Help

[DanMorris]

Dear All,

Here is an old picture of my grandad standing on the wing of a Bomber in the desert during the African Campaign.

Anyone know what plane it is and which squadrons operated these in Africa during WW2?

Cheers,

DanMorris

 

[rochie]

Looks like a B-24 Libertor to me !

 

[Aaron Brooks Wolters]

Thinking the same thing Karl, but I'm not sure.

 

[DanMorris]

I did think the same but the position on the gun turret confused me slightly

 

[Geedee]

Its deffo a b-24. I'll get a shot from the other side next week sometime

 

[DanMorris]

Thank you chaps much appreciated

 

[Lucky13]

Definitely a B-24! Just a question of which variant....

 

[DanMorris]

Does this mean its highly likely he was with 120sqn? I know he was at Boscombe Down as well as 120sqn who operated some of these.

Is the plane in the background the same?

 

[Lucky13]

I think that No. 120 Squadron was Coastal Command....does that fit?

 

[rochie]

Does this mean its highly likely he was with 120sqn? I know he was at Boscombe Down as well as 120sqn who operated some of these.

Is the plane in the background the same?

Yes the same, looks like an early version with glazed nose, no turret.

 

[GrauGeist]

Guys, actually that looks more like a lake Mark B series Halifax in the photo.

I can't think of any B-24 that had a dorsal turret aft of the mainwing. All the types that I know of either had the dorsal turret ahead of the mainwing or had the dorsal turret omitted.

Another observation, is the engine nacelles on the B-24 are mounted higher, causing the fairing to lay deeper into the leading edge of the wing than the ones shown in the original photo. Compare the nacelles in DanMorris' photo to those shown in Gary's photo.

The cowl flaps are another hint: the B-24 cowl flaps terminate along the centerline, those shown in the vintage photo continue past the centerline like the cooling flaps on a Bristol Hercules radial.

 

[Lucky13]

Found at, RAF Liberator Squadrons, so I take it that they all flew the Liberator....

No. 8 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 37 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 40 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 53 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 59 Squadron R.A.F
No. 70 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 86 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 99 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 102 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 104 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 108 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 120 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 148 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 150 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 159 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 160 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 178 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 200 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 206 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 214 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 215 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 220 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 231 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 223 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 224 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 232 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 233 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 246 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 292 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 301 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 311 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 321 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 354 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 355 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 356 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 357 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 358 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 422 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 423 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 426 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 502 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 511 Squadron R.A.F.
No. 614 Squadron R.A.F.

 

[Lucky13]

Sure? Looks likes it's sitting to level with the ground, to have a tailwheel....

 

[Siddley]

Guys, actually that looks more like a lake Mark B series Halifax in the photo.

I can't think of any B-24 that had a dorsal turret aft of the mainwing. All the types that I know of either had the dorsal turret ahead of the mainwing or had the dorsal turret omitted.

Not the best picture in the world...but

 

[Lucky13]

 

[GrauGeist]

ahh....yes, a Liberator II (LB-30 contract) that had several differences.

I have no idea why I didn't pick up on that...my memory must be slipping in my old age...

Thanks for the photo, Siddley

 

[Lucky13]

(I must be quiet, I must be quiet, I must be quiet)

No comment!!

 

[GrauGeist]

(I must be quiet, I must be quiet, I must be quiet)

No comment!!

.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.
.

 

[DanMorris]

That's the fella you can see the circular antennae that's its both pictures

 

[Siddley]

That's the fella you can see the circular antennae that's its both pictures

In case you don't know that's a " DF Loop " Dan
The " DF " stands for Direction Finding and the navigator would use it to get a bearing on a navigation beacon, or even a broadcast radio transmitter.