British Liberator C VII EW619
C-87 41-11706 3
C-87 44-52987 in flight
C-87 42-107263
C-87 41-11706
Consolidated C-87 2
C-87 Liberator Express 44
C-87 44-39297
C-87 serial 42-107263 2
Consolidated C-87 41-23904
C-87 44-39297 3
C-87 Liberator Express 1944
C-87 41-11706 2
C-87 44-39297 2
Liberator Express serial 42-107268
C-87 Ford Factory At Willow Run
Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express serial 41-11608 named Gulliver
C-87 Liberator Express 41-11674 Fort Worth Airfield October 1942 (color photo)
Tail gunner aboard US Ferry Command C-87 Liberator Express 1942
C-87 Liberator Express Consolidated Fort Worth Plant October 1942
C-87 Chattanooga Choo Choo Nose Art CBI
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express Take Off
C-87 cargo Liberator
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express (US Navy designation: RY, RAF: Liberator C.IX) -transport version of the USAAF bomber Consolidated B-24 Liberator.
During the Battle of Java the B-24. because of its capacious fuselage, was used to carry personnel and cargo in the evacuation to Australia. The adaptability of the B-24 to this work and the growing need for air transport to the spreading theatres of war led the USAAF to order Consolidated to produce a special transport version of the bomber.
In these airplanes, nothing different from a B-24 apart from the lack of weapons and bomb hatches were 38 passenger seats. In total aircraft factory in San Diego, California and Fort Worth, Texas produced 287 of these machines for the USAAF and RAF some of which were earmarked for the transport of VIP.
Total production: 287
Technical description
Powered by 4 x 1200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-43 Twin Wasp 14-cylinder, air-cooled radial engines with General Electric turbo-superchargers. Engines driving three-bladed 3.54 m diameter Hamilton Standard constant-speed metal propellers. Fuel tanks in wings, either self-sealing or non-self-sealing cells or integral with structure. Total fuel capacity: 7,608 liters. Crew of 4: pilot, co-pilot, navigator and radio operator, with provision for fifth crew member on flight deck above nose-wheel well. Nose compartment used for baggage and equipment stowage, and can also accommodate two extra passengers. Main compartment with large loading door 1.8 1.8 m (70 X 70 inches) on port side aft and smaller batch opposite. Dimensions of main compartment : length 10 m, width 1,27 m and maximum height 2.44 m. Rear compartment includes lavatory and was used for further equipment stowage. Oxygen for crew and occupants of main compartment, life rafts stowed in top and fuselage, with two additional rafts in main compartment. For range of 1,800 km average cargo capacity of 4.540 kg.
Crew: 4
Capacity: ~25 passengers or 4540 kg (10,000 lb) of cargo
Serial numbers
RAF
EW611 – EW634
USAAF
41-11608 (later XC-87 41-39600)
41-11639-11642
41-11655-11657
41-11674-11676
41-11704
41-11706-11709
41-11728-11733
41-11742-11747
41-11788-11789
41-11800
41-11837-11838
41-11907-11908
41-23669-23670
41-23694-23696
41-23791-23793
41-23850-23852
41-23859-23862
41-23863 C-87A
41-23903-23905
41-23959
41-24004-24006
41-24027-24029
41-24139-24141
41-24158
41-24159 C-87A
41-24160-24163
41-24172-24173
41-24174 C-87A
42-107249-107275
42-107266 later AT-22
43-30548-30568
43-30569-30571 C-87A to US Navy as RY-1 67797-67799
43-30572-30627, 30574, 30584 later AT-22
44-39198-39298; 39198-39202 to US Novy as RY-2 39013-39017, 39219, 39248-39261 to RAF as Liberator C VII
44-52978-52987