Hey Warbird Kid,
If you're really serious about going after a B-24, why not stop talking about it, and start DOING it? You can start buying parts now that suit your budget. Even something as simple as acquiring all the necessary gauges would be a good start, or you could buy a repro panel and start filling holes that way. But my point is if you're REALLY serious about doing a B-24, start building up a parts inventory NOW! The longer you wait, the more expensive it's going to be. Start now!
My best suggestion would be to first buy a set of manuals, especially a parts catalog. That is one item that will more than pay for itself, once you get heavy into the "parts aspect" of it all, you'll see what I mean. I would also highly recommend an Interchangeability & Cross Reference manual, these can be had for under $20. This is a very handy thing to have, especially if you're buying gauges, as it shows which types were correct for the various models of A/C. It covers lots of other things as well, again a very handy item to have on hand.
After you have all the manuals squared away, then you can decide what you'd like to focus on, since you don't have an actual airframe to work with. I would suggest looking into gun turrets. 250CE projects & parts are still attainable, and the methods and techniques needed to restore one would give you an idea of what a full blown project would require, albeit on a much smaller scale. But a turret would nonetheless be a very good project to hone your skills on!
I'll even kick your B-24 project off for you. PM me your address, and I'll send you a scrap piece off an Emerson nose turret. It might be completely useless, but it IS off a B-24...what more could a person want??
