C-87 Liberator Express

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British Liberator C VII EW619

C-87 41-11706

C-87 41-11706 2

C-87 41-11706 3

C-87 42-107263

Military transport aircraft C-87 serial 44-39297

C-87 44-39297

C-87 44-39297 2

C-87 44-39297 3

C-87 44-52987 in flight

C-87 cargo Liberator

C-87 named Chattanooga Choo Choo Nose Art CBI

C-87 Chattanooga Choo Choo Nose Art CBI

C-87 Ford Factory At Willow Run

C-87 Liberator Express 1944

C-87 Liberator Express 41-11674 Fort Worth Airfield October 1942 (color photo)

C-87 Liberator Express 44

C-87 Liberator Express Consolidated Fort Worth Plant October 1942

C-87 serial 42-107263 2

Consolidated C-87 2

Consolidated C-87 41-23904

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express

Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express Take Off

Consolidated C-87-CF Liberator Express serial 41-11608 named Gulliver

Liberator Express serial 42-107268

Tail gunner aboard US Ferry Command C-87 Liberator Express 1942

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