WW2 B-24 Liberator
Bomber Aircraft Books.

Commissioned to replace the B-17, the Liberator was built in near-record time. The machine was designed around the long-span low-drag Davis wing, a new concept at the time of production. Early models were soon superseded on all production lines by the J model, the most successful B-24 of all time. When production ceased on 31 May 1945, 18,475 Liberators had been made, making it the most produced American aircraft of WW2. Click Here to see the "Willow Run" Exhibit, the inside story of the building of the B-24 Liberator.

Flight Manual B-24 Liberator
Softbound Book

A reprint of the official government handbook designed to show the new cadet how  to fly the aircraft. Heavily illustrated with dozens of photos, diagrams and charts. 146 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

Every B24's buff must have one! This book is about the "D" version( glazed nose), widely employed at early stages of II war on every theater and absolute protagonist of the famous operation "Tidal Wave", the strike on Romanian oil fields near Ploesti. The type ranked second in the production run, being outnumbered by the most famous "J" version (Consolidated or Emerson 2 gun nose turret). Here you can find normal and emergency checklists, systems description and above all, true aircraft performances (maps and charts available in original forties' format!). And if you are a WWII simulation buff, this reference should help you to get the real touch with handling and flying characteristics. The lattice glass nose compartment lacked a power turret (being retrofitted later, especially in the Pacific squadrons) but at least this version was the easiest to fly. In fact the "Liberators" never get rid of handling and forward visibility problems, these were exacerbated by adopting a nose turret, weighty and inducing excessive drag. So the "D" models were "user-friendly" only for the bombardier position, lacking defensive armament and small field of fire in frontal sectors. Enjoy the discover! #0001409  Price: $12.95

Jesse Pettey grew up in Nacogdoches, Texas where he observed life in an East Texas rural small town during the depression.  He attended High School and  Stephen E. Austin State University before volunteering for the Army Air Corps flight training in World War II.  During the war, he flew 35 missions as a pilot in a B-24 bomber over Europe and was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross and four Air Medals.  Upon completing his combat flying, he returned to Texas  where he completed his education by earning a masters degree in Music Education.  He taught music in high school for several years before joining Prudential Insurance Company where he served as a Prudential  executive from 1957 to 1980.  He then retired and lived in Italy for the next seven years traveling and writing.  He now livbes in Houston, Texas. 

by William C,, II McGuire

Letter from the Author:
It tells the story of the 8th Air Force mission against Friedrichshafen, Germany on March 18, 1944, in which the 392nd BG lost 14 Liberators. Among them was my dad's Navigator, as he was KIA with six more of his crew. The contemporary or mid-1990s story tells about how I first learned the details, tracked down and interviewed surviving vets, visited his old base in England, his burial place at St. Avold, France and the crash site in southwestern Germany for his B24 J and two additional heavies. If you have the time and interest you can check out reader comment on Amazon.com including endorsements from Len Deighton, Roger Freeman, novelist James Patterson, former 392nd BG commander Col. Larry Gilbert, American Library Association President-elect Mitch Freedman and others. This is a good story and read, and an important next generation salute to all those associated with the Air Forces effort in WWII.

From our Yellow Airplane readers
"The Day We Bombed Switzerland" Recounts Jackson Granholm's days as a Liberator navigator stationed at Horsham St. Faith England with the 8th AAF, 2nd AD, 96th CW, 458th BG, 752 BS from mid 1944 to war's end. I am in the process of reading it as we speak, and I find it quite
interesting. 
D Stowe

The author, Jackson W. Granholm , June 16, 2000  This history book has its own history To fly in the bomber attack forces of the 8th USAAF during World War II in England was a truly memorable experience. All who did so  gained a lifelong set of remembrances. Some who flew in that great Air Force in that great War still do not care to talk about it. I decided that history, even personal history, is always important and is too often lost to those who follow. This book represents twenty years of  effort and three major rewrites in order to put it into its present form. There were a number of difficulties, including the long-time secret classification of the court martial records which form an important part of the text background material. I find it fitting that this book is   published in England. It was from England, a place were we lived as foreigners, and not always beloved foreigners, that we went forth  with our mighty machines of destruction to rain death upon Nazi Germany and its occupied territories. And my English publishers, with  whom I was able to work with mutual respect and cooperation, brought a high level of professionalism to the effort. Little interest in publishing this book was in evidence from American publishing houses. Even less was in evidence from those styling themselves as "author's agents." I was the recipient of all kinds of asinine advice about what to do with this book. Some said there were too many  characters in it, and that hence the reader could never follow it. It would be better, such said, to limit the plot to one or two and introduce a captivating, even if fictional, love interest. Other givers of free-advice-worth-the-price suggested that the plot of World War II must be  rewritten for more dramatic impact. The most straightforward "expert" opinion was that which said that the whole manuscript was a waste   of time, and that such a mess could never be published. These latter experts had the gall to charge for this opinion. In spite of all these  things, here the book is, published by my friends at Air life. Now it can stand on its own amidst whatever storms of criticism it may  deserve. 

The B-24 Liberator was built in a factory called Willow Run in Detroit Michigan.  The factory was built by Henry Ford and designed by Charles Sorensen.  The willow run factory was named willow run because is it was built on the willow run creek.  This is interesting because the last person to live on the willow run property was Warren Benjamin Kidder.  I have spoken to Ben, personally, and he is one of the nicest people that anyone could ever meet.  Ben wrote a book called Willow Run, Colossus of Industry, a book about the production of the b24 liberator, military bomber.  When the factory was in full production it produced a B24 liberator every 56 minutes.  This factory is one of Henry Ford 's greatest achievements.  You can read more about this fantastic, very well written book by clicking here and going to the Willow Run B-24 Liberator Production Exhibit. 

In 1943, two young teachers decided to do their part for the war effort by spending their summer vacation working  the swing shift on a B-24 production line at a San Diego bomber plant. First published  in 1944 and illustrated with humorous drawings, this is an on-the-spot account of  how two women assumed wartime roles, illuminating the public history of defense  work in which they and thousands like them participated. 192 pgs., 5½"x 7½", sfbd.

Book Description 
                     *100 b/w photos
                     * 30 color photos
                     * 7 x 9

Born out of an approach made by the US Army Air Corps to Consolidated for a bomber with superior performance to the B-17, the  Liberator was built in record numbers as the Allies' most abundant heavy bomber. From the first to see combat, the B-24D, to the  ultimate Liberator, the heavily modified PB4Y-2 Privateer, all navy versions are featured in this, the first of four volumes on the B-24  family. 

Price:

$16.34

A collection of 15 true hair-raising combat stories from the logs of a Mustang ace who shot down five Fw 190s in fifteen minutes, a B-24 pilot after the Ploesti raid, a P-47 pilot who blasts a Nazi armored column, and more. Illustrated, 179 pgs., 6"x 9", sfbd

A companion to the same author's B-17 nose art and name directory. This  volume details the Group, Squadron, serial number and photo availability of over  9,000 WWII B-24 Liberators. Great for the historian, researcher and model builder. 32   pages of vintage photos. 8½"x 11", 192 pgs., sfbd.   

A must for B-24 Liberator Buffs! Wally has expanded his format to include data on AF Wings and their component bomb groups for most of the USAAF. His B-17 Nose Art Directory was concerned with the 8th, 15th, and 20th AFs. And rather than searching the total list for group aircraft he has listed the a/c assigned to each group by group number. Definitely a source book for important data (names, serial numbers, photo availability) on this aircraft.

Ingram Book Reviews
bomber during World War II, tells the remarkable story of the men of the U.S. Fifteenth Air Force and the air battles that they fought  over Europe. Reprint. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title. 

Brought to life by best-selling historian Stephen Ambrose,  this is the story of the B-24 bomber and the men who flew her. It follows pilots and crews from start to  finish - their backgrounds, training, bravery and heroism as they did their part to help win the war.  Given the 50 percent casualty rate, it's hard to imagine young soldiers wanting to join the flight crews  that flew B24s over Germany, but they did. This is their story. 304 pgs., hdbd.
No Longer Available

The story of Patrol Bombing Squadron 104 in the South Pacific during World  War II. An excellent unit history that is hard to put down. Contains many unusual  combat photos from the scrapbooks of the veterans who gave their stories to the  author. The squadron shot down 37 enemy aircraft (one by ramming) with PB4Ys!  318 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

In 1943, Lady Be Good, an American Liberator bomber, vanished into the  night while returning from a mission in Italy to her base in Libya. 15 years later, oil  geologists spotted the bomber's remarkably well-preserved remains and eventually  located the crew and evidence of their desperate attempt to survive in the forbidding desert environment. This intriguing piece of detective work details the  crew's courageous efforts to save themselves. 208 pgs., 35 photos, 6"x 9", sfbd.

What began as a routine cross-country training flight from Albuquerque  to Kansas City in April 1942, ended in disaster on the crest of 10,242  foot high Trail Peak at the Boy Scouts of America's fabled high adventure base, Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico. This is the full story of the crew and their training leading up to that mission whose wreckage is the most visited aviation crash site in the world  today. 448 pgs., 90 B&W photos, 5½"x 8½", sfbd.

Detailed B-24 history with combat records, nose art, markings,  etc. Covers early B-24 C types, Privateers and B-32s. A special section on Lady Be Good, found in the Libyan desert in 1960. 650 photos, 70 of which are WWII color,  most never-before-published. 256 pgs., 8½"x 11", hdbd.

Book Description 
This quintessential guide for aspiring, student, and new pilots answers the questions most often asked about obtaining a pilot's certificate, including: Airplane anatomy, flight theory; GPS navigation and operation; Piloting techniques; Weather: Icing, services, reflight advisories; Instructors and flight schools; costs, time, and more. There is no better guide to the nuts-and-bolts of learning to fly than this classic book.

Book Description 
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator bombers of the U.S. Eighth Air Force's 2nd Air Division were based on airfields around Norwich,  England. Their crews took high losses but with their determination and sacrifice the Division made a vital contribution to the war in Europe. 

This is an in-depth study of the 2nd Air Division and its exploits, compiled from both U.S. and U.K. sources. It is an unparalleled  collection of wartime photos and paintings showing the many color schemes. For military and aviation enthusiasts. Strong appeal to  modelers, all WWII veterans--especially those who served in the 2nd Air Division and their families. 
 

Book Description 
The second volume in the "Living History" series, THE SOLDIER explores the development, service, and provides an air crew's view of
the B-24 Liberator, a four-engine bomber that saw combat in every major theater of WWII. 58 color photos, 47 B&W photos and illustrations. 

Availability: This title is currently out of stock. However, you can order it  used now. 

Carigan tells of the B-24 Liberator, covering all the necessary preliminary steps in learning to fly it. Terribly unforgiving of any carelessness or neglect, the remarkable B-24 carried more crews through WWII  than did any other airplane. Carigan flew 50 missions in the B-24 with the 15th AF in Italy - time enough to learn the pitfalls awaiting the young pilot. A fascinating,  comprehensive manual. Illustrated, 96 pgs., 8½"x 11", sfbd.

More than a complete history of one of the greatest  warplanes of all time, this rare assemblage of wartime records, memories, photos,  personal and military histories, and in-depth technical insights brings the B-24 back to life and to center stage of World War II. From the Walter J. Boyne Military Aircraft  Series. 141 pgs., Over 170 photos and diagrams, 8¾"x 11¾", hdbd.

The legendary low-level raid on the Romanian oil fields by B-24s from American bomb groups. 50th  anniversary book offers never-before-published photos from the raid and portrays a sense of intensity  and drama of the event. Complete listing of aircraft and crews taking part. 350 photos, 300 pgs., 9"x  12", hdbd.

Book Description 
Taken from over 300 letters and journal entries, written between 1942 and 1945, this coming-of-age story vividly depicts the daily life and awesome responsibilities of one young Air Force lieutenant as he leads strategic bombing missions over Nazi Germany. Written while  it was happening, Byron's War provides time-capsule-like insight into a critical period in American history. 

"The author's day to day account takes the reader through enlistment, training, combat, and finally to kissing the ground after completing his final mission. He may come across at times as a brash, cocky young kid --one of the best. But, at the same time, he admits to making  his share of dumb mistakes, both in training and in combat --and the truly honest admission of being damned scared at times in combat.  His writing style is reminiscent of one of the best-selling wartime books, See Here, Private Hargrove, which was also a good read." -Reprinted from the Foreword written by Glenn Houghton 

Byron's War will be of interest to anyone involved, directly or indirectly, with the Army Air Force in WWII. And, to all those who are interested in the air war, it provides an excellent insight into what went on back then 

About the Author 
Byron Lane is an international management consultant and a Professor of Management. He has authored two books on business  management. He earned a Ph.D. in organizational psychology and had multiple careers that include entrepreneur, CEO of a national  company, professor of management, and writer. He enlisted in the Army Air Corps on his 18th birthday and was later commissioned a  2nd lieutenant as a bombardier on a B-24 bomber. He flew over 30 missions over Germany during WW II. 

Vintage pictorial history of the epic WWII air/sea battle in the North Atlantic to keep open England's life-lines. Covers the North  Atlantic to the Caribbean and includes B-24s, PBYs, Grumman Avengers, Wildcats, and more. Most photos are from personal collections and have never been published  before. 112 pgs., 160 photos, 8½"x 11", sfbd.

The author, a B-24 bombardier in the CBI theater, provides memoirs with no  holds barred. Takes the reader from his introduction as a green young man to a  toughened veteran. A bird's eye view of the country, the missions, and fellow crewmen. 264 pgs., illustrated, 6"x 9", sfbd.

A detailed look at every variant of the B-24 and Navy PB4Y with  differences between the variants discussed and illustrated. Period photos, obtained  from official USAAF and U.S. Navy files, are combined with those taken specifically  for this publication. Together, they illustrate in detail every feature of this important and historic aircraft. 80 pgs. with 16 in color for nearly 200 photos. 8½"x 11", sfbd.

Excellent reference for the buff, historian and modeler, this book contains 3-view drawings of various B-24 models, including detail of turrets, armament,  propellers, cowling and more. 57 pgs., over 120 photos, dozens of diagrams and a 2  pg. color plate of markings. 11"x 8¼", sfbd.

This outstanding autobiographical recount of Ardery's WW2 experiences ranks amongst the top in this genre. Follow his career through  flight training and initial assignments, trials, tribulations and finally, a combat assignment. Ardery, his crew, and their B24 participated in several critical and unprecedented bombing missions during the war, including the infamous Ploesti raid. His recount of flying into a virtual "wall of fire", which was the defensive flak being leveled at their bomber, is one of the most harrowing experiences written to date. In  addition to this book, those interested in the B24 should definitely read Thomas Childer's "Wings of Morning : The Story of the Last American Bomber Shot Down over Germany in World War II" which stands alone as the absolute finest piece of literature written to date on this subject. 

Often overshadowed by the bomb groups in the "Mighty Eighth," the 15th Air Force groups that flew the B-24 ceaselessly struck at targets from the  bases in southern Italy from late 1943 through VE-Day. This is their seldom-told  story. 96 pgs., 100 B&W photos, 30 color profiles and more. 7¼"x 9¾", sfbd.

Book Description 
100 b/w photos, 30 color photos, 7 x 9 The first raid undertaken by the Liberator occurred on 9 October 1942 when the 93rd Bomb Group (BG) attacked Lille, in France. This  group was followed across the Atlantic to England by the 44th BG, which was considered to be the AAF's first true Liberator unit. These  two "pioneer" groups remained the only B-24 operators "in-theater" until late 1943, as other groups slated for the ETO were diverted to  the Pacific. Eventually, a further 19 groups (usually consisting of three or four bomb squadrons) would see action with the Eighth. Although unable to fly at the rarefied altitudes achievable with the B-17, the B-24s ability to fly faster and further with a much heavier  bomb load than the Boeing bomber made the Liberator the most sought after aircraft in the American inventory by late 1942.

This is an illustrated history of the 451st Bomb Group in  WWII. As part of the USAAF's 15th Air Force, they flew the B-24 Liberators from Italy to heavily defended targets throughout the Mediterranean theater of war.  During their tour, the Group was awarded three Presidential Unit Citations for their  ability to get to the target no matter what. 160 pgs., 600+ B&W photos (most  previously unpublished), 8½"x 11", hdbd.

This book records the World War II experiences of Captain Elmer E. Haynes,  who flew low-altitude night radar strikes against Japanese shipping in the South China Sea and daylight  raids against various enemy land-based installations in eastern and central China. Haynes flew secretly developed B-24 Liberator bombers that were equipped with radar that had been integrated with the  Norden Bombsight for night missions. These B-24's operated with the 14th Air Force - General  Chennault's Flying Tigers. The bombing attacks were so accurate and successful that, in a little over a  year, Haynes and his fellow pilots sank approximately a million tons of Japanese shipping. 264 pgs.,  hdbd.
Price: $14.95

The 90th Bombardment Group in the Southwest Pacific, 1942-1944 Colorful B-24 Liberator group created an unbeatable record, both in aerial combat and in bombing prowess. Portrays in detail the crewmen and the drama, both humorous and disastrous. 112 pgs., 500 photos, many in color, 11"x 8½", hdbd.

He had never been in an airplane, had never felt himself "born to fly," and felt "no sudden surge of patriotism." But from the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor, he says there was no question in his mind that he would enter military service. President Roosevelt's  blueprint for total war made this clear. 

Boeman's memoir takes the reader from flight training through combat missions. 

The day-to-day life of inexperienced Boeman and his crew, as part of the 307th Bombardment Group, is detailed with humor and pathos   -- the apprehension of his first mission; the long hours on the ground; the remembrances of "growing up"; the excitement, the "ice" in the  stomach, or the unexpected. 

". . . Significantly," Boeman says, "somewhere in the progression from my first day of training to . . . my fifth mission in combat operations,   I had undergone an attitudinal transformation that compelled me to direct all effort toward a single objective: to put our bombs on the  assigned target." 

Boeman "ponders" the "rights and wrongs" of his responsibilities and decisions as an aircraft commander and works through the  "agonizing post accident days" of his aircraft's crash on takeoff, killing four of his crew. Morotai is a thoughtful, touching remembrance of a survivor -- a story with excitement, and a story of pain. 

The “Cottontails” of the 450th Bomb Group flew B-24s into hell from bases in  Italy to destroy German oil- making facilities. Fagan flew on 41 missions with the  450th as first pilot, going against Vienna and Ploesti ten times. Describes his B-24  missions with the 15th Air Force and tells of the close calls and unforgettable  incidents - and his scheme to beat the odds for combat survival. Photos from the  author's collection. 130 pgs., 5"x 8¼", sfbd.

This book is crammed full of excerpts from original military tech manuals,  overhaul handbooks, flight crew references, original engineering drawings, and  assembly line and repair depot photos. Includes exploded views, cutaways, and  four-page insert of color photos. 100 pgs., over 100 photos and 30 diagrams, 8½"x 11", sfbd.

Book Description 
The B-24 Liberator was the most widely used four-engined aircraft of World War II, with a total of 19,256 being built. Built with Pacific  distances in mind, the B-24 had a very long range and served the U.S. Army Air Force in both Europe and the Pacific, and also  equipped RAF squadrons in Burma. The true character of such a long-serving aircraft cannot be deduced from its technical  specifications, and this classic account draws on many first-hand experiences of those who actually flew the plane. The B-24's most  important moments are covered, along with less well-known operations, all backed up with numerous photographs. 

The combat history of the 392nd Bomb Group. Based out of Wendling, England, the 392nd flew the B-24H in 285 combat missions between September 1943 and the war's end. Included are mission summaries, personnel rosters and casualty  reports. 288 pgs., 285 photos and illustrations, 8½"x 11", sfbd.

Here is the exciting, detailed story  of the U.S. Eighth Air Force's only Radar Countermeasure squadron that flew from England during WWII. This book tells of the men of the elite 36th Bomb Squadron and  the special operations they flew in modified B-24s, and of how this secret squadron saved many Allied lives. 216 pgs., over 330 photos and line drawings, 8½"x 11",  hdbd.

The Liberator, commissioned to improve upon the B-17, was built in near  record time. USAAF production got into full swing with the advent of the B-24D, later superseded by the most successful variant, the "J" model. When production ceased  in 1945, the B-24 was the most produced American aircraft of World War II. This complete history uniquely includes a selection of color company advertisements not seen since the war. 128 pgs., 120 B&W photos, 7¼"x 9¾", sfbd.

Book Description 
This book is the story of a man's journey through the New Guinea jungle during WWII to solve the mystery of why  American B-24 Liberator bombers were crashing in clear weather under no hostile action. 50 B&W photos

This title is currently out of print. However, you can buy it  used now. 

The first comprehensive book written on the operations of navy B-24 Liberator squadrons in  the Pacific War. From the birth of the first squadron and its deployment to  Guadalcanal in early 1943 to the squadrons that participated in the Central Pacific  campaign, every Navy Liberator squadron is discussed in detail. 120 pgs., 90+ B&W photos, 8½"x 11", sfbd.

Continues where We Flew Alone (also available) leaves off, examining in dramatic detail the Navy's use of the B-24 and PB4Y-2 during the last eleven months  of the war against Japan. Includes personal stories, a tabulation of all aerial kills  credited to PB4Y patrol plane commanders, a roster of all personnel killed in action or  in the line of duty, individual squadron records, and much more. 160 pgs., 200+ B&W  and color photographs, 8½"x 11", sfbd.