Per J Baugher:
http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_bombers/b24_27.htmlThe designation C-109 was assigned to existing B-24Js and B-24Ls that were converted into fuel transports to support B-29 operations out of China. An early plan called for ten B-29 groups to be stationed in China for operations against Japan, and these bombers were to be supported by no less than 2000 C-109s which would fly in aviation gasoline over the Hump from India for the bombers.
Unlike the C-87 cargo/passenger transport, the C-109 fuel transports were not new aircraft, but were conversions of existing B-24 bombers. All armament and bombardment equipment was removed and both the forward and aft turrets were removed and faired over with sheet metal. The waist windows were retained. Eight fuel tanks were installed inside the fuselage that could carry 2900 US gallons of aviation gasoline. Most C-109s were equipped with a dual ADF system, as indicated by the presence of two football-shaped antennae on top of the fuselage. C-109s were generally devoid of any armament, although photographs do show that some of the turrets were retained on a few aircraft.
A total of 218 Liberators were modified to C-109 tanker specifications at the various modification centers in the USA. They were not popular with their crews, since they were very difficult to land when fully loaded, especially at airfields that were above 6000 feet in elevation. In addition, longitudinal stability was rather poor when the tank in the forward fuselage was full, so quite often the C-109 flew with this tank empty.
The C-109s were initially operated by the 20th Air Force in the CBI theatre in support of the B-29 operations out of China. The original plan to acquire up to 2000 C-109s was cut way back when the B-29 Superfortress operations relocated from China to the Marianas, from where they could be much better supported by US Navy seaborne tankers. The C-109s were then transferred to the Air Transport Command. Some limited use was also made of the C-109 in Europe.
Conversions of B-24s to C-109s:
42-7172/7229 Ford B-24E-20-FO Liberator
7221 converted to XC-109
42-51293/51395 Douglas-Tulsa B-24J-5-DT Liberator
51368 converted to C-109
51390 converted to C-109
42-51396/51430 Douglas-Tulsa B-24J-10-DT Liberator
51411 converted to C-109
51420 converted to C-109
51424/51427 converted to C-109
51429 converted to C-109
42-51611/51825 Ford B-24J-10-FO Liberator
51615 converted to C-109
51647 converted to C-109
51659 converted to C-109
51676 converted to C-109
51684 converted to C-109
51697 converted to C-109
51706 converted to C-109
51712 converted to C-109
51716 converted to C-109
51721 converted to C-109
51727 converted to C-109
51730 converted to C-109
51734 converted to C-109
51740 converted to C-109
51748 converted to C-109
51756 converted to C-109
51758 converted to C-109
51766 converted to C-109
51774 converted to C-109
51782 converted to C-109
51784 converted to C-109
51786 converted to C-109
51788 converted to C-109
51792/51793 converted to C-109
51809/51810 converted to C-109
51817 converted to C-109
51825 converted to C-109
42-51826/52075 Ford B-24J-15-FO Liberator
51826 converted to C-109
51830 converted to C-109
51839 converted to C-109
51844 converted to C-109
51846/51847 converted to C-109
51849/51850 converted to C-109
51854 converted to C-109
51857 converted to C-109
51860 converted to C-109
51862 converted to C-109
51876/51877 converted to C-109
51883 converted to C-109
51887 converted to C-109
51890 converted to C-109
51893 converted to C-109
51901 converted to C-109
51904 converted to C-109
51921 converted to C-109
51930 converted to C-109
51962 converted to C-109
51982/51983 converted to C-109
52000/52001 converted to C-109
52005/52006 converted to C-109
52012 converted to C-109
52014 converted to C-109
52020/52021 converted to C-109
52023 converted to C-109
52033 converted to C-109
52042 converted to C-109
52049 converted to C-109
44-48754/49001 Ford B-24J-20-FO Liberator
48755 converted to C-109
48792 converted to C-109
48877 converted to C-109
48879 converted to C-109
48882/48883 converted to C-109
48888 converted to C-109
48890/48892 converted to C-109
48948 converted to C-109
48968 converted to C-109
48974 converted to C-109
48979 converted to C-109
48984 converted to C-109
48995/48996 converted to C-109
49001 converted to C-109
44-49002/49251 Ford B-24L-1-FO Liberator
49007/49009 converted to C-109
49011/49020 converted to C-109
49022/49023 converted to C-109
49025 converted to C-109
49030/49031 converted to C-109
49034/49035 converted to C-109
49037 converted to C-109
49040 converted to C-109
49045/49046 converted to C-109
49050/49051 converted to C-109
49057 converted to C-109
49059/49060 converted to C-109
49062/49063 converted to C-109
49065 converted to C-109
49067 converted to C-109
49071 converted to C-109
49075 converted to C-109
49077 converted to C-109
49079 converted to C-109
49184 converted to C-109
49191 converted to C-109
49197 converted to C-109
49204 converted to C-109
49208 converted to C-109
49219 converted to C-109
49222 converted to C-109
49230 converted to C-109
49234/49236 converted to C-109
49238 converted to C-109
49240 converted to C-109
49245/49249 converted to C-109
49251 converted to C-109
44-49252/49501 Ford B-24L-5-FO Liberator
49253 converted to C-109
49255/49258 converted to C-109
49265 converted to C-109
49267 converted to C-109
49269/49272 converted to C-109
49274/49277 converted to C-109
49280/49281 converted to C-109
49283/49285 converted to C-109
49288/49290 converted to C-109
49292 converted to C-109
49295 converted to C-109
49299 converted to C-109
49302/49303 converted to C-109
49305 converted to C-109
49313 converted to C-109
49317 converted to C-109
49319 converted to C-109
49326 converted to C-109
49330 converted to C-109
49333 converted to C-109
49337 converted to C-109
49344 converted to C-109
49348 converted to C-109
49351/49354 converted to C-109
49358/49359 converted to C-109
49445 converted to C-109
49466 converted to C-109
49490 converted to C-109
44-49502/49751 Ford B-24L-10-FO Liberator
49510 converted to C-109
49615 converted to C-109
49621 converted to C-109
49628 converted to C-109
49660 converted to C-109
49662 converted to C-109
49684 converted to C-109
49691 converted to C-109
49704 converted to C-109
49715 converted to C-109
49720 converted to C-109
49723 converted to C-109
49728 converted to C-109
Information & Photo source here:
http://www.historyofwar.org/pictures_co ... C-109.html
Login
Register
FAQ
Search
