The PB4Y-1 was a navalized version of the USAAF B-24. It had its origin in a deal cut in mid-1942 between the Navy and the USAAF. The Navy was anxious to acquire a long-range, land-based heavy maritime reconnaissance and patrol aircraft capable of carrying a substantial bombload, but the USAAF had always resisted what it perceived as an encroachment into its jealously-guarded land-based bomber program. However, the USAAF needed an aircraft plant to manufacture its next generation of heavy bombers, the B-29 Superfortress. It just so happened that the Navy owned a plant at Renton, Washington, which was at that time being operated by Boeing for the manufacture of the PBB-1 Sea Ranger twin-engined patrol flying boat. The Army proposed that the Navy cancel the Sea Ranger program and turn over the Renton factory to them for B-29 production. In exchange, the USAAF would get out of the antisubmarine warfare business and would drop its objections to the Navy's operation of land-based bombers. The Navy would get "navalized" B-24 Liberators, B-25 Mitchells, and B-34/B-37 Venturas for use in maritime reconnaissance and antisubmarine warfare. The Navy readily agreed to this arrangement.
The navalized Liberator was assigned the designation PB4Y-1. The initial PB4Y-1s were essentially B-24Ds delivered to the Navy with very little change and assigned Navy Bureau of Aeronautics serial numbers. They were drawn from a variety of B-24D block numbers.
Later Navy Liberators were based on the B-24G, J, L, and M versions, with their factory-installed Consolidated A-6A/B or Emerson A-15 nose turrets, although some of them had ERCO turrets installed at the factory. However, they retained the same naval designation of PB4Y-1 as the initial planes based on the B-24D. All PB4Y-1s had Martin A-3 upper turrets and Consolidated A-6A/B tail turrets.
In service, several B-24D-based PB4Y-1s were retrofitted with ERCO
(Engineering and Research Company) ball turrets in their noses. This
ball turret had originally been designed for the now-cancelled Boeing
XPBB-1 Sea Ranger patrol bomber. The ERCO ball turret was essentially
spherical whereas the earlier Consolidated or Emerson turrets were
essentially cylindrical.
Wartime Service
Many Navy patrol squadrons were designated "VP" at the beginning of World War 2, but by mid-1942 their designation had changed to "VB" for heavier-than-air bombing. In October 1944, all Navy and later Privateer squadrons were redesignated "VPB" for Patrol Bombing. After the end of the war, when several of the Navy Liberator squadrons had been disestablished, the old squadron designation "VP" was revived, and took up with the World War 2 numbering system--for example, VPB-106 became VP-106. Photo-reconnaissance squadrons were designated by the code "VD". The Marine Corps Liberator units were known as "VMD", for heavier-than-air Marine photo reconnaissance.
The Navy Liberators first entered service with VB-101 at NAS Barber Point, Hawaii in September of 1942. In the European theatre, the USAAF Antisubmarine Command had been initially assigned the responsibility for antisubmarine warfare, and flew antisubmarine operations out of bases in the USA and in Britain. As part of the deal cut with the Navy, the USAAF agreed to get out of the antisubmarine patrol business. When the USAAF's antisubmarine units were disbanded in 1943, their ASV radar-equipped B-24Ds were traded to the Navy in exchange for new production B-24Ds that had already been earmarked for the Navy. Navy and Marine Corps squadrons soon began flying the Liberator on long-range antisubmarine patrols over both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. VB-110, based at Cornwall in England, took over antisubmarine duties from the USAAF's 479th ASG. VB-104 began operating PB4Y-1s out of Henderson Field, Guadalcanal in 1ate 1943. Modifications were made to permit installation of the AN/ARC-1 radar intercept receiver. By May of 1945, there were 24 Navy and Marine Corps squadrons flying the PB4Y-1.
VB-116 began ECM operations with PB4Y-1s out of Eniwetok Atoll in March of 1944. They flew sorties against Japanese radar installations on Truk, and made radar plots at 1000-, 1000- and 500-foot altitudes. These plots helped airstrikes pick approach directions which would minimize alert time for the enemy.
A total of 13 U-boats were sunk by Navy PB4Y-1s during World War 2, at the cost of 33 PB4Y-1s.
The Navy also operated Liberators with five World War II photographic squadrons: VD-1, VD-3, VD-4, and VD-5 got PB4Y-1s immediately upon establishment, although VD-2 did not get any PB4Y-1s until after World War 2.
The Navy also obtained a number of Liberator transports. The Navy bought three RY-1s (based on the C-87A-CF) and five RY-2s (based on the C-87-CF).
The PB4Y-1 also served with Marine Corps photographic reconnaissance squadrons, which were designated "VMD". Three USMC squadrons operated the Liberator--VMD-154, VMD-254, and VMD-354
Five PB4Y-1s were operated by the US Coast Guard from 1944-1946.
Project Anvil
Two PB4Y-1s of VB-110 were modified as pilotless flying bombs to be launched against high-priority targets in occupied Europe. Known as *Project Anvil*, the initial goal was to take out a German V-2 installation in occupied France. A PB4Y-1 was fitted with remote control gear, a forward-looking television camera to be used in the final run in to the target, and 25,000 pounds of explosives. Since there was no time to develop remotely-controlled takeoff equipment, the aircraft was to be flown to an altitude of 2000 feet by a pilot, who would arm the explosives, hand the aircraft over to remote control, and then bail out.
The first operation took place on August 12, 1944. The two pilots flying the PB4Y-1 were Lt. Joseph P. Kennedy, Jr (JFK's older brother) and Lt. Wilford J. Willy. The PB4Y-1 was accompanied by a Lockeed PV-1 control aircraft and a USAAF B-17 to monitor the television transmissions. However, the PB4Y-1 exploded 20 minutes after takeoff, killing both pilots. A fusing system malfunction was apparently to blame for the accident.
The second try took place on September 3, 1944, this time against an
airfield in Heligoland, the original French V-2 site having by this
time been overrun by Allied troops. Lt. Ralph Spaulding piloted the
takeoff of the modified PB4Y-1 and was able to parachute to safety
after having armed the explosives. Control was handed over to the
PV-1, and the aircraft was flown at low altitude across the North Sea.
The crew in the B-17 had a clear view via television of the approach
to the target. Although the TV camera was put of action by flak just
before the PB4Y-1 struck, the observers in the other planes saw a
massive explosion as the Liberator struck its target.
Postwar Service
After the war, Navy Liberators continued to operate into the early
1950s. Their squadrons were redesignated "VP" once again. A number
of Navy Liberators were modified for reconnaissance duties as PB4Y-1Ps
and served until 1950 with VP-61 and VP-62. In 1951, they were
redesignated P4Y-1P. Between 1947 and 1949, VP-61 based at MCAS Miramar,
carried out an extensive photographic mapping survey of Alaska.
In the early stages of the Indochina War, PB4Y-1Ps from VP-61 flew
reconnaissance missions over Vietnam in support of French operations
between 1951 and 1953.
PB4Y-1 Serials
The US Navy acquired a total of 977 PB4Y-1 Liberators. There were seven blocks of BuAer serial numbers assigned to these planes: 31936/32335, 38733/38965, 46725/46737, 63915/63959, 65287/65392, 90132/20271, and 90461/90483. All of them were delivered to the Navy from batches originally ordered by the USAAF, and had been assigned USAAF serials before their transfer to the Navy. The USAAF serial numbers of these planes were as follows:
41-23825/23849 Consolidated B-24D-7-CO Liberator 23826,23827 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31936,31937. 41-23920/23958 Consolidated B-24D-13-CO Liberator 23926,23927 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31938,31939. 23946,23947 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31940,31941. 41-23970/24003 Consolidated B-24D-15-CO Liberator 23993/23996 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31942/31945. 41-24030/24099 Consolidated B-24D-15-CO Liberator 24053 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31950 24049/24051 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31946/31948. 24088 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31949 24083,24084 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31951/31952. 24086,24087 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31953/31954. 41-24100/24138 Consolidated B-24D-20-CO Liberator 24115/24118 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31955/31958. 24131/24134 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31959/31962. 41-24175/24219 Consolidated B-24D-20-CO Liberator 24176/24178 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31963/31965. 24208/24210 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31966/31968. 41-24220/24311 Consolidated B-24D-25-CO Liberator 24240/24242 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31969/31971. 24271/24272 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31972/31973. 24303/24307 to Navy as PB4Y-1 31974/31978. 42-40058/40137 Consolidated B-24D-30-CO Liberator 40083/40087 to USN as PB4Y-1 31979/31983. 40118/40122 to USN as PB4Y-1 31984/31988. 42-40138/40217 Consolidated B-24D-35-CO Liberator 40151/40155 to USN as PB4Y-1 31989/31993. 40187/40191 to USN as PB4Y-1 31994/31998. 40204 to USN as PB4Y-1 32043. 42-40218/40257 Consolidated B-24D-40-CO Liberator 40228 to USN as PB4Y-1 31999 40224/40227 to USN as PB4Y-1 32000/32003. 42-40258/40322 Consolidated B-24D-45-CO Liberator 40257 to USN as PB4Y-1 32020. 40258 to USN as PB4Y-1 32009. 40259/40263 to USN as PB4Y-1 32004/32008. 40264 to USN as PB4Y-1 32010. 40270/40273 to USN as PB4Y-1 32001/32014. 40274 to USN as PB4Y-1 32019. 40275/40378 to USN as PB4Y-1 32015/32018. 40279 to USN as PB4Y-1 32021. 40281 to USN as PB4Y-1 32031. 40282/40283 to USN as PB4Y-1 32022/32023. 40295/40299 to USN as PB4Y-1 32024/32028. 42-40345/40392 Consolidated B-24D-53-CO Liberator 40369 to USN as PB4Y-1 32053. 40390 to USN as PB4Y-1 32029. 42-40393/40432 Consolidated B-24D-55-CO Liberator 40423 to USN as PB4Y-1 32030. 40425 to USN as PB4Y-1 32044. 40429 to USN as PB4Y-1 32032. 40430 to USN as PB4Y-1 32038. 40432 to USN as PB4Y-1 32033. 42-40433/40482 Consolidated B-24D-60-CO Liberator 40434/40436 to USN as PB4Y-1 32034/32036. 40437/40438 to USN as PB4Y-1 32039/32040. 40439 to USN as PB4Y-1 32037. 40440 to USN as PB4Y-1 32041. 40441 to USN as PB4Y-1 32045. 40442 to USN as PB4Y-1 32042. 40443 to USN as PB4Y-1 32046. 40446 to USN as PB4Y-1 32047. 42-40483/40527 Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator 40498 to USN as PB4Y-1 63915 42-40528/40567 Consolidated B-24D-70-CO Liberator 40553 to USN as PB4Y-1 63933 40561/40562 to USN as PB4Y-1 32048/32049. 40564 to USN as PB4Y-1 32055. 40565 to USN as PB4Y-1 32050. 40566 to USN as PB4Y-1 32052. 40567 to USN as PB4Y-1 32051. 42-40568/40612 Consolidated B-24D-75-CO Liberator 40568 to USN as PB4Y-1 32064. 40570 to USN as PB4Y-1 32054. 40571/40575 to USN as PB4Y-1 32056/32060. 40576 to USN as PB4Y-1 32065. 40578/40580 to USN as PB4Y-1 32061/32063. 40581 to USN as PB4Y-1 32066. 40584 to USN as PB4Y-1 32067. 42-40613/40652 Consolidated B-24D-80-CO Liberator 40628 to USN as PB4Y-1 63930 42-40653/40697 Consolidated B-24D-85-CO Liberator 40668 to USN as PB4Y-1 32072. 42-40698/40742 Consolidated B-24D-90-CO Liberator 40709 to USN as PB4Y-1 32069. 40711 to USN as PB4Y-1 32073. 40712 to USN as PB4Y-1 32071. 40714 to USN as PB4Y-1 32070. 40715 to USN as PB4Y-1 32074. 40717 to USN as PB4Y-1 32075. 40718 to USN as PB4Y-1 32078. 40720 to USN as PB4Y-1 32068. 40721 to USN as PB4Y-1 32076. 40723 to USN as PB4Y-1 32079. 40724 to USN as PB4Y-1 32077. 40725/40729 to USN as PB4Y-1 32080/32084. 42-40743/40787 Consolidated B-24D-95-CO Liberator 40757 to USN as PB4Y-1 63937 40761 to USN as PB4Y-1 63926 40762 to USN as 63916 40785 to USN as PB4Y-1 32085. 42-40788/40822 Consolidated B-24D-100-CO Liberator 40789 to USN as PB4Y-1 63924 40792 to USN as PB4Y-1 63927 40794 to USN as PB4Y-1 32087. 40796 to USN as PB4Y-1 32091. 40797/40798 to USN as PB4Y-1 32089/32090. 40799 to USN as PB4Y-1 32092. 40802 to USN as PB4Y-1 32088. 40805/40806 to USN as PB4Y-1 32093/32094. 40809 to USN as PB4Y-1 63917 40810 to USN as PB4Y-1 63932 40811 to USN as PB4Y-1 63936 40816 to USN as PB4Y-1 63929 42-40823/40867 Consolidated B-24D-105-CO Liberator 40824 to USN as PB4Y-1 63923 40825 to USN as PB4Y-1 63939 40843 to USN as PB4Y-1 63918 40846 to USN as PB4Y-1 63934 40847 to USN as PB4Y-1 32095. 40860 to USN as PB4Y-1 32086. 40861 to USN as PB4Y-1 63931 40867 to USN as PB4Y-1 63921 42-40868/40917 Consolidated B-24D-110-CO Liberator 40868 to USN as PB4Y-1 32096. 40876 to USN as PB4Y-1 63938 40880/40881 to USN as PB4Y-1 32097/32098. 40882 to USN as PB4Y-1 32102. 40883/40884 to USN as PB4Y-1 32100/32101. 40888 to USN as PB4Y-1 32103. 40889 to USN as PB4Y-1 32099. 40890 to USN as PB4Y-1 32104. 40892/40893 to USN as PB4Y-1 32105/32106. 40895 to USN as PB4Y-1 32107. 40897 to USN as PB4Y-1 63928 40898 to USN as PB4Y-1 32108. 40899 to USN as PB4Y-1 32110. 40901 to USN as PB4Y-1 63922 40902 to USN as PB4Y-1 32109. 40903 to USN as PB4Y-1 32111. 40906 to USN as PB4Y-1 32112. 40907 to USN as PB4Y-1 63925 40908/40909 to USN as PB4Y-1 32113/32114. 42-40918/40962 Consolidated B-24D-115-CO Liberator 40923 to USN as PB4Y-1 32115. 40932 to USN as PB4Y-1 32116. 40936 to USN as PB4Y-1 32117. 40943 to USN as PB4Y-1 32118. 40947/40948 to USN as PB4Y-1 32119/32120. 40950 to USN as PB4Y-1 32123. 40951/40952 to USN as PB4Y-1 32121/32122. 40953 to USN as PB4Y-1 32124. 42-40963/41002 Consolidated B-24D-120-CO Liberator 40971 to USN as PB4Y-1 32126. 41001 to USN as PB4Y-1 32125. 42-41003/41047 Consolidated B-24D-125-CO Liberator 41016 to USN as PB4Y-1 32127. 41019/41020 to USN as PB4Y-1 32128/32129. 41024/41025 to USN as PB4Y-1 32130/32131. 41034 to USN as PB4Y-1 32136. 41035 to USN as PB4Y-1 32135. 41036 to USN as PB4Y-1 32137. 41037/41038 to USN as PB4Y-1 32132/32133. 41039 to USN as PB4Y-1 32138. 41042 to USN as PB4Y-1 32139. 41044 to USN as PB4Y-1 32140. 41045 to USN as PB4Y-1 32134. 41046 to USN as PB4Y-1 32141. 42-41048/41092 Consolidated B-24D-130-CO Liberator 41048 to USN as PB4Y-1 32142. 41052 to USN as PB4Y-1 32144. 41055 to USN as PB4Y-1 32143. 42-41093/41137 Consolidated B-24D-135-CO Liberator 41102 to USN as PB4Y-1 32145. 41119 to USN as PB4Y-1 32146. 41121 to USN as PB4Y-1 32147. 41122 to USN as PB4Y-1 32152. 41123 to USN as PB4Y-1 32148. 41130/41131 to USN as PB4Y-1 32149/32150. 41134 to USN as PB4Y-1 32153. 42-41138/41172 Consolidated B-24D-140-CO Liberator 41138 to USN as PB4Y-1 32151. 41139 to USN as PB4Y-1 32154. 41148 to USN as PB4Y-1 32155. 41153 to USN as PB4Y-1 32156. 41165/41167 to USN as PB4Y-1 32157/32159. 42-41173/41217 Consolidated B-24D-145-CO Liberator 41204 to USN as PB4Y-1 32160. 42-72865/72914 Consolidated B-24D-165-CO Liberator 72883 to USN as PB4Y-1 32161. 72888/72889 to USN as PB4Y-1 32162/32163. 72893 to USN as PB4Y-1 32164. 72895 to USN as PB4Y-1 63948 72897 to USN as PB4Y-1 63945 72903 to USN as PB4Y-1 63946 72905 to USN as PB4Y-1 63942 72906 to USN as PB4Y-1 63947 72909 to USN as PB4Y-1 63943 72910 to USN as PB4Y-1 63950 72913 to USN as PB4Y-1 63949 72914 to USN as PB4Y-1 63957 42-72915/72963 Consolidated B-24D-170-CO Liberator 72915 to USN as PB4Y-1 63944 72916 to USN as PB4Y-1 63959 72917 to USN as PB4Y-1 63958 72918 to USN as PB4Y-1 63952 72919 to USN as PB4Y-1 63951 72920 to USN as PB4Y-1 63956 72921 to USN as PB4Y-1 63955 72922/72923 to USN as PB4Y-1 32165/32166. 72924 to USN as PB4Y-1 63954 72925/72926 to USN as PB4Y-1 32167/32168. 72928 to USN as PB4Y-1 63953 42-73015/73064 Consolidated B-24J-5-CO Liberator 73036 to USN as PB4Y-1 32169. 42-73065/73114 Consolidated B-24J-10-CO Liberator 73091/73110 to USN as PB4Y-1 32170/32189. 42-73165/73214 Consolidated B-24J-20-CO Liberator 73168/73180 to USN as PB4Y-1 32190/32202. 73205/73214 to USN as PB4Y-1 32203/32212. 42-73365/73414 Consolidated B-24J-40-CO Liberator 73400/73409 to USN as PB4Y-1 32213/32222. 42-78155/78314 North American B-24G-10-NT Liberator 78271 to USN as PB4Y-1 38782 42-99986/100035 Consolidated B-24J-60-CO Liberator 100026/100030 to USN as PB4Y-1 32223/32227. 42-100136/100185 Consolidated B-24J-75-CO Liberator 100161/100165 to USN as PB4Y-1 32228/32232. 42-100286/100335 Consolidated B-24J-90-CO Liberator 100296/100304 to USN as PB4Y-1 32233/32241. 42-100336/100385 Consolidated B-24J-95-CO Liberator 100378/100382 to USN as PB4Y-1 32242/32246. 42-100386/100435 Consolidated B-24J-100-CO Liberator 100417/100420 to USN as PB4Y-1 32247/32250. 42-109889/109938 Consolidated B-24J-115-CO Liberator 109905/109914 to USN as PB4Y-1 32251/32260. 42-109939/109988 Consolidated B-24J-120-CO Liberator 109955/109964 to USN as PB4Y-1 32261/32270. 42-109989/110038 Consolidated B-24J-125-CO Liberator 110007/110016 to USN as PB4Y-1 32271/32280. 42-110089/110138 Consolidated B-24J-135-CO Liberator 110124/110133 to USN as PB4Y-1 32281/32290. 42-110139/110188 Consolidated B-24J-140-CO Liberator 110174/110183 to USN as PB4Y-1 32291/32300. 44-40049/40148 Consolidated B-24J-145-CO Liberator 40054/40063 to USN as PB4Y-1 32301/32310 40074/40083 to USN as PB4Y-1 32311/32320 40094/40097 to USN as PB4Y-1 32321/32324 44-40149/40248 Consolidated B-24J-150-CO Liberator 40174/40183 to USN as PB4Y-1 32325/32334 40214 to USN as PB4Y-1 32335 40215/40223 to USN as PB4Y-1 38733/38741 44-40249/40348 Consolidated B-24J-155-CO Liberator 40254/40263 to USN as PB4Y-1 38742/38751 40304/40313 to USN as PB4Y-1 38752/38761 40344/40348 to USN as PB4Y-1 38762/38766 44-40349/40448 Consolidated B-24J-160-CO Liberator 40349/40353 to USN as PB4Y-1 38767/38771 40384/40393 to USN as PB4Y-1 38772/38781 40445/40448 to USN as PB4Y-1 38782/38785 44-40449/40548 Consolidated B-24J-165-CO Liberator 40449/40453 to USN as PB4Y-1 38786/38791 40504/40513 to USN as PB4Y-1 38792/38801 44-40549/40648 Consolidated B-24J-170-CO Liberator 40574/40583 to USN as PB4Y-1 38802/38811 40634/40643 to USN as PB4Y-1 38812/38821 44-40649/40748 Consolidated B-24J-175-CO Liberator 40694/40703 to USN as PB4Y-1 38822/38831 44-40749/40848 Consolidated B-24J-180-CO Liberator 40764/40773 to USN as PB4Y-1 38832/38841 40834/40843 to USN as PB4Y-1 38842/38851 44-40849/40948 Consolidated B-24J-185-CO Liberator 40904/40913 to USN as PB4Y-1 38852/38861 44-40949/41048 Consolidated B-24J-190-CO Liberator 40968/40972 to USN as PB4Y-1 38862/38866 41034/41038 to USN as PB4Y-1 38867/38871 44-41049/41148 Consolidated B-24J-195-CO Liberator 41100/41104 to USN as PB4Y-1 38872/38876 44-41149/41248 Consolidated B-24J-200-CO Liberator 41166/41170 to USN as PB4Y-1 38877/38881 41239/41248 to USN as PB4Y-1 38882/38891 44-41249/41348 Consolidated B-24J-205-CO Liberator 41279/41288 to USN as PB4Y-1 38892/38901 41297/41308 to USN as PB4Y-1 38902/38913 41319/41328 to USN as PB4Y-1 38914/38923 44-41349/41389 Consolidated B-24J-210-CO Liberator 41359/41368 to USN as PB4Y-1 38924/38933 44-41390/41448 Consolidated B-24L-1-CO Liberator 41406/41416 to USN as PB4Y-1 38934/38944 44-41449/41548 Consolidated B-24L-5-CO Liberator 41484/41493 to USN as PB4Y-1 38945/38954 41519/41528 to USN as PB4Y-1 38955/38964 44-41549/41648 Consolidated B-24L-10-CO Liberator 41554/41568 to USN as PB4Y-1 38955/38969 41569/41573 to USN as PB4Y-1 90462/90466 41584/41600 to USN as PB4Y-1 90467/90483 41601/41603 to USN as PB4Y-1 46725/46727 44-41649/41748 Consolidated B-24L-15-CO Liberator 41683/41691 to USN as PB4Y-1 46728/46736 41701 to USN as PB4Y-1 46737 41702/41748 to USN as PB4Y-1 65287/65333 44-41749/41806 Consolidated B-24L-20-CO Liberator all to USN as PB4Y-1 65334/65391 44-41849/41948 Consolidated B-24M-5-CO Liberator 41857/41861 to USN as PB4Y-1 65392/65396 41862 to USN as PB4Y-1 90132. 41864/41865 to USN as PB4Y-1 90134/90135. 41887/41942 to USN as PB4Y-1 90136/90191. 44-41949/42048 Consolidated B-24M-10-CO Liberator 41997/41999 to USN as PB4Y-1 90192/90194. 42000/42016 to USN as PB4Y-1 90195/90211. 42017 to USN as PB4Y-1 90133. 42032/42048 to USN as PB4Y-1 90212/90228. 44-42049/42148 Consolidated B-24M-15-CO Liberator 42049/42051 to USN as PB4Y-1 90229/90231. 42067/42093 to USN as PB4Y-1 90232/90258. 44-42149/42248 Consolidated B-24M-20-CO Liberator 42176/42188 to USN as PB4Y-1 90259/90271. 44-42249/42348 Consolidated B-24M-25-CO Liberator
Sources:
-
Famous Bombers of the Second World War, William Green,
Doubleday, 1959.
-
British Military Aircraft Serials, 1912-1969, Bruce Robertson,
Ian Allen, 1969.
-
Liberator: America's Global Bomber, Alwyn T. Lloyd,
Pictorial Histories Publishing Co, Inc, 1993.
-
The Consolidated B-24J Liberator, Roger A. Freeman,
Profile Publications, Inc. 1969.
-
B-24 Liberator in Action, Larry Davis, Squadron/Signal Publications
Inc, 1987.
-
General Dynamics Aircraft and Their Predecesssors, John Wegg,
Naval Institute Press, 1990.
-
Consolidated B-24D-M Liberator IN USAAF-RAF-RAAF-MLD-IAF-CzechAF
and CNAF Service, Ernest R. McDowell, Arco, 1970.
-
United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough
and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.
-
American Combat Planes, 3rd Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner,
Doubleday, 1982.
-
Jane's American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th Century, Michael
J.H. Taylor, Mallard Press.
-
E-mail from Ron Sathre, PB4YGuy@aol.com
- E-mail from Joseph Parker on VP-61.
