Consolidated B-24G

North American was contracted to build B-24s starting in 1942. The first 25 aircraft built were B-24G and based on the late block B-24D. These aircraft had a Sperry ball turret and three .50-cal. machine guns in the nose. However, combat experience showed the B-24D and early B-24G to be vulnerable to frontal attack so design data for the Ford-built B-24H was incorporated in the North American version resulting in the B-24G-1. This version had an Emerson nose turret in place of the two or three .50-cal. machine guns used on earlier models.

A total of 430 B-24Gs were built and most were sent to the 15th Air Force in Italy. North American began delivering B-24G-1 Liberators in November 1943.

TYPE
B-24G

Number Built/Converted
430

• Serial numbers: 42-78045 to 42-78474
• 25 built as B-24G (42-78045 to 42-78069)
• 405 built as improved B-24G-1 (block numbers 1, 5, 10, 15, and 16) (42-78070 and later)

SPECIFICATIONS (Block 10 and later)
Span: 110 ft. 0 in.
Length: 67 ft. 2 in.
Height: 17 ft. 11 in.
Weight: 56,000 lbs. design gross weight
Armament: Ten .50-cal. and 12,800 lbs. of bombs
Engines: Four Pratt & Whitney R-1830-65 supercharged radials of 1,200 hp. each (take-off power)
Crew: Ten

PERFORMANCE
Maximum speed: 290 mph.
Cruising speed: 215 mph.
Range: 3,700 miles (max. ferry range); 2,100 miles w/ 5,000 lbs. bomb load
Service Ceiling: 28,000 ft.