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Log of the Liberators: An Illustrated History of the B-24
Though less gloriously remembered than the B-17 Flying Fortress, the B-24 Liberator bomber played perhaps an even greater role in the Allied victory in WorId War II Flown by the Army Air Force in every theater of operations, the B-24 became the workhorse heavy bomber of the global conflict despite the ugly duckling reputation given it by its detractors. This is the illustrated history of that rugged aircraft which eventually saw service in the air forces of Australia, Canada, China, Czechoslovakia, England, France, Holland and South Africa besides the USA.
Between its first production in 1939 and the close of the war in 1945 over 18,000 of the B-24's and the Navy equivalents, the Privateers, flew on combat missions that earned them a permanent place in the annals of military history. From the blackened skies above Ploesti to the crumbling defenses of the Japanese homeland, from the arid deserts of Africa to the endless water of the Pacific, the Liberators seemed to be everywhere the action was. Described here, the record of their performance in those different campaigns is a fitting tribute to the heroic airmen who flew them, bringing destruction to the enemy's warmaking capacity frequently at the cost of their own lives.
But the story of the B-24's does not end with planes and crews, and the book also acknowledges the contributions of the literally millions of men and women who were involved in building and maintaining the Liberators throughout their long career.
Highlighting the story are over 250 black-and-white combat photographs and four pages of full-color paintings by the noted aviation artist, John Preston, illustrating B-24's in combat markings and camouflage as well as the different units that manned them. In addition, an appendix of Liberator Production Number Lists and Specifications, an Aircraft Index and a General Index, and a list of veterans interviewed by the author make this an unmatched combat log of the most versatile bomber of World War II.
Between its first production in 1939 and the close of the war in 1945 over 18,000 of the B-24's and the Navy equivalents, the Privateers, flew on combat missions that earned them a permanent place in the annals of military history. From the blackened skies above Ploesti to the crumbling defenses of the Japanese homeland, from the arid deserts of Africa to the endless water of the Pacific, the Liberators seemed to be everywhere the action was. Described here, the record of their performance in those different campaigns is a fitting tribute to the heroic airmen who flew them, bringing destruction to the enemy's warmaking capacity frequently at the cost of their own lives.
But the story of the B-24's does not end with planes and crews, and the book also acknowledges the contributions of the literally millions of men and women who were involved in building and maintaining the Liberators throughout their long career.
Highlighting the story are over 250 black-and-white combat photographs and four pages of full-color paintings by the noted aviation artist, John Preston, illustrating B-24's in combat markings and camouflage as well as the different units that manned them. In addition, an appendix of Liberator Production Number Lists and Specifications, an Aircraft Index and a General Index, and a list of veterans interviewed by the author make this an unmatched combat log of the most versatile bomber of World War II.
340 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1973
29 people want to read
About the author
Steve Birdsall
22 books1 followerSteve Birdsall (born 1944) of Sydney, Australia, is an aviation writer who has authored many articles and books since the 1960s. He has been published by Air Classics, Flying Review International, Airpower Historian, and the American Aviation Historical Society Journal.
Birdsall toured briefly in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, as a correspondent for an Australian magazine. He flew several airborne missions including one in the A-1 Skyraider, about which he later wrote an illustrated history.
He should not be confused with American travel writer Stephen S. Birdsall.
Birdsall toured briefly in Vietnam during the Vietnam War, as a correspondent for an Australian magazine. He flew several airborne missions including one in the A-1 Skyraider, about which he later wrote an illustrated history.
He should not be confused with American travel writer Stephen S. Birdsall.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
August 25, 2014
A well researched and thoughtfully written book about the B-24. Sadly, the book is designed (according to the author) to be of use to former crew and veterans. At the time it was written, this was a laudible goal. But at this late date (40 years after publication) the proposed audience is waning fast and the extensive detail about aircraft markings, etc. will be lost on new readers. also, the photos are uniformly small and of poor reproduction quality. I'm sure the orignals were great. I've seen similar photos taken and preserved by actual crew members in original format and they are generally outstanding. But the printing process didn't do the book any favors. Still, it is worth a look and the written narrative is well done.
January 29, 2018
At it's best a collection of gripping vignettes of the brave crews who piloted these amazing behemoths. At it's worst, an amazingly incoherent narrative. Which is a shame as the contributions of the B-24 are so often overlooked. Yet this account is so poorly written that it makes one question their sanity as the author refers to hitherto unmentioned individuals and jumps from topic to topic. I literally checked to see if I had a proofreader's advanced copy. Has inspired me to seek other, more cohesive, accounts of B-24's and the men who crewed them.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews