My 97 year old dad was a top gunner ,flight engineer on a B24. He flew out of Horsham St. Faith, Norwich England. He and his crew ditched in the North Sea returning back from a raid on Brunswick Germany in August 1944. The plane they ditched in was named Tailwind. The co pilot was killed but the rest of the crew survived. The Pilot earned a distinguished flying cross for successfully ditching the plane with one fatality. Dad is still going strong.
@@darrinsiberia Do you know what bomb group or squadron? I researched my dad's online and my brother and I visited the mighty 8th air force museum in Pollar, GA. With my dad.
My pop did 22 mission over Europe. He was a tail gunner, later model with duel 50 Cal’s. His plane “Jodey” survived the war and was scraped in Texas. Great to read the many comments on men who served on the Liberator. Pop is still going strong at 99.
Great grandpa. Flew on silver streak mainly and a couple others during downtime for repairs. Silver streak was damaged in action do to heavy fire on the front. He was rw waist gunner. Went on a lot of low flight high risk missions. He always talked about bombs getting stuck and they'd have to take turns running over. Grabbing a rope and kicking them loose out of the hatch. He died in 2016. Coolest thing ever was going to the airforce museum in Ohio and seeing one in person.
These vintage warbirds are SO beautiful.Everyone involved in their maintenance deserves so much thanks, not least for keeping the memory alive of those who flew them operationally.
Being an avid ww2 reader it almost brought tears to my eyes watching the vid. Just thinking about those brave warriors back then fighting and dying for that just cause. Heroes. Thanks for the vid!!
Witchcraft once visited my local airport during a month-long cross-country Veteran’s Day tour. I had an opportunity to board and tour the entire aircraft. She’s a very impressively restored machine and it brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t even imagine what it’s like for those brave young men who sacrificed their lives through fighter infested, flak filled and freezing skies over Germany. Victory was achieved by their blood, sweat and tears. What a fitting flying memorial to those men, the surviving veterans and those who didn’t come back home. Thank you fellas. 🇺🇸 🙏🎖🏅
My dad was a gunner on the Liberator in the Pacific. He was part of the "Long Rangers" who flew very long missions. He said often the Japanese would fly above them and try to drop incendiaries down onto them. I got to walk around inside this plane when it was at the Waterloo, Iowa airport a few years ago during a "Wings of Freedom" tour. The guys in those planes had balls of steel.
He was stationed at Henderson Field on Guadacanal. 424 BSq most probably 13th AF, They flew missions often up the slot as it was called; an area of open ocean with small islands on each side.
My father was a Ground Crew Chief on 8 of these in the South Pacific 1943 thru 1945. His B24s were filled with cameras and redesignated A7. Used for Combat Mapping. Great video, thank you
Witchcraft flew over my house in Virginia a few months ago. THAT was a surprise. I heard a multi engine radial coming and ran outside just as it passed directly overhead at about 500ft. It made my day. For sure.
Wright Flyer: Me too. Luckly, we were all out in the front yard by the curb when it flew over two days ago. Thrilling. Couldn't see the name of the plane tho.
I didn't know it was Witchcraft at first, but saw the abundance of fuselage writing because it was so low. What a thrill! Round engines are unmistakable. I'm 69 years old and was bitten by the aviation bug when I was a child. It just never lets go and when it flew over I had no idea I could still move that fast when necessary!
Have seen this beauty in person at KDMW (Carroll County Regional Airport) when helping the local Civil Air Patrol squadron (being a member myself) up in Westminster in October of each year, always a tremendous honor to get to meet and not only talk with and thank WW II veterans but to see the B-17G "Nine-O-Nine, the B-25J "Tondelayo" and the B-24J "Witchcraft" not only firing up those massive radial engines but have them thundering down the runway!
I saw and walked through Nine-O-Nine on her last tour before she went to the east coast, crashed and burned. Luckily I still have an in depth video of the plane albeit with terrible self-commentary.
You can't even imagine the thunderous roar these planes bring when flying overhead, it makes you want to tear up and cry. It's a wonderful sound, and I'm glad I got to hear it at least once
My Dad was a B-24 radioman in Okinawa. In the 1990’s my nephew won an essay contest on Long Island and he was awarded a ride on Witchcraft with my Dad. Dad’s auto license plate was USAF B24 in NY
A friend who flew both B-24s and PB4Y-2s of every configuration says the single rudder and stabilizer of the Navy version made the aircraft a dream to fly. The twin stabilizers of the 24 and early PBs were in the slipstream of the inboard engines. Consolidated and Ford wanted to change the B-24 to a single stabilizer, but the Army wouldn't allow the delay in production or change in logistics. Sheer numbers meant more than any other consideration. This is borne out by the fact that the B-24 that my uncle was killed aboard had 87 sortees over the continent on the day it crashed on takeoff.
When Witchcraft was in SW Louisiana several years ago, I got up close and personal - that's the only way to really experience the visceral power of those big radials. This video is great, but doesn't do it justice. It must be experienced first hand, and it will give you goosebumps. My uncle was a Liberator pilot during WW II.
Oh, wow. My grandfather was a bombardier on a B-24 named "Ole Repulsive." Unfortunately, it lies somewhere in the Adriatic Sea, but thankfully he wasn't on it at the time.
My great uncle Lauren was a turret gunner in a b24. He was so young when he entered the air corps that he ended up growing over 6 foot and couldent fit in the turret anymore so they made him a waist gunner. He was part of the 1000 plane raid on berlin. He died in his early 20's after the war in a car accident, they think a drunk driver hit him. How i wish i could have met him.
The coolest plane ever made. I was in my kayak in a marsh near Cape May when one flew over. I could hear it coming about a minute before it showed over head.
My dad flew 35 combat missions over Europe in a B-24. He started out training to be a pilot. He was thrown out after he buzzed a farmer on a tractor on one of his solo flights One of his 35 missions was a milk run. They were flying gasoline to Patton. In his words,"I managed to fly over the only German anti-aircraft battery still in operation. All hydralics were shot out. They continued to England and the crew bailed out rather than try a crash landing with a full load of fuel.
My dad was a tail gunner in the B-24. He told me tales of flying low through Italy and warming up the guns by shooting near the farmers, not to hit them but scare the bejesus out of them. Sadly, he only made it 9 missions, shot down over Germany and was a POW for the remainder of the war. He survived that and that is why I'm here today.
The history of this aircraft and its various crew is astonishing and should never be forgotten. Eighth Air Force, Ford built in Willow Run, Michigan. Over 130 Missions this aircraft flew with no aborts! 467th BS & 790 SQ.
Well not THIS aircraft... the RAF used this plane in Pacific, was junked after the war and resurrected by the Indian Air Force. Decommissioned in 1968. Brought in pieces to America in 1971 and the rest is history.
My Mom's brother was flight engineer/top turret gunner on one of those. They were shot down in China in 1943. I have the greatest respect for the men who flew in them.
Jets are great as an A&P mechanic I worked for a well known airline with all the benefits but left after a short time when a company that worked on round engines and enjoyed very much and retired doing that. And had a run up area that was thrilling. There was a crew that even went to the customer to mount engines and after a time was on that.
My son and I saw her at the Martha’s Vineyard airport in 2019, sadly just prior to the B 17s crash not long after Bless all who flew and continue to fly these beautiful airplanes
My uncle was a ball turret gunner on Libs. I brought him to an air show at Beverly Airport in 2012. He was in early Alzheimer's stage and I walked with him around the Witch Hazel. He suddenly bolted up the crew ladder on the right side. I followed and he explained to me the workings of the ball turret and how it was lowered after take off. I followed him on a narrow cat walk over the bomb bay to the flight deck. We exited through a hatch somewhere forward. It was remarkable how he was suddenly 19 again for about 10 minutes.
Flew in this exact plane in 2012. I was the only one in the group small enough to fit in the front and rear turret..... It was a fantastic flight on my favorite bomber, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in those turrets for hours, god what a cramped mess!
My dad and I were invited to fly on witchcraft in September of 2015. Dad was a radio operator and top turret Gunner B24 42- 64460 Shack Rabbit unit designation circle J . Fortunately for him he caught pneumonia on the 5th of March 44. 6th march 44 Shack Rabbit was lost. He was shot down 25th April 44 ended up in stalag 17B pow 106401.
Great video...Got to see witchcraft, 9 o 9 and their B25 and mustang when the Bomber tour came to my town. To see a functioning Liberator is just outta this world!!! very intoxicating!
amazing...always remembner that long wing...was 1st large model my dad and I built together....looked forwards to night after tea when we sat down to build and paint it
My Grandmother Gwen Fussey was transported to the East Coast of Canada from the United Kingdom in a B-24 that was converted for VIP transport just after World War 2 ended. Gwen was trained by the United Kingdom Home Guard to Id spies in her community and report back to HQ. Her Husband Bill, Canadian Artillery fought on the German lines during the last world War.
My father in law, Gene Davis, taught B24 Liberators to a lot of WW2 pilots in San Angelo. If anyone had exposure to him I would really appreciate a note.
A walk-around inside of the B-24 Liberator would tell you that in WWII, escape and bailout, wearing heavy shearling flight suits, shearling boots, shedding body armor and donning your parachute and Mae West,, then somehow squeezing your way out of the nose wheel hatch or bomb bay without snagging your harness and somehow jumping clear of a burning, disintegrating airframe was miraculous. And the Liberator was known to have persistent fuel leaks into the bomb bay on many of the long missions...
My Dad did it over Mostar Yugoslavia Jan 14, 1944. They went out the Bombay Doors with the Ship in a spiral @ 13,000 ft. Navigator 15th AF 47th Wing 449th 716th. "Miss Lee"
My great uncle was laid to rest last month after a positive id on his remains. He piloted the ship Air Lobo in Operation Tidal Wave. He and his crew were shot down over the Romanian oil refineries Aug 4 1943
Flew in this beautiful bird. Owned by the Collings Foundation. Loud, scary, exhilarating, once in a lifetime, tell my grandkids(one day) about it flight.
čudovito enkratno neponovljivo-kako zelo uspešni so bili v vojni in kaj vse so posadke doživljal ob napadih na sovražnika kateri je imel do skrajnosti izpopolnjeno obrambo.
On a mission, on the hardstand, at what point would the bomb bay doors have been closed before taxiing out on the perimeter? PS the original Witchcraft was with my dad's BG, the 467th.
I pray these have a way to allow the oil to drain out of the lower cylinders before starting. I’ve seen what happens when you don’t rotate the engine 50 times before starting, those valve rods were instantly turned into boomerangs.
Flew the B-24 with 98th bomb squadron from Yontan Air Field on Okinawa July, 1945 bombing Kyushu, Japan. Atom bomb dropped in August,1945 and war was over>
One of these aircrafts crashed near my house in a forest during worldwar 2 because it was shot down by a German plane. In the forest I can still find parts of the plane
Aircraft 64, a B 24 D, in the fog of war overflew her base by nearly 500 miles. Into some of the most bone chilling terrain a man could imagine. The utter desolation of the interior Libyan Desert. If you’ve seen some photo views of Mars you have a picture of the environs there. Her crew hopelessly lost decided to bail out on autopilot and 64 flew on trim some 16 more miles till settling in to her forever desert home. By diary’s found with crewmen we get a glimpse of battling against all odds till the spirit can endure no more. The B 24 liberator has countless stories to tell the world over of a time of global conflict and the men and sacrifice still on that last mission.
My father in law was captain of a B24 and shot down Christmas Day 44 over Belgium. First flight he, the copilot and navigator were blown out of the plane when #3 exploded. They were captured and the remaining 7 crew men perished. Starting sequence is #3 first as it powers the hydraulics and the Germans knew this so that was their primary target.
Sounds like shitty luck to me, hitting anything as an AAA crew (Allies or Axis) is a miracle when the planes your shooting at are a mile above you at 250ish mph.
My great uncle, Robert Morris, was a pilot of the Liberator and fought in the Pacific Theater. I have heard Papua, New Guinea and the Hump mentioned, but I wish I knew more about his life and what type of missions he flew. His brother, Donald Morris, was a navigator and flew with the Flying Tigers(whatever aircraft they flew in the China-Burma area).
Nous avons eu un LIBERATOR B24D surnommé HARRY qui s'est écrasé au Québec , Saint-Donat de Montcalm pendant la guerre 39-45 plus précisément le 20 octobre 1943. Ce fut la plus important tragédie de guerre en sol canadien pour l' Aviation Royale Canadienne emportant dans la mort 23 canadiens 1 américain . 2018 sera la commémoration du 75i`me anniversaire de cet événement
Pilot Offficer J. Willard Thompson from my hometown of Bowden, Alberta was shot down in an RAF Consolidated Liberator TS520 in late 1944 while on a night mission over Germany.
Yeah. It certainly is interesting that more B-24s were built than B-17s but the B-17 became more symbolic of the USAAF European effort. I am sure it had to do with movies like “12 O’clock High and “Command Decision” and others where the B-17 was shown.
By the end of WW2 Ford was making 1 B 24 every 63 minutes. Approximately 24 B 24`s every day. In 100 Days 2400 B 24`s could be made. In one year Ford could make Approximately 8700 B 24`s in 1 year.
My 97 year old dad was a top gunner ,flight engineer on a B24. He flew out of Horsham St. Faith, Norwich England. He and his crew ditched in the North Sea returning back from a raid on Brunswick Germany in August 1944. The plane they ditched in was named Tailwind. The co pilot was killed but the rest of the crew survived. The Pilot earned a distinguished flying cross for successfully ditching the plane with one fatality. Dad is still going strong.
Amazing ! Thankyou for sharing 💞
i wonder if he knew my Grandpa who flew out of England too.
@@darrinsiberia Do you know what bomb group or squadron? I researched my dad's online and my brother and I visited the mighty 8th air force museum in Pollar, GA. With my dad.
Horshan St faith is now Norwich Airport
May God continue to bless your Dad!!!!!!! A generation of Heros!!!!!
My pop did 22 mission over Europe. He was a tail gunner, later model with duel 50 Cal’s. His plane “Jodey” survived the war and was scraped in Texas. Great to read the many comments on men who served on the Liberator. Pop is still going strong at 99.
my father flew 28 missions in the lib 99 squadron RAF in india ,Radio op
Great grandpa. Flew on silver streak mainly and a couple others during downtime for repairs. Silver streak was damaged in action do to heavy fire on the front. He was rw waist gunner. Went on a lot of low flight high risk missions. He always talked about bombs getting stuck and they'd have to take turns running over. Grabbing a rope and kicking them loose out of the hatch. He died in 2016. Coolest thing ever was going to the airforce museum in Ohio and seeing one in person.
These vintage warbirds are SO beautiful.Everyone involved in their maintenance deserves so much thanks, not least for keeping the memory alive of those who flew them operationally.
My dad was a B 24 pilot stationed on Okinawa. He was very proud of his service to our great country.
Being an avid ww2 reader it almost brought tears to my eyes watching the vid. Just thinking about those brave warriors back then fighting and dying for that just cause. Heroes. Thanks for the vid!!
Think of all the guys still missing in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans that lost their lives so we could be live free
Witchcraft once visited my local airport during a month-long cross-country Veteran’s Day tour. I had an opportunity to board and tour the entire aircraft. She’s a very impressively restored machine and it brought tears to my eyes. I couldn’t even imagine what it’s like for those brave young men who sacrificed their lives through fighter infested, flak filled and freezing skies over Germany. Victory was achieved by their blood, sweat and tears. What a fitting flying memorial to those men, the surviving veterans and those who didn’t come back home. Thank you fellas. 🇺🇸 🙏🎖🏅
My dad was a gunner on the Liberator in the Pacific. He was part of the "Long Rangers" who flew very long missions. He said often the Japanese would fly above them and try to drop incendiaries down onto them. I got to walk around inside this plane when it was at the Waterloo, Iowa airport a few years ago during a "Wings of Freedom" tour. The guys in those planes had balls of steel.
He was stationed at Henderson Field on Guadacanal. 424 BSq most probably 13th AF, They flew missions often up the slot as it was called; an area of open ocean with small islands on each side.
@@jonbowhay9386 Thank you Jon!
@@dvvalant Best to you Dave.
Hope you have been able to write down what your father has told you.
They sure did
My father was a Ground Crew Chief on 8 of these in the South Pacific 1943 thru 1945. His B24s were filled with cameras and redesignated A7. Used for Combat Mapping. Great video, thank you
Witchcraft flew over my house in Virginia a few months ago. THAT was a surprise. I heard a multi engine radial coming and ran outside just as it passed directly overhead at about 500ft. It made my day. For sure.
Wright Flyer: Me too. Luckly, we were all out in the front yard by the curb when it flew over two days ago. Thrilling. Couldn't see the name of the plane tho.
Wright...Nothing will get you out of the house faster!
I didn't know it was Witchcraft at first, but saw the abundance of fuselage writing because it was so low. What a thrill! Round engines are unmistakable. I'm 69 years old and was bitten by the aviation bug when I was a child. It just never lets go and when it flew over I had no idea I could still move that fast when necessary!
Many years ago I had a similar experience in the UK with a Lancaster bomber...once heard, never forgotten!
@@MohamedSinclair Neat stuff! I've never heard 4 Merlins or even seen a Lanc in person but I can imagine the thrill of one flying right over you.
I got to fly in this plane once, thanks to my grandfather's connections and his time as a Liberator pilot during the war. Incredible experience.
I am from Romania and it's crazy to think these beautiful beasts flew in anger over Ploiești during Operation Tidal Wave, back in 1943.
Have seen this beauty in person at KDMW (Carroll County Regional Airport) when helping the local Civil Air Patrol squadron (being a member myself) up in Westminster in October of each year, always a tremendous honor to get to meet and not only talk with and thank WW II veterans but to see the B-17G "Nine-O-Nine, the B-25J "Tondelayo" and the B-24J "Witchcraft" not only firing up those massive radial engines but have them thundering down the runway!
So sad about the Nine-O-Nine crash and losses of both lives and a great Warbird. Wish I could have seen it.
I saw and walked through Nine-O-Nine on her last tour before she went to the east coast, crashed and burned. Luckily I still have an in depth video of the plane albeit with terrible self-commentary.
You can't even imagine the thunderous roar these planes bring when flying overhead, it makes you want to tear up and cry. It's a wonderful sound, and I'm glad I got to hear it at least once
RIP "Nine-O-Nine"
My dad Fred Norman was wireless operator and side gunner. 99 squadron, Burma. Very proud !
My Dad was a B-24 radioman in Okinawa. In the 1990’s my nephew won an essay contest on Long Island and he was awarded a ride on Witchcraft with my Dad. Dad’s auto license plate was USAF B24 in NY
The B-24 hold the record for longest, slowest retracting gear cycle of any airplane ever....I love the Liberator.
Their hydrol
A friend who flew both B-24s and PB4Y-2s of every configuration says the single rudder and stabilizer of the Navy version made the aircraft a dream to fly. The twin stabilizers of the 24 and early PBs were in the slipstream of the inboard engines. Consolidated and Ford wanted to change the B-24 to a single stabilizer, but the Army wouldn't allow the delay in production or change in logistics. Sheer numbers meant more than any other consideration. This is borne out by the fact that the B-24 that my uncle was killed aboard had 87 sortees over the continent on the day it crashed on takeoff.
When Witchcraft was in SW Louisiana several years ago, I got up close and personal - that's the only way to really experience the visceral power of those big radials. This video is great, but doesn't do it justice. It must be experienced first hand, and it will give you goosebumps. My uncle was a Liberator pilot during WW II.
Oh, wow. My grandfather was a bombardier on a B-24 named "Ole Repulsive." Unfortunately, it lies somewhere in the Adriatic Sea, but thankfully he wasn't on it at the time.
My great uncle Lauren was a turret gunner in a b24. He was so young when he entered the air corps that he ended up growing over 6 foot and couldent fit in the turret anymore so they made him a waist gunner. He was part of the 1000 plane raid on berlin. He died in his early 20's after the war in a car accident, they think a drunk driver hit him. How i wish i could have met him.
Have had the pleasure of walking through this Old Bird and watching her fly. Wow. The history. Hope others get to share in it. Peace.
The coolest plane ever made. I was in my kayak in a marsh near Cape May when one flew over. I could hear it coming about a minute before it showed over head.
My dad flew 35 combat missions over Europe in a B-24. He started out training to be a pilot. He was thrown out after he buzzed a farmer on a tractor on one of his solo flights One of his 35 missions was a milk run. They were flying gasoline to Patton. In his words,"I managed to fly over the only German anti-aircraft battery still in operation. All hydralics were shot out. They continued to England and the crew bailed out rather than try a crash landing with a full load of fuel.
My dad was a tail gunner in the B-24. He told me tales of flying low through Italy and warming up the guns by shooting near the farmers, not to hit them but scare the bejesus out of them. Sadly, he only made it 9 missions, shot down over Germany and was a POW for the remainder of the war. He survived that and that is why I'm here today.
The history of this aircraft and its various crew is astonishing and should never be forgotten. Eighth Air Force, Ford built in Willow Run, Michigan. Over 130 Missions this aircraft flew with no aborts! 467th BS & 790 SQ.
Well not THIS aircraft... the RAF used this plane in Pacific, was junked after the war and resurrected by the Indian Air Force. Decommissioned in 1968. Brought in pieces to America in 1971 and the rest is history.
BUILT FORD TOUGH.
@@e.a.corral4713 This one was built by Consolidated in San Diego, but it doesn't make your contention untrue, of course!
My Mom's brother was flight engineer/top turret gunner on one of those. They were shot down in China in 1943. I have the greatest respect for the men who flew in them.
Still one of the coolest looking military aircraft in my book
Love the sound of those engines! Excited to release a video next week exploring all the gunner positions inflight.
Jets are great as an A&P mechanic I worked for a well known airline with all the benefits but left after a short time when a company that worked on round engines and enjoyed very much and retired doing that. And had a run up area that was thrilling. There was a crew that even went to the customer to mount engines and after a time was on that.
My mom worked at the Consolidated plant in Ft. Worth building Liberators while my dad was overseas with the Army Air Corp.
Thanks to your parents for their service, They're the great generation.
Same, but with my grandparents
My son and I saw her at the Martha’s Vineyard airport in 2019, sadly just prior to the B 17s crash not long after
Bless all who flew and continue to fly these beautiful airplanes
My uncle was a ball turret gunner on Libs. I brought him to an air show at Beverly Airport in 2012. He was in early Alzheimer's stage and I walked with him around the Witch Hazel. He suddenly bolted up the crew ladder on the right side. I followed and he explained to me the workings of the ball turret and how it was lowered after take off. I followed him on a narrow cat walk over the bomb bay to the flight deck. We exited through a hatch somewhere forward. It was remarkable how he was suddenly 19 again for about 10 minutes.
Flew in this exact plane in 2012. I was the only one in the group small enough to fit in the front and rear turret..... It was a fantastic flight on my favorite bomber, but I wouldn't want to be stuck in those turrets for hours, god what a cramped mess!
My dad and I were invited to fly on witchcraft in September of 2015.
Dad was a radio operator and top turret Gunner B24 42- 64460 Shack Rabbit unit designation circle J . Fortunately for him he caught pneumonia on the 5th of March 44. 6th march 44 Shack Rabbit was lost. He was shot down 25th April 44 ended up in stalag 17B pow 106401.
Great video...Got to see witchcraft, 9 o 9 and their B25 and mustang when the Bomber tour came to my town. To see a functioning Liberator is just outta this world!!! very intoxicating!
Miller The B-25 is named Tondelyo,, The P-51 could be either Betty Jane or Toolosnuts
Those were the aircraft that we saw on MV in 2019
amazing...always remembner that long wing...was 1st large model my dad and I built together....looked forwards to night after tea when we sat down to build and paint it
Modern high-bipass turbine planes are often larger, and take off faster, but the B-24 definitely FEELS like a helluva lotta plane to be flying.
Beutifull Aircraft , i love fast jets , but to me props are still fantastic to see & hear !
Been on a this beauty twice, awesome!
My pops flew in one over in Italy, late 45-end of war (top turret/flight engineer). 465th
Awesome engine sound of this underrated bomber!!
Amazing. Only 2 remaining airworthy. A masterpiece of American ingenuity.
But easily sabotaged externally. Pretty weak.
My Grandmother Gwen Fussey was transported to the East Coast of Canada
from the United Kingdom in a B-24 that was converted for VIP transport
just after World War 2 ended. Gwen was trained by the United Kingdom
Home Guard to Id spies in her community and report back to HQ. Her
Husband Bill, Canadian Artillery fought on the German lines during the
last world War.
My father in law, Gene Davis, taught B24 Liberators to a lot of WW2 pilots in San Angelo. If anyone had exposure to him I would really appreciate a note.
Wow, amazing footage. Good, that some people are keeping those vintage aircraft in such a good condition. Thumbs up! :)
B 24, é fantástico, uma navi linda!
A walk-around inside of the B-24 Liberator would tell you that in WWII, escape and bailout, wearing heavy shearling flight suits, shearling boots, shedding body armor and donning your parachute and Mae West,, then somehow squeezing your way out of the nose wheel hatch or bomb bay without snagging your harness and somehow jumping clear of a burning, disintegrating airframe was miraculous. And the Liberator was known to have persistent fuel leaks into the bomb bay on many of the long missions...
My Dad did it over Mostar Yugoslavia Jan 14, 1944. They went out the Bombay Doors with the Ship in a spiral @ 13,000 ft. Navigator 15th AF 47th Wing 449th 716th. "Miss Lee"
I truly hope to be able to ride in one someday. My grandfather flew them over Italy and Germany during the war
My great uncle was laid to rest last month after a positive id on his remains. He piloted the ship Air Lobo in Operation Tidal Wave. He and his crew were shot down over the Romanian oil refineries Aug 4 1943
G,day and greetings from Tasmania Australia what a beautifully restored B-24 Liberator I would love to see one in the future kind regards John
Flew in this beautiful bird. Owned by the Collings Foundation. Loud, scary, exhilarating, once in a lifetime, tell my grandkids(one day) about it flight.
I had a good friend, now deceased, who had to bail out of a B-24 in June of 1944 when it was shot down by a Focke-Wulf 190.
Another unsung hero of the air war over Europe. B-17 unfairly gets all the credit.
Like the spitfire took most of the credit from the hurricane in the battle of Britain .
čudovito enkratno neponovljivo-kako zelo uspešni so bili v vojni in kaj vse so posadke doživljal ob napadih na sovražnika kateri je imel do skrajnosti izpopolnjeno obrambo.
On a mission, on the hardstand, at what point would the bomb bay doors have been closed before taxiing out on the perimeter? PS the original Witchcraft was with my dad's BG, the 467th.
I pray these have a way to allow the oil to drain out of the lower cylinders before starting. I’ve seen what happens when you don’t rotate the engine 50 times before starting, those valve rods were instantly turned into boomerangs.
Nothing like a round engine for beautiful music!
Reminds me of the Handley Page Halifax used for the British Royal Air Force. Similar design, plus the two vertical fins
it looks like it was made for ditching in water is this true?
Have the turbochargers been disconnected?
Yeah, fuel to awesome sound converter :-) Great footage! Thanks
Why do they always seem to start the right side engines first ?
My aunt flew B-24s from the factory in Michigan to the 8th Air Force in England. She had over 3000 hours.
beauty in the sky .. exellent shooting .. perfectly timing camera/ plane !
Tail gunner removed?
What a brilliant design. If the B-24's wings were damaged, they could be removed and the fuselage served as a small battle ship.
How high can they fly????.
Great to see a video of a Warbird with almost invisible propeller 'discs' and not those ever so slowly rotating blades.
! Sound & Looks Of Freedom !
Hard to imagine them flying B-24s at 50ft. altitude over Ploesti only to get a belly full of flak. They did get 5 MOH though.
Tidal Wave was part of the Learning Curve for a very inexperienced AF. The
Planner also responsible for another FU in the Philippines.
Flew the B-24 with 98th bomb squadron from Yontan Air Field on Okinawa July, 1945
bombing Kyushu, Japan. Atom bomb dropped in August,1945 and war was over>
Really?
Super video of an old warbird!
One of these aircrafts crashed near my house in a forest during worldwar 2 because it was shot down by a German plane. In the forest I can still find parts of the plane
Came here after reading "Unbroken" in class. Crazy to think this was at one point too of the line
Anyone know about what appears to be writing on the starboard side of the plane?
TheSoundOutside Names of people who have sponsored the aircraft.
Aircraft 64, a B 24 D, in the fog of war overflew her base by nearly 500 miles.
Into some of the most bone chilling terrain a man could imagine. The utter desolation of the interior Libyan Desert. If you’ve seen some photo views of Mars you have a picture of the environs there.
Her crew hopelessly lost decided to bail out on autopilot and 64 flew on trim some 16 more miles till settling in to her forever desert home.
By diary’s found with crewmen we get a glimpse of battling against all odds till the spirit can endure no more.
The B 24 liberator has countless stories to tell the world over of a time of global conflict and the men and sacrifice still on that last mission.
1:51 LOL I almost expected the guy standing in the hatch aft of the pilots during the fast taxi to still be there on takeoff.
Could you imagine the sight and sound of hundreds of these flying overhead in Europe in a Pacific earth-shattering
Yeah...freaking terrifying. Knew an old German who was actually in a building when it was bombed by the allies in '44'.
My father in law was captain of a B24 and shot down Christmas Day 44 over Belgium. First flight he, the copilot and navigator were blown out of the plane when #3 exploded. They were captured and the remaining 7 crew men perished. Starting sequence is #3 first as it powers the hydraulics and the Germans knew this so that was their primary target.
Sounds like shitty luck to me, hitting anything as an AAA crew (Allies or Axis) is a miracle when the planes your shooting at are a mile above you at 250ish mph.
sooo, i dont know which sound i like better, idling radials or full power radials
The answer is yes. :-)
@@fight2flyphoto good call
I went inside this plane when they brought it to Tri-cities Airport in E. Tn. some years back.
God Bless them. My dad was a forward observer at Iwo Jima.
did your dad fly in 24 to watch navy shelling? my dad took some navy observers out over beach on d day at iwo
My Father flew B24s for the South African Airforce in WW2,North Africa,Egypt,Italy and Poland
Respect to all and thank you.
Even my father was flight engineer with Liberator B 24 during Burma operations
Indian Air Force
or RAF
@@I_Wish_I_Was_Home he was from 9 squadron IAF and attached to RAF in Peshawar.
Great video !!
I live about five minutes from the airfield the original aircraft flew its missions from in Norfolk UK
My great uncle, Robert Morris, was a pilot of the Liberator and fought in the Pacific Theater. I have heard Papua, New Guinea and the Hump mentioned, but I wish I knew more about his life and what type of missions he flew. His brother, Donald Morris, was a navigator and flew with the Flying Tigers(whatever aircraft they flew in the China-Burma area).
Tigers flew Curtis P-40 Tomahawk for the American Volunteer Group, aka Flying Tigers. Great museum in Monroe, Louisiana.
My Grandpa was a HUMP pilot, flew the C-57 I think was the cargo B-24
Nice video
Friend of my father,Captain 35 missions,plane the gripes or wrath,B-24🇺🇲❤️
Nous avons eu un LIBERATOR B24D surnommé HARRY qui s'est écrasé au Québec , Saint-Donat de Montcalm pendant la guerre
39-45 plus précisément le 20 octobre 1943. Ce fut la plus important tragédie de guerre en sol canadien pour l' Aviation Royale Canadienne emportant dans la mort 23 canadiens 1 américain . 2018 sera la commémoration du 75i`me anniversaire de cet événement
They must be hard work to fly machines like the liberator.
If this is the one that comes to Venice Florida, then I’ve rode in this plane. It’s fucking awesome
Pilot Offficer J. Willard Thompson from my hometown of Bowden, Alberta was shot down in an RAF Consolidated Liberator TS520 in late 1944 while on a night mission over Germany.
Beautiful! 👍✈️
About time I see some more videos from ya!!! It's been way to long!! Haha. Thanks for the great footage! Looking forward to seeing more from you!:-)
+ryan moeller Haha! Today's your lucky day! I've got 8 uploading tonight! It's all older footage, but compiled by aircraft.
Fight to Fly Photography Awesome!! I've got 3 1/2hrs at work to go... Upload all ya want!! :-)
My dad was a captain of the b24 ww2 used up 6 of these and lost non of his flight crew
I think this id in Everett, WA
Do you actually fly with Open Windows??
They rarely fly higher than 9000 feet so why not?🤣
Or With your arm out the window?????????
@@Ryan_0708 they made their Bombing run @ 15,000 and went up and down
from 20,000 to avoid flak
@@user-qy9tf2im7f they used to yes, but during these demo's they stay well below that
What a beautiful aircraft!
man i love old war planes
The real workhorse of the USAAF bomber force, but didn't get the recognition of the B-17.
Yeah. It certainly is interesting that more B-24s were built than B-17s but the B-17 became more symbolic of the USAAF European effort. I am sure it had to do with movies like “12 O’clock High and “Command Decision” and others where the B-17 was shown.
By the end of WW2 Ford was making 1 B 24 every 63 minutes. Approximately 24 B 24`s every day.
In 100 Days 2400 B 24`s could be made. In one year Ford could make Approximately 8700 B 24`s in 1 year.