Jack Cook wrote:
I know you guys love O.D. but I've always hoped that the CAF would take here back to her roots. Many of the early Libs were build under British contract and the modified for use has anti-sub aircraft for the Coastal Command and the top sub killing aircraft ever was Liberator I (LB-30B/B-24A) AM929 built in May 1941 after modified for anti-sub duties. It served in 120 Squadron has HO*H and was flown by Sdq/Ldr Terrance Bulloch DSO-DFC. She sank U-597, U-661, U-132, U-194 and U-540 while damaging 6 more. She also drove off a FW Condor attacking a convoy. There's your history lesson for the day. Keep up the good work your doing Gary!!!
What did US B-24As do combat wise in WWII? Zip, but the those used by the Brits kicked *ss and saved a lot of convoys!!
You, of course, are absolutely correct with the history of AM927's sister ships Jack. She, indeed, would have been one of those sub killers...but wasn't. You actually hit the nail on the head on what some of the difficulties have been regarding a decision on what to do with this airplane. It never really had a real personality. It was going to do this, or it was going to do that, going to be based at this location, going to haul parts to that location. We just had so many options to choose from. That is essentially why we just went with what it was
originally going to be (on paper, anyway). Trust me, this was no easy decision. But I think in the long run, it'll be a decision that everyone who truly loves this airplane will be able to live with. It is true that the B-24A's didn't have any combat history. We'll just have to show and tell people the truth about this particular aircraft and it's personal history as the years went by. No more made up stuff.
Thanks for the comments and the kind words Jack. By the way, what's the earliest picture of AM927 (or any other B-24A's) that you have anyway?
Gary