Project Warbird's LB-30

[Cvairwerks]

Are many PB4Y parts compatible with the B-24/LB30?

I asked an expert , answer is yes to PB4Y/B24, not sure on LB30.

It appears that the LB-30 Mark II is a little different that Diamond Lil, with some design changes. but its still earlier design that a B-24D. Pictures of this bird when a wreck showed it more together than it is now. Was it cut up for recovery?

There was probably some cutting done for the initial recovery. Some of the storage photos show the fuselage in three sections. When the wing was loaded for trucking to SC, it looked like the center section was intact structurally.

Hopefully Eric or Gerad will post more photos soon and can answer this directly.

[CAPFlyer]

Are many PB4Y parts compatible with the B-24/LB30?

I asked an expert , answer is yes to PB4Y/B24, not sure on LB30.

It appears that the LB-30 Mark II is a little different that Diamond Lil, with some design changes. but its still earlier design that a B-24D. Pictures of this bird when a wreck showed it more together than it is now. Was it cut up for recovery?

The LB.30 Liberator II is roughly equivalent to the B-24C with modifications mainly in how the armament was fitted since it used a Boulton-Paul quad dorsal turret and a powered Boulton-Paul quad turret in the tail. The B-24C dorsal turret was further forward than the British location, and a Consolidated powered turret in the tail.

[Paul Stroud]

Article about the restoration

https://vintageaviationnews.com/restorations/restoration-begins-project-warbird-breathes-new-life-into-consolidated-lb-30-liberator-ii-al557.html

[JohnB]

Interesting article.

While I applaud their ambition, I have to wonder how much extra work...and cost...restoring it as a military LB-30 (with rare turrets, etc.) as opposed to the aircraft's later life as the Morrison Knutson corporate ship it was when it crashed in Alaska?
It had quite a postwar history.

Yes, I know the warbird variant is rare, but my point is if completing it to military configuration makes the project financially or technically untenable (if finishing it to RAF configuration is not that expensive or not that challenging, fine)...otherwise, I'd rather have a restored ex-LB-30 flying than a collection of parts sitting around for another 30-40 years. Flying Liberators are so rare, I'll take what we can get.

[Cvairwerks]

John: Eric already has a nearly complete upper turret on hand. Scroll thru the Vintage Aviation News article and there is a photo of it.