American aircraft 11-12

[Buckeye30]

Stig. Several B-24Ds were fitted with Consolidated tail turrets in the noses for the 307BG at the Hawaiian Air Depot.
They included
42-40235 ( D1-40-CO) "Hoot owl express".
41-24144 (D1-20-CO) "Munda Belle".
42-40323 (D1-50-CO) "Frenesi".
41-11923 (D1-CO) "Flying eight ball".
On one photo of 923 you can see the fresh OD around the modiofied nose.
The other D-models with nose turrets were fitted at the Oklahoma City Modification Centre and had a distinctive down-turned nose profile ( the 479ASG in England had a few).
Nick

[Stig Jarlevik]

Hi Nick

Yes, thanks, I have discovered both the Australian conversion connection and the Tinker AFB one. (Hawaii was new to me)

The problem I face is that some sources claim that B-24D aircraft were built from scratch with true nose turrets installed when rolled out.
But most sources (internet) seems to prefer they were actually modified either in the USA (Oklahoma) or abroad (Australia)

It was a much larger operation than I actually thought. I didn't even know they actually modified them in the first place.....

The internet site about 380BG has some very good information including drawings etc, so I am making at least some progress

Cheers
Stig

[Buckeye30]

Hi Stig.
B-24Ds, Es and the first 25 x Gs had the fully glazed nose with various MG fittings; the first B-24s with factory-installed nose turrets were G-1-NTs ( from 42-78070) and all Hs begining at Ford ( H-1-FO 42-7465).
B-24Ds up to 41-23640 had no block numbers, they began with B-24D-1s.


Nick

[Stig Jarlevik]

Excellent Nick

Hats off!

Cheers
Stig

[Buckeye30]

Stig you can also tell 41-11923 "Flying 8 Ball" was an early B-24 (modified) by the insignia, 65" overlapping the side windows ( bars added later) marked by CO/CF factories and also seen on Ford B-24Es and some early Hs. Some Ploesti B-24s had this style.
This batch was succeeded by the first D-1s.
Nick