Warbird Information Exchange

B-24M A72-176 HISTORY

The Fund is the owner of a B-24 Liberator s/n 44-41956, which was built for the RAAF as a B-24M. It was assigned the RAAF serial “A72-176” and then flown to Australia. This particular aircraft was modified with a search radar in the lower fuselage to help locate and track targets and was then redesignated as a B-24R model. The RAAF took A72-176 on charge in late 1944 and this saw it issued to 7 OTU (Operational Training Unit) based at Tocumwal, south west NSW. The training saw bomber crews learn how to fly the bomber, operate as a team and work with fighters. Towards the end of the war there were up to 50 aircraft located at Tocumwal along with 5,000 personnel. A72-176 was noted as flown on training missions by various aircrew, and one person was G/Cpt Kingwell, who was later to become quite involved with its restoration project in the 1990s. The bomber was flown up until March 1946 in other roles such as transport and was then retired from service. It was noted that it was to be eventually fitted out for an Antarctic mission but this was never approved. Sitting quietly, it was finally disposed of at East Sale Airfield in March 1948, with the fuselage being sold to George Toye. Sadly, by the time George bought it, the RAAF had scrapped both the tail and wings. Still George accepted the fuselage as it was and used it as temporary accommodation while he built his new house. After the house was completed, the bomber sat on his property between the 1950s and the early 1990s; during this time the fuselage was exposed to the elements.

In 1989 the B-24 Fund became aware of the B-24’s fuselage which was located at Moe, Victoria. The Fund members negotiated to purchase it on condition that they could find a wing and tail. With one part of the project under negotiation, the hunt was then on for the wing and tail which was found in 1991. The wing was acquired from a crash site of USAAF B-24D Liberator 42-41091, which had crashed in Papua New Guinea during WW2. The Royal Australian Air Force, Australian Army, Qantas, Shell and many other companies helped in recovering the wing, which saw it imported into Australia in 1992 and eventually moved to Werribee. The B-24 Fund then went back to George who wanted to alter the original arrangement, so meanwhile members worked on the wing while arrangements were made for the delivery of the fuselage. It wasn't till 1995 that agreement was reached, which finally saw the fuselage moved to Werribee. After 50 years of exposure, the fuselage was looking quite battered and it was clear that it would need a lot of restoration work. During 1996 a clean-up of the fuselage internally and externally was started to remove all the accumulated grime. In 2000, the volunteers then worked to 'mate' the fuselage and wing. On 15 August 2000 the mostly intact bomber was dedicated before an audience of 1,100 made up of WW2 veterans, special visitors and members.