In Box Review of Monogram 1/48th Scale
U.S. B-24J "Liberator" Bomber
Kit no. 5601
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1976
By Ray Mehlberger
OUT OF PRODUCTION
Copyright 1976
HISTORY:
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California.
It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models designated as various LB-30s, in the Land Bomber design category.
At its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load.
Early RAF Liberators were the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean as a matter of routine. In comparison with its contemporaries the B-24 was relatively difficult to fly and had poor low speed performance; it also had a lower ceiling and was less robust than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17, General Staff favored the B-24, and procured it in huge numbers for a wide variety of roles.
At approximately 18,500 units – including over 4,600 manufactured by Ford Motor Company – it holds records as the world's most produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history.
The B-24 was used extensively in World War II. It served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies, and saw use in every theater of operations.
Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the U.S. strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater.
Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. Long range anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain.
By the end of World War II, the technological breakthroughs of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and other modern types had surpassed the bombers that served from the start of the war.
The B-24 was rapidly phased out of U.S. service, although the PB4Y-2 Privateer maritime patrol derivative carried on in service with the U.S. Navy in the Korean War.
SPECIFICATIONS
Role : Heavy bomber, Anti-submarine warfare, Maritime patrol aircraft
Manufacturer: Consolidated Aircraft
First flight: 29 December 1939
Introduction to service: 1941
Retired: 1968 (Indian Air Force)
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Produced: 1940 - 1945
Number built: 18,500
Unit cost: $297,627 ($4.95 million in today's dollars)
Variants: Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express, Consolidated Liberator I
Developed into: Consolidated R2Y
The Consolidated B-24 Liberator is an American heavy bomber, designed by Consolidated Aircraft of San Diego, California.
It was known within the company as the Model 32, and some initial production aircraft were laid down as export models designated as various LB-30s, in the Land Bomber design category.
At its inception, the B-24 was a modern design featuring a highly efficient shoulder-mounted, high aspect ratio Davis wing. The wing gave the Liberator a high cruise speed, long range and the ability to carry a heavy bomb load.
Early RAF Liberators were the first aircraft to cross the Atlantic Ocean as a matter of routine. In comparison with its contemporaries the B-24 was relatively difficult to fly and had poor low speed performance; it also had a lower ceiling and was less robust than the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress.
While aircrews tended to prefer the B-17, General Staff favored the B-24, and procured it in huge numbers for a wide variety of roles.
At approximately 18,500 units – including over 4,600 manufactured by Ford Motor Company – it holds records as the world's most produced bomber, heavy bomber, multi-engine aircraft, and American military aircraft in history.
The B-24 was used extensively in World War II. It served in every branch of the American armed forces, as well as several Allied air forces and navies, and saw use in every theater of operations.
Along with the B-17, the B-24 was the mainstay of the U.S. strategic bombing campaign in the Western European theater.
Due to its range, it proved useful in bombing operations in the Pacific, including the bombing of Japan. Long range anti-submarine Liberators played an instrumental role in closing the Mid-Atlantic gap in the Battle of the Atlantic. The C-87 transport derivative served as a longer range, higher capacity counterpart to the Douglas C-47 Skytrain.
By the end of World War II, the technological breakthroughs of the Boeing B-29 Superfortress and other modern types had surpassed the bombers that served from the start of the war.
The B-24 was rapidly phased out of U.S. service, although the PB4Y-2 Privateer maritime patrol derivative carried on in service with the U.S. Navy in the Korean War.
SPECIFICATIONS
Role : Heavy bomber, Anti-submarine warfare, Maritime patrol aircraft
Manufacturer: Consolidated Aircraft
First flight: 29 December 1939
Introduction to service: 1941
Retired: 1968 (Indian Air Force)
Primary users: United States Army Air Forces, United States Navy, Royal Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force
Produced: 1940 - 1945
Number built: 18,500
Unit cost: $297,627 ($4.95 million in today's dollars)
Variants: Consolidated PB4Y-2 Privateer, Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express, Consolidated Liberator I
Developed into: Consolidated R2Y
THE KIT:
Monogram is an old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, IL. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The parts fit the tray tight in all 4 directions.
The box art shows two B-24 J's flying over some mountains. Both are over-all bare-metal, with yellow cowling fronts and lower part of the rudders black as well as the anti-glare panels.
The lead aircraft has a black fuselage no. 32 and a black circle on the nose with a white banner saying "Aces High" in black on it, with a hand holding 5 ace of spades playing cards on it. There is a black diamond and shamrock on the rudder with serial no. 27843.
One side panel shows 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme. Two of these shots are cut-aways showing the interior.
One end-panel of the box says the kit is for modelers 12 to adult.
Monogram is an old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, IL. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The parts fit the tray tight in all 4 directions.
The box art shows two B-24 J's flying over some mountains. Both are over-all bare-metal, with yellow cowling fronts and lower part of the rudders black as well as the anti-glare panels.
The lead aircraft has a black fuselage no. 32 and a black circle on the nose with a white banner saying "Aces High" in black on it, with a hand holding 5 ace of spades playing cards on it. There is a black diamond and shamrock on the rudder with serial no. 27843.
One side panel shows 5 color walk-around type photos of the model made up in the box art scheme. Two of these shots are cut-aways showing the interior.
One end-panel of the box says the kit is for modelers 12 to adult.
The other side panel begins with a one-paragraph history of the aircraft, followed by a color side view of it, made up in the box art scheme.
It says "This kit includes 5 flight crew and ground crew figures, parts for a detailed tow tractor and a 4-page full-color folder telling how to build a diorama with the model.
Finished dimensions of the model are given. Monogram's street address in Morton Grove, IL is provided and the copyright date is 1976. Kit was made and printed in the USA.
It says "This kit includes 5 flight crew and ground crew figures, parts for a detailed tow tractor and a 4-page full-color folder telling how to build a diorama with the model.
Finished dimensions of the model are given. Monogram's street address in Morton Grove, IL is provided and the copyright date is 1976. Kit was made and printed in the USA.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
Originally there were silver parts trees. However, years ago I removed most of these parts off these trees and some of a jet-black tree. I assembled the cockpit some and painted interior parts zinc chromate color.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on them.
The jet-black tree holds: the main and nose wheels, propellers, bombs, machine guns, the tow truck (which I have assembled) etc. (about 40 parts)
Originally there were silver parts trees. However, years ago I removed most of these parts off these trees and some of a jet-black tree. I assembled the cockpit some and painted interior parts zinc chromate color.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. They do, however, have part number tabs next to the parts on them.
The jet-black tree holds: the main and nose wheels, propellers, bombs, machine guns, the tow truck (which I have assembled) etc. (about 40 parts)
Silver parts off the trees are: wing halves, elevator halves, rudder halves, figures, engines, cowling fronts, cockpit, bulkhead, landing gear legs, body panels, fuselage halves, a tree with boarding ladders on it, another silver tree with wood storage box, turret base, fuselage side window frames etc. (12 parts on this tree)
The clear tree holds the cockpit windows, turret blisters etc. (23 parts)
The instructions and decal sheet complete the kits contents.
The instructions are a staple-bound booklet of 12 pages in 8 1/2" x 11" page format.
Page 1 has the history of the B-25J and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, over Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL, the copyright date of 1976 and MADE IN USA.
Page 2 has painting and marking of the aircraft and figures and decal application instructions down the left side.
The right side of page 2 through page 10 gives a total of 21 assembly steps.
Page 11 is painting and marking instructions as a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above).
Page 12 is another 4-view of a B-24J that is olive-drab over light-grey, it has yellow fuselage letter H. Yellow "Buzz Job" on the side of the nose.
Rudder has a black bottom with a black square on top and a white cross at the bottom
There is a second decal sheet in the kit. It is from Microscales kit no. 37, with nose arts for "Mabel's Labels", "Cocktail Hour" and "The Dragon and his tail".
I added some copies of B-24 nose arts off the web.
Page 1 has the history of the B-25J and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions, over Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL, the copyright date of 1976 and MADE IN USA.
Page 2 has painting and marking of the aircraft and figures and decal application instructions down the left side.
The right side of page 2 through page 10 gives a total of 21 assembly steps.
Page 11 is painting and marking instructions as a 4-view of the box art scheme (already described above).
Page 12 is another 4-view of a B-24J that is olive-drab over light-grey, it has yellow fuselage letter H. Yellow "Buzz Job" on the side of the nose.
Rudder has a black bottom with a black square on top and a white cross at the bottom
There is a second decal sheet in the kit. It is from Microscales kit no. 37, with nose arts for "Mabel's Labels", "Cocktail Hour" and "The Dragon and his tail".
I added some copies of B-24 nose arts off the web.
The color diorama instructions show a diorama by Monogram's resident artist Sheperd Paine.
Also in this kit I added the B-24 Liberator in Action book by Squadron Publications and a Air Combat book on the B-24.
Detail is of the raised and engraved variety.
Highly recommended.
Highly recommended.