B-24 Liberator

[davidpatrick344]

fly in this plane awsome flights for me it was expensive but would do it again in a heart beat

[Santeria231]

My grandfather was a bomber in one of these. During one mission the plane next to his got hit by flak right in the middle where the bombs were and it broke in half and crashed down to earth. The blast of that explosion also affected my grandfather's plane. There was a malfunction and it told the pilot the bombs had been dropped (they hadn't) and he began to close the doors. Little did he know, the bombs had not been dropped and the doors were stuck open. They had to crash land w/ the doors open!

[16wags]

I am doing an extesive research project of our great uncle who died in a B-24 over Luzon Philippines Jan 10, 1945. Would there be any chance you could send me this video footage for me to use in my presentation at our family reunion? Thanks Steve Wagner, Burlington, Wi

[volleyballjones]

@16wags Let me know your mailing address, and I'll see if I can put it on DVD for you.

[16wags]

@volleyballjones My mailing address is: 148 Schemmer St. Burlington, Wi 53105

[volleyballjones]

@16wags OK, I'll see what I can do 

[offspringfanman96]

looks difficult to get the bombs into

[mooersrealty]

My Dad was a tail gunner on a B 24 Liberator. Thank you for the video!

[jared71322]

My great grandfather was a tail gunner on a B-24 liberator during WWII the planes nose art was Shady Lady #52 in the 451st bombardment Group 49th wing. 15th air force if anyone can get me information on this paticular plane espicially a crew picture please contact me. He passed a way last year in november and i promised him i would do some research.

[JackFlemingFan]

Excellent!!

[shafs64]

Thank you for giveing me my first ever look inside a B24.

[RJfan]

my great uncle was the engineer/top turret gunner on a B-24J Liberator named "Southern Comfort III" in the 506th BS in the 44th BG.

[TheLimbReaper]

I swear I'm going to get a flight on this plane. My great-uncle was the pilot of B-24 (J) Pistol Pakin Mamma (42-72989). Shot down 9-11-44 by Marcus Island.

[phishinvan]

That's crazy! My grandfather was a left waist gunner on a B-24 and was ALSO shot down on 9-11-44. How wild is that? His plane was shot down over Koblenz, Germany. Only he and one other member of his crew made it out alive (out of a crew of ten).

I just saw the date and had to comment. We actually just buried my Grandfather at Arlington Natl. Cemetery this past Tuesday. When 9/11 happened, my Grandy was so made that those terrorists took "his" day.

Honor & Respect to all vets.

[TheLimbReaper]

I'm not a numerolgist(?) but I do feel there is some irony to this date and the effect it seems to have on our lives.

[gunzoline93]

5:10 that astrodome or whatever you said, it's acctually an escape hatch

[airmanc81]

No. Volleyballjones got it exactly right. It is an astrodome, and it was used to navigate using the stars. It was never intended to be used as an escape hatch. It is far too small for a person to climb through, nevermind the significant height of it in the B-24 nose. Add the incredibly bulky flight suits they wore, and escape would be impossible for all but a miniature contortionist. Any stories you heard about it being for escape are either false or, if true, a gross anomaly.

[airmanc81]

I work with these planes, and compared to the vast majority of people I've seen volleyballjones did a good job describing the plane. The only thing I noticed that he got wrong was on the ball turret. What he identified as the entrance hatch is actually a service hatch to service the guns, sights, etc. The entrance hatch is on the opposite side of the ball. The turret would be rotated guns-down to expose the hatch so the gunner could get in. Not a big deal since 99% of people get it wrong, too.

[gunzoline93]

the worst position in the bomber was the ball turret

[JTelli786]

how hard is it to get into the nose turret all the videos iv seen this is the only video inside the nose of this beast.

[volleyballjones]

All I did was stand up through the nose wheel opening and I was looking into the nose.

[climbon74]

I think I saw this LIB fly over me in Provo, Utah flying northwest towards the SLC airport about a month or two ago ? it was flying at about 1,500 feet above ground in a real bad cross wind getting kicked around a bit. Would this have been the plane I remember seeing the markings on the vertical stabilizers. ?

[911liesrevealed]

I flew in this very plane 2 weeks ago. Wife got me a flight in this and the B-17. $425/flt. Experience of a lifetime. This is the only one in existence still flying. Engines run beautiful. Highly recommend it.

[spaceymacy101]

My uncle was an engineer on the Pretty Prairie Special. His plane was shot down over New Ireland Island and he was a POW at Kabaul until he was executed by the Japanese in March of 1944. I'd love to see this plane.

[willwrb]

My Granddad was a Navigator aboard a B24. He broke his back on a crash landing returning to base. Don't know which unit he was in, though I do know he was stationed in North Africa. He stood at 6'4" and I often wonder if he ever got claustrophobic.

[SteveSeabee]

Amazing to think that out of the thousands of Liberators built during the War there are only 2 flyable left in the world. I know the Yankee Air Musuem located near the Willow Run plant that built these would love to be able to find one to restore to go along with thier C47, B17 and B25.

[charleswimberley06]

i was lucky and i got the opertunity to fly in this aircraft i live in denton texas and the witchcraft was in dallas and me and my dad drove 45 miles to fly in this airplane it was 475 per person i think i cant fully remember

[82abnoff]

I was an Infrantry Officer with the 101st in Vietnam. I will never have the courage to be a front seat pilot.

[Jimscott99]

In St. Louis, I met a veteran who carried with him the flak that hit his flak jacket, along with the metal plates from his jacket that saved his life. What a thrill.

[dhl1986]

i was fortunate enough to see a b17 liberty belle on display at a local airport one day, which is similar. it's quite a trip to be in one of those things... really makes you wonder what it must have been like in combat.

great video, thanks for sharing

[radialnut]

I took this same tour myself im memory of my G Uncle Maj P E Cummings, 485 bg, 829th bs at Venosa , It. The liferaft deployed by itself on take off as he was lead pilot for group that day. After 10 min, 4 souls escaped, 11 including Phil perished a few towns over. I went to his BG reunion. just fascinating meeting guys that were behind him and saw the whole thing unfold in 1945. His plane was New Hampshire Belle, but thats not the plane that killed him. GRHS.

[davidmeek1981]

My grandfather, Albert Trumbly, was a radio operator on a B24 that flew over the Ploesti Oilfield raids. They were shot down and he was a P.O.W. until Patton's Army liberated them. He is still living, but in ill health, so if anyone has any questions, please feel free to ask me.

[charleswimberley06]

tell him thanks for me

for serving and living to tell the tale

[charleswimberley06]

tell him i said thanks and that i appreciate every thing that the memn in ww2 did for us and our right to be free

[CGBooks30]

I am writing a novel that takes place during WWII and involves a brother who enlists in the AAF and flies in the Ploesti mission. In my story he is missing and am debating about making him a P.O.W. I would love to hear your grandfather's stories, if you are still interested. I realize this posting is two years old. Thank you in advance.

[Roberto26666]

@davidmeek1981 So If Your great Grandfather is still alive, please tell him that I thank him, his friends and all brilliant sons of american soil for coming here during those horrible times and helping us to not become untremenschen. Thanks from bottom of my heart. I'm from Upper Silesia (now Poland). Thank You ,brave american boys. We will always remember Your sacifice.

[13thLiberator]

Nice video, my grandfather was a B-24J tailgunner in the Pacific. Flew on 43 missions in the 13th AF 307th BG 372nd squad. I'm planning on scheduling him and myself for a flight aboard the same Colling's foundation B-24. I still think it's ashame that only 2 of these are flying and over 18,000 were produced.

[truemansparks]

fantastic ,thanks for guided tour of liberator,it looks very claustrophobic in there and must of been terrifying being attacked by flak and enemy fighters,these crews must have been very brave

[rtutt123]

This is a very cool video...don't get to go through a B-24 Liberator very often....I really enjoyed it, and thank you....RT (pilot)

[stargchaser]

Good video, my dad was a flight engineer on a J model in Cerignola, Italy 459th BG, 757th BS

[jgallagher1601]

Great stuff!! My Grandfather was with the 451st BG(H) in Fosia, Italy. He always had a soft spot for the flying box cars.

[MissileMist]

Long may the last B-24's fly on, to the memory of their brave crews. My Father's Uncle serviced with the 15th Air Force in Italy with the ,"Vulgar Vultures". Third generation aviation here.

[skpade51]

Fantastic! My dad was based in Cerignola, Italy during the war. His plane was called, "My Hobby."

[airmanc81]

There are currently about 6-7 B-17s flyable on any given day with another 5-6 flyable with some advanced notice and a little extra funding.

There are 25-40 B-25s on any given day, also largely depending on funding.

There is only one B-24 flying in the world, the Collings Foundation's aircraft seen in this video. The CAF's aircraft is now kind of hard to describe. It's really now a hybrid of a LB-30 and a B-24A with some features from each.

[geraaaard1]

Somebody knows how many B-24, B-17 and B-25 still FLYING in 2007 in the world??Thanks.

[f14fighter]

Dude, did ur dad die or make it alive?

[volleyballjones]

Being near the end of the war, Dad made it through fine. He was never shot at, but did see some flak. His worst danger was flying through bad weather. It rained a lot while he was in the Pacific, and I bet it still rains a lot there. Dad said he would fly through a bunch of thunderstorms on every flight. In one of his letters he describes landing at a little strip in Northern Okinawa - "Boy what a place to get into. Had bad weather & trouble contacting them by radio."

[guspech]

awsome. i just saw this same plane today at dupage county airport along with a b17 and a b25. they too will be at the palwaukee airport this coming weekend 7-27, 28, 29. the airport is in illinois. great video

[loht773]

Awsome Video!,the B-24 Consolideted Liberator is one of my favorite WW2 bombers. Thanks for the tour!.

[lumbie120]

awsome i live in olive branch

[Heepster1]

Dave again, my Dad was in Late Frate and Hare Power - 454th BG, 15th AF out of Italy - thanks for sharing this !

Dave

[sonofsarek01]

cool. my grandpa was in the 446th BG ,"H" group, for the 8th AF out of England

[TXRog]

Thanks for the prompt reply back. I appreciate it.

I just HAVE to see one of theses incredible planes up close one of these days.

Thanks for the great video.

Regards,

TXRog

[TXRog]

My late father was Technical inspector for the 46th BG, 55th BW, 15th Air Force in Pantanella, Italy 1944-1945.

He never talked much about the sacrifice he and thousands of his generation did. Your video bbrought me closer to him.

Thank you.

Where is this Liberator located?

[volleyballjones]

The Collings Foundation flies this B-24 into airports all over America for public viewing. I drove 120 miles from Arkansas to Mississippi, while listening to a "book on CD" entitled "THE WILD BLUE - THE MEN & BOYS WHO FLEW THE B-24s" by Stephen Ambrose. I was in total wonderment by the time I was viewing this magnificent machine. Find out when the B-24 will be in your area by searching the Internet for Collings Foundation B-24 Schedule.

[MissileMist]

Thank You, for posting this. My Father's Uncle served with the 15th Air Force out of Italy with the 455th Heavy, "Vulgar Vultures". One of his planes was, "Miss Lincoln Heights". Third generation aviation here.

[missdarling22]

My Grandfather (John Polando) was a pilot of a B-24. He was with the 15th Air Force, 455th bomb group, and 741st sq. I wonder if your father's uncle would have known him? I have been trying to gather information about him.

[MissileMist]

MissDarling22, There is a Book about the History of the 455th. Its posted on the internet now. Your Grandfather, John Polando is listed. Hope this helps.

[temphoyos]

Nice video. The flying fortress is a nicer plane though

[volleyballjones]

No comment.

[ollin]

Yeah, thanks. My gramps was a tailgunner on a B-24. Not many of those bad boys still flying these days!

[BusterKoala]

My father was a bomb aimer (RAF for bombardier) on an RAF Liberator IV flying out of North africa in 1944-45. Poignant to see where he worked and was frightened sh*tless at the tender age of 19. Many thanks.

[TankCarl]

1 legally,the Colling's one.

[danseth77]

My grandfather was a B24 Navigator. Thanks for posting this! Much appreciated.