-foot nose extension as well as a deeper aft fuselage and wider tailplane—there was no direct B-24 equivalent but similar to the B-24C, built to meet British specifications with British equipment and armament. A small series of B Mk IIs were reconstructed as unarmed transports, designated the LB-30 with the USAAF. (Total production: 165)
Liberator B Mk III
B-24D variant with single .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine gun in the nose, two in each beam position, and four in a Boulton Paul tail turret—similar to that on contemporary British heavy bombers such as the Halifax—as well as other British equipment. The Martin dorsal turret was retained. (Total: 156)
Liberator B Mk IIIA
Lend-Lease B-24Ds with American equipment and weapons.
Liberator B Mk IV
Reserved for the B-24E, but there is no record of the RAF actually receiving any.
Liberator B Mk V
B-24D modified for extra fuel capacity at the cost or armor, with the same armament fit as the Liberator Mk III.
Liberator B Mk VI
B-24Hs in RAF service fitted with Boulton Paul tail turrets, but retaining the rest of their armament.
Liberator B Mk VIII
RAF designation for B-24Js.
Liberator GR Mk V
B-24D modified by RAF Coastal Command for the anti-submarine role with search radar and Leigh Light. Some were fitted with eight zero-length rocket launchers, four on each wing.
Liberator GR Mk VI
B-24G/H/J type used as a long-range general reconnaissance aircraft by RAF Coastal Command.
Liberator GR Mk VIII
B-24J modified by RAF Coastal Command for the anti-submarine role.
Liberator C Mk VI
Liberator B Mk VIII converted for use as a transport.
Liberator C Mk VII
British designation for C-87.
Liberator C Mk VIII
Liberator G Mk VIII converted for use as a transport.
Liberator C Mk IX
RAF designation for the RY-3/C-87C
Late in the war RAF Liberator aircraft modified in England for use in South East Asia had the suffix "Snake" stenciled below the serial number to give them priority delivery through the Mediterranean and Middle East.
The annoying turret that I can't find in 1/48 for the RAF Coastal Command Liberator...
As it is, most, not all, had their tail turrets swapped to a four .303 gun Boulton Paul turret, which I think is the biggest difference between the US and these RAF Coastal Command birds...
But as I've found out, they also received 11 Liberator Mk IIIA's, which were:
LV336 (USAAF 41-1107), LV337 (USAAF 41-1087), LV338 (USAAF 41-1127) LV339 (USAAF 41-1096), LV340 (USAAF 41-1122), LV341 (USAAF 41-1097), LV342 (USAAF 41-1114), LV343 (USAAF 41-1111), LV344 (41-1093), LV345 (USAAF 41-1124), LV346 (USAAF 41-1108.)....
These however, retained there factory mounted tail turrets, as they were Lend-Lease only....
As I understand, they all went to No. 86 Squadron, LV342 was with No. 59 Squadron as their first Liberator I think...
As it is, I can't find these 11 birds anywhere and their (or bits of..) service history...
No. 86 Squadron:
Squadron Bases Airfields
Gosport, Hampshire 06/12/40
Leuchars, Fife, 02/02/41
Wattisham, Suffolk, 03/03/41
Ipswich, Suffolk, 04/03/41
North Coates, Lincolnshire, 01/06/41
North Coates, Lincolnshire, 12/05/41
Leuchars, Fife, 12/09/41
St. Eval, Cornwall, 13/12/41
St. Eval, Cornwall, 10/01/42
Thorney Island, Hampshire, 16/02/42
North Coates, Lincolnshire, 21/02/42
Leuchars, Fife, 22/02/42
Wick, Caithness, 09/03/42
Skitten, Caithness, 18/03/42
Thorney Island, Hampshire, 31/07/42
Aldergrove, County Antrim, 18/03/43
Ballykelly, Londonderry, 04/09/43
Reykjavik, Iceland, 24/03/44
Tain, Caithness, 05/06/44
Tain, Caithness, 28/06/44
Oakington, Cambridgeshire, 01/08/45
Equipment Used and Dates
Blenheim IV: Dec 1940 - Jul 1941
Beaufort I: Jun 1941 - Jul 1942
Liberator IIIa: Oct 1942 - Aug 1944
Liberator V: Mar 1943 - Feb 1945
Liberator VIII: Feb 1945 - Apr 1946
No.86 Squadron was formed on 1 September 1917 at Wye but did not become operational before being disbanded on 4 July 191 8, to provide reinforcements for active units in France. It began to reform as a ground attack squadron on 30 October 1918, but this was suspended when the Armistice was signed two weeks later. No.86 reformed on 6 December 1940 at Gosport and began convoy escort duties off the East Anglian coast on 28 March 1941. In June, re-equipment with Beauforts began and minelaying sorties started on 15 July. After flying reconnaissance and air-sea rescue missions for three months, the squadron's crews passed through a torpedo training course and anti-shipping strikes began on 11 November with the first torpedo-bomber operation taking place on 12 Dec*ember. A detachment sent to St. Eval on 13 December was joined by the rest of the squadron in January 1942, and anti-shipping patrols were flown off the French coast until March, when the squadron moved to northern Scotland. Patrols and strikes off the Norwegian coast continued until July when No.86 sent its aircraft to the Middle East and moved to Thorney Island where it was reduced to a cadre on 26 August 1 942 . Fresh aircrews began arriving early in October, Liberators being received for the conversion training of No.160 Squadron. By the end of the month, No.86's own crews were converting and the squadron flew its first patrol on 16 February 1943, from St. Eval. In March, it moved to Northern Ireland to fly anti-submarine patrols for a year before moving to Iceland. In July 1944, the squadron returned to Scotland for the rest of the war and on 10 June 1945 No.86 joined Transport Command's No.301 Wing. Trooping flights to India began in October and continued until disbandment took place on 25 April 1946.
British nomenclature and sub-variants.
Liberator B Mk I
B-24A, direct purchase aircraft for the RAF. (Total: 20) Considered unsuitable for combat, some rebuilt as the GR.1 and used in British anti-submarine patrol squadrons.
Liberator B Mk II
The first combat-ready B-24. The modifications included a three-foot nose extension as well as a deeper aft fuselage and wider tailplane—there was no direct B-24 equivalent but similar to the B-24C, built to meet British specifications with British equipment and armament. A small series of B Mk IIs were reconstructed as unarmed transports, designated the LB-30 with the USAAF. (Total production: 165)
Liberator B Mk III
B-24D variant with single .303 in (7.7 mm) Browning machine gun in the nose, two in each beam position, and four in a Boulton Paul tail turret—similar to that on contemporary British heavy bombers such as the Halifax—as well as other British equipment. The Martin dorsal turret was retained. (Total: 156)
Liberator B Mk IIIA
Lend-Lease B-24Ds with American equipment and weapons.
Liberator B Mk IV
Reserved for the B-24E, but there is no record of the RAF actually receiving any.
Liberator B Mk V
B-24D modified for extra fuel capacity at the cost or armor, with the same armament fit as the Liberator Mk III.
Liberator B Mk VI
B-24Hs in RAF service fitted with Boulton Paul tail turrets, but retaining the rest of their armament.
Liberator B Mk VIII
RAF designation for B-24Js.
Liberator GR Mk V
B-24D modified by RAF Coastal Command for the anti-submarine role with search radar and Leigh Light. Some were fitted with eight zero-length rocket launchers, four on each wing.
Liberator GR Mk VI
B-24G/H/J type used as a long-range general reconnaissance aircraft by RAF Coastal Command.
Liberator GR Mk VIII
B-24J modified by RAF Coastal Command for the anti-submarine role.
Liberator C Mk VI
Liberator B Mk VIII converted for use as a transport.
Liberator C Mk VII
British designation for C-87.
Liberator C Mk VIII
Liberator G Mk VIII converted for use as a transport.
Liberator C Mk IX
RAF designation for the RY-3/C-87C
Late in the war RAF Liberator aircraft modified in England for use in South East Asia had the suffix "Snake" stenciled below the serial number to give them priority delivery through the Mediterranean and Middle East.
The annoying turret that I can't find in 1/48 for the RAF Coastal Command Liberator...
You could possibly, if you try hard and long enough, find a space for the B-47, but the B-52!!
