Consolidated B-24 Vol 1: The XB-24 to B-24E Liberators in World War II

Some might argue that the Liberator isn’t as attractive as the sleek, streamlined B-17, but the faster B-24 earned its place in history by being the most produced multi-engine bomber and most-produced American military aircraft of all time. More than 18,000 were built from 1940-45 and they performed a variety of roles in addition to bombing, including maritime and antisubmarine patrol and transport.

If you plan to model one of the early Liberators, pick up David Doyle’s terrific Consolidated B-24, Vol. 1: The XB-24 to B-24E Liberators in World War II from Schiffer’s Legends of Warfare series. This 112-page hardcover follows the early development of Consolidated’s heavy bomber with chapters devoted to each variant from the single prototype XB-24 through the British procured YB-24s rebuilt as LB-30A transports and Liberator Is. From there Doyle outlines the differences between the B-24A, Liberator II, and B-24C, before spending considerable time on the iconic B-24D. He wraps up with short chapters devoted to the Liberator III/GR.V, C-87 transport, the one-off XB-41 gunship, F-7 recon bird, and B-24E. Each chapter is filled with photos, many in color, with detailed captions describing pertinent details, perfect for modelers.