Consolidated B-24E

The Consolidated B-24E was a version of the late-model B-24D built by Ford. The Ford-built aircraft had Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 radials in place of the standard -43 radial on the -D model. Also, the -E had the ventral tunnel gun (a single .50-cal. machine gun) instead of the Bendix remote or Sperry ball turret.

Ford also built sub-assemblies for the B-24E and sent them to the Consolidated Fort Worth and Douglas Tulsa plants for final assembly. The Douglas-built B-24Es used the original B-24D engines (R-1830-43), but were otherwise identical to the Ford-built B-24E.

TYPE
B-24E

Number Built/Converted
801

• Serial numbers: 41-28409 to 41-28573; 41-29007 to 41-29115; 42-6976 to 42-7464; 42-7770; 42-64395 to 42-64431;
• 490 B-24E-FO built by Ford at the Willow plant in 6 production blocks.
• 144 B-24E-CF built by Consolidated at the Fort Worth plant using Ford sub-assemblies (4 blocks).
• 167 B-24E-DT built by Douglas at the Tulsa plant using Ford sub-assemblies (5 blocks)

SPECIFICATIONS
Span: 110 ft. 0 in.
Length: 64 ft. 4 in.
Height: 17 ft. 11 in.
Weight: 56,000 lbs. loaded
Armament: Ten .50-cal. and 8,000 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 (or -43) supercharged radials of 1,200 hp. each (take-off power)

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 303 mph.
Cruising speed: 200 mph.
Range: 4,600 miles (max. ferry range); 2,850 miles w/ 5,000 lbs. bomb load
Service Ceiling: 32,000 ft.