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I've posted this before, but it appears that it's a good time to do it again. By the way, we have all of the information below documented, in original letters. If needed (translation: If nobody believes what I've posted here), I can post pictures of some of them I reckon........
In the many years that the CAF has owned and operated the B-24, AM927, how many different stories have you heard regarding her history? As of this writing, I have only been with the CAF for just under three years, but have personally heard several different stories with an equal amount of different variations. It seems that as time went on, each person’s recollection of the history of our great airplane has “gotten better” each time it was told. Recently, several B-29/B-24 Squadron members have looked diligently into the real history of AM927. They found original schematics and documentation, along with taking in research from The B-24 Liberator, by Allan Blue. It is my feeling that its due time that we all know this history and be sure that we tell the right stories when talking with the general public regarding this airplane.
-Our aircraft was the 25th in the production line. As a B-24A, it was going to have the serial number, 40-2366. However, that serial number was never officially issued to this aircraft, as the war in Europe changed Consolidated’s plans for the first batch of B-24A’s.
-On June 4, 1940, France signed a contract with Consolidated Aircraft Corporation (CAC) to include the purchase of 175 B-24A aircraft (the designation for the export version for the French, then later, British, was to be LB-30). Roughly two weeks later, France was occupied by Germany, so Great Britain took over the contract, but reduced the order to 159 airplanes.
-Because of the contract exchange, the first of the production Liberators to be rolled out were the six YB-24’s that were converted to LB-30A’s for the British. Next came the twenty Liberator I’s (AM910 thru AM929). They were carried as LB-30B’s, or “B-24A Conversions” on Consolidated’s records. AM927 was serial number 18, of the twenty LB-30A’s (or B-24A Conversions) that were built in this batch. It should be noted that the primary differences between the B-24A and the LB30B were merely the armament and radio packages.
-On May 7, 1941, AM927 was officially delivered to the British Purchasing Commission and an Export Declaration was signed. The value of the aircraft at the time is listed as $258, 074.67. However, AM927 was not delivered to England at this time, but was taken to Albuquerque, NM, for crew training at the Eagle Nest Flight Training Center, run by Transcontinental & Western Airlines (T&WA, later to become TWA).
- (The following excerpt was taken from an official accident report) On July 24, 1941, AM927 was cleared to land by the control tower and the crew performed the before landing checklist, which included a check of the toe brakes. On landing rollout, with the nosewheel on the runway, the aircraft began drifting to the right, as the brakes appeared to be partially locked up. Power was brought up on #4 engine and left rudder was applied. Midway down the runway, the right main gear collapsed, followed by failure of the nosegear. The crew of three hurriedly exited the aircraft through the overhead hatch. They suffered minor injuries. Because of a shortage of aircraft, the ship was hangared and underwent a six month repair. However, it was nearly one year before the airplane was back in service due to the conversion and to arrange the loan of the aircraft from the British to Consolidated.
- On September 2, 1942, a letter was written to Consolidated Aircraft Corporation by a British representative who was concerned about rumors that Consolidated had converted their airplane in to a “luxuriously upholstered, bar equipped, Consolidated Chariot.” The following is the reply from Consolidated to the British (paraphrased slightly to reduce unnecessary content) in order to describe the changes made to AM927 after its landing accident and what was being done with the airplane once back in service:
…”I can describe the airplane, by telling you that we removed all the bomb bay doors, all bomb structure, and all interior bulkheads aft of the pilot’s compartment. The bomb bay area has been closed over with smooth skin and stringers, similar to the balance of the structure; seven windows have been cut on each side of the fuselage and on the left-hand side, aft of the windows, a door has been installed, approximately 3’x6’. The bottom of the fuselage has been floored over with plywood, covered with aluminum alloy sheet in which quick disconnect fittings have been installed for locating and holding 16 Army transport type seats.
The floor is bare aluminum alloy without any covering of any kind. At the junction of the floor and sidewalls, ventilating and heating ducts extend the length of the fuselage. Again, these are of unpainted aluminum alloy. From these air ducts, up the side of the ship to the windows, the side is covered with some kind of Masonite board, as in the area directly under the wing in the cabin. This part does look nice. In the sidewalls, we have installed ashtrays and oxygen regulators for high altitude flying. Above the Masonite paneling, covering the balance of the side of the ship and the ceiling, is a heavy khaki canvas material, which I assure you, is far from luxurious. It is approximately the same kind of material, as I recall, that we use for making engine covers, although it may be of a slightly better grade. In the back of the ship, aft of the door, we have installed two wooden bulkheads, forming a single compartment for a washroom and toilet. Just ahead of this aft bulkhead, an icebox has been installed (the same kind as is used in the Navy PB2Y3’s. I assure you there is no bar in the airplane.”
The letter then went on with descriptions of various flights and destinations that AM927 had been used for. It continues here with more information describing the importance of AM927 to the B-24 program…
…”As you know, our Ft. Worth plant was scheduled to produce airplanes from parts manufactured by Ford. To date, Ford has yet to deliver a single piece to Ft. Worth and we are endeavoring to keep Ft. Worth supplied with parts manufactured in San Diego. Dividing critical items between Ft. Worth and San Diego makes it imperative that urgently required parts be flown to Ft. Worth…which is being done with AM927.
…In addition to carrying cargo and personnel on the various flights, we are using AM927 experimentally to produce better B-24D airplanes. We have suffered for a long time with heavy control forces on the B-24’s. With AM927, we have made numerous tests around San Diego with various gadgets to reduce these forces, but the answer does not come from such local flight tests. We must learn what effect the reduction in control forces has in all kinds of flights and weather conditions and after hours and hours of flying. We are making progress on this problem through the use of AM927.
This ship is also being used as the prototype for the C-87 transport version of the B-24.
AM927 has been worth it’s weight in gold to us in promoting the War Effort, so much that we could use two or three more just like it, and as soon as a steady stream of transports are being delivered from Ft. Worth, we plan to make a tremendous effort to obtain two or three B-24A’s, like AM927, for a similar conversion. I am confident that our record on the use of AM927 will go a long way in securing those for us.”
Kindest regards,
Frank A. Learman
Consolidated Aircraft Corporation
-Throughout the War, AM927 was used by Consolidated to continue to transport cargo and executives from place to place. Although there have been numerous rumors that some people of “celebrity stature,” such as Teddy & Eleanor Roosevelt, Madame Chiang Kai Chek, etc. have flown on this aircraft, we have no written or photographic evidence to prove it, so it should be assumed that until proof is found, these people did not fly in AM927.
-February 14, 1945, AM927 had the “short” B-24A nose section removed and had a nose section from an RY-3 installed. This nose section also included the C-87 type baggage compartment. At this time, the aircraft also had the PBY type power plants (firewall forward) installed, to make the items in the engine compartment interchangeable with aircraft still being produced.
-AM927 provided a valuable military service for the duration of the War and was still being utilized by Consolidated as late as November 1948. At most military bases and airports across the country, she became quite popular and was known as “Ol’ 927.”
-November 10, 1948, AM927 was sold to the Continental Can Corporation. The aircraft was outfitted with sleeping berths and reclining chairs and was used to transport company executives from its home base in Morristown, NJ to numerous locations that were associated with Continental Can’s operations. They continued to use AM927 in this manner for nearly 11 years.
-April 14, 1959, Pemex, a Mexican petroleum company, purchased AM927. They used the aircraft not only as an executive transport, but to haul drums of oil from place to place. They owned the airplane for eight and a half years.
-May 1968, AM927 was purchased by the Confederate Air Force, thanks largely to Vic Agather (also responsible for obtaining FIFI, the CAF’s B-29 Superfortress). The rest, as they say, is history.
Gary Austin
Crew Chief, B-29/B-24 Squadron
Commemorative Air Force
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