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B-24 J |
Liberators in formation |
The cockpit of a B-24J |
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| B24J-from 464th | A B-24D over the oil refinery in Ploesti, Romania on August 1, 1943. Of the 177 planes taking part in the low level raid, 55 failed to return, and over 500 crewmen were killed. | This Liberator lost its outer wing panel when it was hit by the body of an airman falling from another Liberator during the Ploesti mission. |
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One of the most famous photos of the war, this Liberator from the 779th BS of the 464th BG took a direct flak hit to a wing while taking part in the crew's 15th mission in support of the 8th army. Tom saw this happen from his nose turret. Only one crew member survived |
A B-24J from the 451st BG trails smoke as it flies through heavy flak over Vienna | A plane from the 465th BG was hit in the fuel tanks during a bomb run over Blechhammer, Germany. Six crew members escaped, but the pilot was killed on the ground later that day. |
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| A radar, or "Micky" ship. The ball turret has been replaced with a radar dome. The radar allowed the lead ship to find the target even in heavy overcast. | A liberator cut in half by a direct flak hit | A town in Germany, pummeled by B-24 bombers. |
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| At war's end, with fewer valuable targets, B-24's from the 765th were pressed into service ferrying fuel. Here, on a runway in France, a Liberator has caught fire | At the end of the line, being swung out of harm's way, is #36, the plane the crew had flown the most often. |
