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

 

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



Scrap port elevation

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

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

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

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.

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).

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).

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.

Last updated:  07/08/2012 08:47 PM