445th Bomb Group · RAF Tibenham · 1944

The B-24 Liberator

The most produced heavy bomber in history. 19,256 built. 35 flew the Kassel Mission. These are their stories, their specs, and their names.

The Kassel Mission Fleet

Every B-24 that flew September 27, 1944. Click any aircraft for details.

B-24J Specifications

The variant flown by the 445th Bomb Group on the Kassel Mission.

4

engines

P&W R-1830-65 Twin Wasp
1,200 hp each · 4,800 hp total

110ft

wingspan

Longer than a Boeing 737
Davis high-aspect-ratio wing

300mph

max speed

At 30,000 ft altitude
Combat: 180–215 mph

10

.50 cal guns

Nose, dorsal, ball turret
Waist (×2) and tail positions

Performance

Max speed at 30,000 ft300 mph

Max speed at 20,000 ft277 mph

Combat operating speed180–215 mph

Climb rate1,025 ft/min

Service ceiling28,000 ft

Time to 20,000 ft25 min

Range with 5,000 lb bombs1,700 mi

Endurance7.3 hrs

Dimensions

Wingspan110 ft

Length67 ft 2 in

Height18 ft

Wing area1,048 sq ft

Weights & Fuel

Empty weight38,000 lb

Combat weight56,000 lb

Max overload weight71,200 lb

Main fuel tanks2,364 gal

Auxiliary wing tanks450 gal

Bomb bay tanks800 gal

Armament

Machine guns10× .50 cal Browning

Internal bomb load8,000 lb

External capacity2× 4,000 lb

Max short-range load12,800 lb

SuperchargerGE B-22 Turbo

Power ceiling31,800 ft

10-Man Crew

1

Pilot

2

Co-Pilot

3

Navigator

4

Bombardier

5

Radio Operator

6

Engineer / Top Turret

7

Ball Turret Gunner

8

Waist Gunner (L)

9

Waist Gunner (R)

10

Tail Gunner

B-24 Variants

From the 1939 prototype to the final single-tail Privateer — every version of the Liberator.

Production

Five factories. Five years. The most produced heavy bomber in history.

0

total aircraft built

More than any other four-engine bomber in history. More than the B-17. More than the Lancaster. One rolled off the line every 63 minutes at peak production.

5 factories

5 years

1 per hour at peak

1,893 knock-down kits

The Willow Run Story

Ford's massive bomber plant — where B-24s rolled off the line at a rate of one per hour.