Calling all spotters, enthusiasts and clever fellows, can anyone help identify a Liberator, please?
I have a photo of an RAF Liberator transport, whose RAF serial is invisible.
It’s a No.206 Squadron aircraft, with the codes PQ-L on the rear fuselage, and ‘ML’ on the front of the nose, on the fairing that has replaced the front turret. The name ‘DOCTOR LIVINGSTONE’ is under the cockpit, and a small disney dragon and the name ‘The Reluctant Dragon’ is further forward, in front of and below an RAF Transport Command crest.
The (modification centre?) code 29-289 is applied low on the forward fuselage.
This photo could show a Mk VIII, since there’s no sure way of telling a VI from an VIII by a photo if you can’t see the serial. The aircraft also appears to be in Coastal Command colours, suggesting that it may have been one of 206’s wartime aircraft, hastily converted to transport duties when the war ended, when the unit had only VIIIs on charge. The Squadron later gained further aircraft (including converted GR.MK VIs) but these were mostly stripped of their Coastal Command camouflage.
The VIII differed from the VI only in having a re-located wireless operator’s station above the rear bomb bay. This gave more space in the nose for a better-equipped and roomier navigator’s station. The Coastal Command VIIIs also had an with improved 3-centimetre Mk X or Mk XV radar, and some had a radar bomb sight was known as LABS (Low Altitude Bomb Sight) for security reasons, linked the main radar, the attack radar (in the bomb-aimer’s position) the Fluxgate Master Compass and the auto-pilot. Though most VIIIs were Ford-built B-24Ls, some were Consolidated-built Js, and a handful were Ford-built Js. Mk VIs were mostly Consolidated-built Js (and all GR VIs were Consolidated built) but some were Ford-built B-24Js and Ls.
From the photo, it looks as though ‘The Reluctant Dragon’ was not San Diego built (the nose gear doors open outwards) and isn’t an ‘L’ – since it lacks the big ‘scanning’ windows and extended bomb-aimer’s glazing. It’s most likely a Consolidated-built B-24J.
Bearing in mind how many Libs 206 got through, I’d suspect that there may have been half a dozen ‘PQ-L’s – or perhaps even more. Candidates include KK335 and KK375.
Does anyone have, or know of, a list that ties up serials and Mod Center codes?
By: phil marchese - 13th October 2006 at 16:01
Louisville mod cemter numbers
Jackinicko,
… just saw youir message.
The mod center involved where is Louisville but we have not cracked the code nor found a list of the mod center numbering so 29-289 is unmatched as far as I know. I’ve been the undeclared world leader on this subject since about 1984 and I have crack some of the systems including the AAF project noumbers. If anyone had the answer, I’d likely be in the loop. I know no one who can answer this.
As for RAF serial, go to B24bestweb.com and ask Bob Livingstone.
As to ID, you are a little off base on the B-24L. The L came in four [I]factory[/I nose versions and several tail turret variations.
The four nose versions are:
* B-24L-1-CO ( as B-24J-185-CO onward and similar to B-24G-1 onward);
* B-24L-5-CO onward: (as B-24J-NT); canted panel below waterline at Station 1.0. Samples posted at below reference will show this panel line;
* B-24L-1/10-Fo (as B-24J-FO but less the lower ” lip” to S-Curve fairing.);
* B-24l-15-FO : Added enlarged “bay type” nav. window.
See my B-24 ID tool at navylib.com
Phil Marchese
By: JDK - 17th November 2004 at 16:32
Having had some amazing results from doing high res scans from wartime photos myself, you might find it a worthwile excercise for other reasons. W.W.II era box brownie type shots have yielded amazing detail when scanned at 800dpi. You can’t post them at that here (600pixels wide is a good limit) but who know what else might show up.
Good luck 😀
By: Jackonicko - 17th November 2004 at 15:27
Thanks guys. I’ll see what I can do with a scan, but the photo is poor and much of the detail (eg the Dragon and dragon name) is barely visible, and I can only see it because I know it’s there!
By: Swiss Mustangs - 17th November 2004 at 14:59
Hi Jackonicko
the mod-center codes I have been discussing with Phil Marchese over on the ArmyAirForces.com Forum – especially as to the P-51C’s carrying such codes on the rudders. There we tried to bring a “pattern into the chaos”, i.e. trying to amass as much data as possible.
But I am sorry to say that there doesn’t exist a listing that links AAF-serials with mod-center codes.
Will see what I can find re. Liberators – (just moved, so everything is in boxes….)
Kind regards from Zurich / Switzerland
Martin / Swiss Mustangs
oh – and a scan would be very much appreciated….
By: Arm Waver - 17th November 2004 at 14:45
Welcome over from the other forum… Any chance a scan of the image? – you’ll find many would love to see… I’ll have a hunt in my stuff but don’t think I’ll have anything else to add to what you know.
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November 17, 2004 at 1:51 pm