Consolidated LB-30 (B-24A) Liberator
Allied Heavy Bomber & Priority Transport
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The Ghost Squadron's LB-30 Diamond 'Lil. Image source: The Confederate Air Force Ghost Squadron CD-ROM produced by Corel. Photos by Bill Crump. |
The prototype XB-24 made its first flight on 29 December, 1939, and with the war in Europe a reality, orders were received by Consolidated from the French and British as well as the U.S. Army Air Force. Thus, the first models to be produced were paid for by the British with hard cash, prior to the commencement of Lend-Lease, and delivered as LB-30As, (being the 30th design in Consolidated’s Land Bomber series.)
Due to their long range and capacious fuselage, some LB-30s and other early B-24s were converted to high-priority transports and used to ferry pilots and other important passengers and cargo across the Atlantic between the U.S. and Britain.
The CAF Liberator is one of these very early LB-30s, the eighteenth off the production line, which due to an operational accident while being delivered to Britain, never made it across the Atlantic, staying in North American.
The CAF purchased the Liberator from the Pemex Oil Company of Mexico in 1967. The aircraft has been restored back to LB-30 configuration and is currently painted and marked as a member of the 98th Bomb Group of the 9th Air Force.
Today, the CAF LB-30, nicknamed Diamond Lil, is one of only two or three B-24s still flying in the world and is the earliest airworthy version. She is normally on tour through out the United States during the air show season from April thru October, often accompanying the B-29 Superfortress, B-17 Flying Fortress and other aircraft of the CAF Ghost Squadron.
During the winter months, she is based at CAF HQ in Midland, where the lengthy process of regular maintenance and inspection is performed, to get her ready for another year of active service.
Specifications
Crew of Eight to Ten Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-33 Engines Six .50 caliber Machine Guns Max. Speed 292 mph @ 15,000 feet |
Climb to 10,000 ft in 5.6 minutes Service Ceiling 30,500 ft Length 63' 9" Max. Weight 53,600 lbs Maximum Range 2,200 miles |