Consolidated Liberator B VI – 215 Sqn, RAF SEAC, Bengal, India, 1944

Corgi Aviation Archive 1/72 scale AA34009: Consolidated B-24 Liberator B.Mk.VI of 215 Sqn, RAF, South East Asia Command (SEAC), Bengal, India, 1944. Limited Edition of 1200 Pieces.

Length 11.25 inches Wingspan 18.25 inches

The Liberator B.VI was the RAF designation for the B-24J, of which 390 were supplied to the RAF. Total number of Liberators supplied to the RAF of all variants was 1,694. By April 1942, No.215 Squadron had assembled atAsanol in India, as part of the RAF’s South East Asia Command equipped with Wellingtons and commenced bombing operations over Japanese-occupied targets in Burma. It re-equipped with Liberator VIs in June 1944, operating from several bases, including Chakala, Jessore and Digri and was joined by Nos. 99 and 356 Squadrons, also equipped with Liberators, until April 1945 when they were replaced by Dakotas in the supply-dropping role for the 14th Army to clear Burma of Japanese, resulting in the capture of Rangoon.

Designed to fill a United States Army Air Corps need for a heavy bomber, the B-24 Liberator was first flown on December 29, 1939. The USAAC originally asked Consolidated to build the B-17 under license, but the company instead chose to submit a more modern design with greater speed, greater range and a heavier bomb load. Despite these advantages, the B-24 was more difficult to fly, had poor formation-flying characteristics, and was much more vulnerable to battle damage, which meant it never became the favored bomber among American aircrews. It did prove more than serviceable, however, especially for long-range missions.