Randy Haskin wrote:
What's the rationale behind converting the airplane away from the LB-30 configuration? Doesn't Li'l have more heritage as an LB-30 than as a B-24A?
Good question Randy. Actually, there have been good questions asked by a lot of folks. Much like the re-engine program we came up with for FIFI, this project for the B-24A consumed many, many hours of thought before we came up with a plan. This is also a topic that has been historically "heated" within the B-29/B-24 Squadron in the past. Everyone is certainly entitled to their opinions, and believe me, I listened to all of them that have been conveyed to us.
One of the primary reasons we decided to go with the "A" model, vs. the LB-30, was that this airplane was originally a B-24A. Some of our guys have spent an untold amount of hours finding the
real history of our airplane, and it will be circulated very soon. Some of it has been told correctly over the years, but frankly, most of it hasn't. But the gist of it showed that this airplane was a B-24A before it was anything else...before an LB-30, before being a transport, before being a corporate shuttle, and that's how myself and the elected staff of the B-29/B-24 Squadron felt when deciding on what to do with the airplane.
Plus, .50 caliber machine guns just look cooler than the .303's.
I hope this tiny bit of info helps. I will happily answer whatever questions I can. I know that everyone won't agree with what direction we're going with it, but we figured that any decision was a good one at this point.
Gary