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-   -   223 Squadron Liberator TS532 - B-24D or B-24J...? (http://forum.12oclockhigh.net/showthread.php?t=51829)

wwrsimon 16th August 2018 12:42

223 Squadron Liberator TS532 - B-24D or B-24J...?
 
Hello everyone

I'm trying to unravel a mystery about R.A.F. Liberator TS532 6G-N of 223 Sqn.

Here are two links to a couple of photos of 223 Sqn Liberator TS432 6G-N on Flickr:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/oldbuc...-e162c8-bFTJTF

https://www.flickr.com/photos/oldbuc...-e1bGms-7HQk8J

It's captioned as a B-24J, U.S. serial number 42-40380. However, the book "Special Ops Liberators" by Steve Bond and Richard Forder lists it as B-24J-160-CO, ex 42-40350 of the 861st BS/493 BG. To add to the confusion, it seems that both 42-40350 and 42-40380 are from a batch of B-24D-53-CO aicraft:

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1942_2a.html

So, is 42-40380 possibly 44-40380, a B-24J-160-CO:

http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_serials/1944_4.html

44-40380 was formerly 'Kentucky Kloudhopper' which "flew 3 combat missions with the 493rd BG before being transferred to the 803rd BS (Composite) and thence to the RAF 100 Group." See photo and details here:

http://www.americanairmuseum.com/aircraft/19659

Obviously if this is TS532's earlier incarnation, it had a new oval-shaped blister window installed to replace the smaller rectangular one in this photo.

To further muddy the waters, on the rear quarter view photo on Flickr the serial on the fin seems to read 240380 - is this simply a mis-applied serial on the fin? I have a copy of the book "Consolidated Mess" and wondered if it's a was possibly a B-24D with a nose conversion, or is in fact a B-24J?

Regards

Simon

SteveB 16th August 2018 17:24

Re: 223 Squadron Liberator TS532 - B-24D or B-24J...?
 
In the Air Britain book "The Liberator in RAF and Commonwealth Service" TS532 is listed as a B-24J-160-CO 44-40380 transferred from 8AAF to RAF in August 1944.

Steve

wwrsimon 16th August 2018 17:30

Re: 223 Squadron Liberator TS532 - B-24D or B-24J...?
 
Thank you Steve. I suspected this was the real identity of TS532, but with all the variation in the sources to hand, wasn't 100% sure.


Regards

Simon

Buckeye30 16th August 2018 18:16

Re: 223 Squadron Liberator TS532 - B-24D or B-24J...?
 
TS532 was from a batch of Liberator IVs TS519--539 converted to B.IVs ( a few were C.IV transports) for radio-countermeasures ( TS526 was 6G-T); conversions were from H- and J-CFs from theatre transfers plus 1 under Lend-Lease. In August 1944 44-40380 was allocated as a prototype for the project to jam V2 rockets ( not carried out); she was from a batch of J-CFs originally allocated to UK and Canada. Note the typical J-nose with Consolidated turret.

223 Sqn. had Mk. IVs from August then Fortress II/III in 1945 still coded 6G.
6G-N was painted Smooth Night for RCM ops, the US serial re-marked on the tail apparently incorrectly ( not unique). RAF Liberators did not usually carry US serials.
Nick


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