380th

Bomb Group

380th Bomb Group Association
World War II Veterans Group
 

WE WENT TO WAR

PARTS V and VI:  THE PLANES WE FLEW


380th AIRCRAFT TYPES


B-24J
Various Models

Type 4. Type 4
Type 5. Type 5
Type 6. Type 6
Type 7. Type 7-1
Type 7 (other side) Type 7-2
Type 8. Type 8

 





TYPE 4 -- THE INITIAL J MODELS OF THE B-24

Type 4
 

These were the first B-24 with nose turrets installed at the factory before delivery to the USAAF. These aircraft are identified by the Consolidated A6A nose turrets, by the use of twin braces on each pitot tube location, and by the fact that no fairing was applied to streamline the nose turret installation. The Townsville installation on D1s and all later factory models had such a fairing.

DOTTIE'S DOUBLE (079) was the first B-24J produced and came to the 380th.

There are five distinct types of Js. All had a turret incorporated into the design of the nose section and installed at the factory. This added firepower would remain an integral part of the B-24's design for the remainder of its operational life. The new "J" models coming into the 380th's inventory differed from each other with respect to pitot tubes, model of the nose turret installed, and bombardier side windows.

This first batch of planes had braced pitot tubes and lacked side windows to the bombardier's compartment. Above this position in the nose, the navigator's area now had narrow side windows that were sometimes fitted with sockets for a 30cal machine gun.

B-24J-5

B-24J-5

Scrap port elevation

Source: Przeglad Konstrukcji Lotniczych, B-24 Liberator, p. 15, 1992, Warsaw.


Horton-p238

Source: Horton, Best of the Southwest, p. 238.


Horton-p292

Source: Horton, Best of the Southwest, p. 292.


 
LIST OF TYPE 4 AIRCRAFT IN THE 380TH
Listed by Serial Number:

080

42-72964

"DOTTIE'S DOUBLE"

081

42-73112

DALLY'S DILLY

082

42-73113

THE BIG ASS BIRD

083

42-73114

CARROT TOP

084

42-73115

(NONE)

085

42-73116

HEAVENLY BODY

086

42-73117

DOODLEBUG

087

42-73121

ROYAL FLUSH II / PAPPY'S PASSION II

088

42-73125

(NONE)

089

42-73126

FOIL PROOF MARY

090

42-73127

(NONE)

091

42-73133

SAD SACK

092

42-73134

"MILADY"

093

42-73164

SNORKEY

094

42-73167

THE BEAUTIFUL BEAST / BEAUTIFUL BEAST

095

42-73186

(NONE)

096

42-73187

PAPER DOLL

097

42-73193

B.T.O. II / "LADY JEANNE" II

098

42-73201

"TENN" SQUIRREL HUNTER / "CRUISIN" SUSAN

099

42-73275

(NONE)

100

42-73332

(NONE)

101

42-73333

UNDEC?IDED / SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS

102

42-73340

FIRST NIGHTER

103

42-73449

(NONE)

104

42-73451

"FRISCO" FRANNIE / RAMEY'S WRECK

105

42-73464

ANGEL IN DE SKIES

106

42-73474

"PATCHES"

107

42-73475

"PROP WASH""

108

42-73481

ESQUIRE

109

42-73485

LUCKY DON

110

42-73488

EH-WHAT'S UP DOC? / "READY TEDDY"

111

42-73489

HOT ROCKS / THE SULTAN'S DAUGHTER


 
Listed by Name:

105

42-73464

ANGEL IN DE SKIES

094

42-73167

BEAUTIFUL BEAST

097

42-73193

B.T.O. II

083

42-73114

CARROT TOP

098

42-73201

"CRUISIN" SUSAN

081

42-73112

DALLY'S DILLY

080

42-72964

"DOTTIE'S DOUBLE"

086

42-73117

DOODLEBUG

110

42-73488

EH-WHAT'S UP DOC?

108

42-73481

ESQUIRE

102

42-73340

FIRST NIGHTER

104

42-73451

"FRISCO" FRANNIE

089

42-73126

FOIL PROOF MARY

085

42-73116

HEAVENLY BODY

111

42-73489

HOT ROCKS

097

42-73193

"LADY JEANNE" II

109

42-73485

LUCKY DON

092

42-73134

"MILADY">

096

42-73187

PAPER DOLL

087

42-73121

PAPPY'S PASSION II

106

42-73474

"PATCHES"

107

42-73475

"PROP WASH""

104

42-73451

RAMEY'S WRECK

110

42-73488

"READY TEDDY"

087

42-73121

ROYAL FLUSH II

091

42-73133

SAD SACK

101

42-73333

SLIGHTLY DANGEROUS

093

42-73164

SNORKEY

098

42-73201

"TENN" SQUIRREL HUNTER

094

42-73167

THE BEAUTIFUL BEAST

082

42-73113

THE BIG ASS BIRD

111

42-73489

THE SULTAN'S DAUGHTER

101

42-73333

UNDEC?IDED

084

42-73115

(NONE)

088

42-73125

(NONE)

090

42-73127

(NONE)

095

42-73186

(NONE)

099

42-73275

(NONE)

100

42-73332

(NONE)

103

42-73449

(NONE)




STATISTICAL SUMMARY
FATES OF OUR AIRCRAFT - EAST INDIAN AND NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN
380TH BOMB GROUP (H)

B-24J MODELS, TYPE 4 ONLY




TYPE 5 - REPLACING THE A6A NOSE TURRET WITH THE A6B

Type 5

Replacement of the A6A turret by the Motors Product Company A6B turret, which was lighter and more streamlined than the A6A. The A6B improved visibility, was hydraulically powered, and had gun barrels that extended equally. Also fairing added to further streamline the nose. Braced pitot tubes still used.

ROUGH NIGHT/ROUGH KNIGHT (112) exemplifies this model of the B-24.

 

B-24J Consolidated Turret, A6B

Consolidated Turret, A6B

Source: S. Birdsall, B-24 Liberator in Action, Aircraft No. 21, Squadron/Signal Publications, 1975, p. 21.


Type 5 Specs

Source: B-24 Liberator in Action, Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., Aircraft Number 80, 1987.



 
LIST OF TYPE 5 AIRCRAFT IN THE 380TH
Listed by Serial Number:

112

42-100209

ROUGH NIGHT / ROUGH KNIGHT

113

42-100213

ROSIE O' THE RAMP

114

42-100214

"SIX BITTS"

115

42-100221

THE MISS HAP

116

42-100226

"TODDY"


 
Listed by Name:

113

42-100213

ROSIE O' THE RAMP

112

42-100209

ROUGH NIGHT / ROUGH KNIGHT

114

42-100214

"SIX BITTS"

115

42-100221

THE MISS HAP

116

42-100226

"TODDY"




STATISTICAL SUMMARY
FATES OF OUR AIRCRAFT - EAST INDIAN AND NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN
380TH BOMB GROUP (H)

B-24J MODELS, TYPE 5 ONLY




TYPE 6 - REPLACING THE TWIN PITOT TUBES WITH SINGLE TUBES

Type 6

Twin high braced ("horn-styled") pitot tubes replaced by a single short pitot tube on the lower left nose. A6B turret still used. An example of this type in the 380th is LADY LUCK (122).

 

B-24J-30

B-24J-30

MPC 5800-5 Nose & Tail turrets, Martin 250CE-5 Top Turret.

Source: Przeglad Konstrukcji Lotniczych, B-24 Liberator, p. 15, 1992, Warsaw.


Lady Luck

Source: Horton, Best in the Southwest, p. 282.



Type 6 Specs

Source: B-24 Liberator in Action, Squadron/Signal Publications, Inc., Aircraft Number 80, p. 39, 1987.

 

 
LIST OF TYPE 6 AIRCRAFT IN THE 380TH
Listed by Serial Number:

117

42-109986

ROBERTA AND SON / FIRE POWER

118

42-109990

UNDECIDED

119

42-109995

ON DE-FENSE

120

42-109999

LITTLE LULU / MADAME QUEEN

121

42-110115

DRUNKARD'S DREAM

122

42-110116

"LADY LUCK"

123

42-110117

OLD IRONSIDES

124

42-110120

"SLEEPY TIME GAL"

125

42-110123

BUMS AWAY

126

42-40189

THE SCREAMER / EMBARRASSED

 
Listed by Name:

125

42-110123

BUMS AWAY

121

42-110115

DRUNKARD'S DREAM

126

42-40189

EMBARRASSED

117

42-109986

FIRE POWER

122

42-110116

"LADY LUCK"

120

42-109999

LITTLE LULU

120

42-109999

MADAME QUEEN

123

42-110117

OLD IRONSIDES

119

42-109995

ON DE-FENSE

117

42-109986

ROBERTA AND SON

124

42-110120

"SLEEPY TIME GAL"

126

42-40189

THE SCREAMER

118

42-109990

UNDECIDED




STATISTICAL SUMMARY
FATES OF OUR AIRCRAFT - EAST INDIAN AND NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN
380TH BOMB GROUP (H)

B-24J MODELS, TYPE 6 ONLY





TYPE 7 - BOMBARDIER'S WINDOW ADDED

Type 7-1 Type 7-2

Same as Type 6 except a single small window was added on each side of the nose to improve the bombardier's visibility of the target. The model is best represented by THE K.O. KID (127).


J Ship

Source: Horton, Best in the Southwest, p. 292.



LIST OF TYPE 7 AIRCRAFT IN THE 380TH
Listed by Serial Number:

127

44-40342

THE K.O. KID

128

44-40370

"MARY M"

129

44-40371

"SILVER LADY"

130

44-40398

"PATTY'S PIG"

131

44-40432

"QUEEN HI"

132

44-40434

FLAK FLED FLAPPER

133

44-40801

"SQUAW PEAK"


Listed by Name:

132

44-40434

FLAK FLED FLAPPER

128

44-40370

"MARY M"

130

44-40398

"PATTY'S PIG"

131

44-40432

"QUEEN HI"

129

44-40371

"SILVER LADY"

133

44-40801

"SQUAW PEAK"

127

44-40342

THE K.O. KID




STATISTICAL SUMMARY
FATES OF OUR AIRCRAFT - EAST INDIAN AND NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN
380TH BOMB GROUP (H)

B-24J MODELS, TYPE 7 ONLY





TYPE 8 - REPLACING THE A6B TURRET WITH THE EMERSON A-15 TURRET

Type 5

Replacement of the A6B turret by the Emerson A-15 turret. The Emerson turret was electronically powered, while all previous turrets were hydraulically powered. It was shaped somewhat like a soup can and was more responsive with its two rotational speeds for tracking incoming aircraft. This change necessitated the installation of an aphidian converter in the nose to convert aircraft power to that acceptable by the motors of the turret. This further required that the nose wheel doors had to open outwards below the fuselage since there was no space for them to retract inwards because of the aphidian.

Another standard piece of equipment was the small, flush fitting G-2 pitot tube on the lower left side of the nose. These aircraft also carried a different model of Martin upper turret, the so-called "high hat" model for better visibility for the gunner, and was sloped raised in the back and sloped forward to give the gunner more head room.

This was the last model of the B-24J.

"L'IL NILMERG" (134) represents this model of the B-24.



B-24 Emerson Turret, A-15

Type 8 Nose

Source: S. Birdsall, B-24 Liberator in Action, Aircraft No. 21, Squadron/Signal Publications, 1975, p. 21.



Type 8 specs

Source: Kinzey, B-24 Liberator in Detail, Squadron/Signal Publications, Volume 64, p. 55, 2000.



 
LIST OF TYPE 8 AIRCRAFT IN THE 380TH
Listed by Serial Number:

134

44-40861

"LIL' NILMERG"

135

44-40919

"DREAM GAL"

136

44-40920

SHY-CHI BABY

137

44-40923

I'LL BE SEEING YOU

 
Listed by Name:

135

44-40919

"DREAM GAL"

137

44-40923

I'LL BE SEEING YOU

134

44-40861

"LIL' NILMERG"

136

44-40920

SHY-CHI BABY




STATISTICAL SUMMARY
FATES OF OUR AIRCRAFT - EAST INDIAN AND NEW GUINEA CAMPAIGN
380TH BOMB GROUP (H)

B-24J MODELS, TYPE 8 ONLY


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Last updated:  07/08/2012 08:47 PM