B24 Witchcraft confusion

[Fred Jack]

A few years ago I saw and flew in the last flying B-24. On the side of the port fuselage it said, “Made at Willow Run Detroit Michigan”. This would make it a B-24 H. But last year, I again saw the same B-24, but the Willow Run inscription was missing and the owners insisted this was the original Witchcraft which was a B-24J. Since I’d like to make a 1/32 scale of it, what really is this plane? If it isn’t the original Witchcraft, what was it originally? When I flew in it it definitely was an H, which means it wasn’t the original Witchcraft. I want a model of the plane I flew in.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Fred Jack

[Dave Williams]

According to this link, the Collings Foundation is a B-24J painted up as “Witchcraft”, which was actually a B-24H.  The article also states the the real wartime “Witchcraft” was scrapped after the war.

 

https://www.collingsfoundation.org/aircrafts/consolidated-b-24-liberator/

 

Also, I believe the only other flying B-24 is the CAF’s bird, which is a B-24A, which is very different.

Edited September 13, 2019 by Dave Williams

[Juggernut]

I was under the impression that the B-24 in the CAF is a C-87....  Maybe the same thing as a B-24A, I just don't know that much about it to say if they're the same animal or not.

[Dave Williams]

1 hour ago, Juggernut said:

I was under the impression that the B-24 in the CAF is a C-87....  Maybe the same thing as a B-24A, I just don't know that much about it to say if they're the same animal or not.

 

According to this history, Diamond ‘Lil was built as a LB-30 for GB, but stayed in the US for training/development and was used for the C-87 prototype.  She seems to have been modified a lot over the years.

 

https://commemorativeairforce.org/aircraft/3

 

Edited September 14, 2019 by Dave Williams

[Fred Jack]

14 hours ago, Dave Williams said:

According to this link, the Collings Foundation is a B-24J painted up as “Witchcraft”, which was actually a B-24H.  The article also states the the real wartime “Witchcraft” was scrapped after the war.

 

https://www.collingsfoundation.org/aircrafts/consolidated-b-24-liberator/

 

Also, I believe the only other flying B-24 is the CAF’s bird, which is a B-24A, which is very different.

That’s just it. They still say it is a J, but when I first saw it, it was an H. My favorite multi engine planes were always the B-24, Halifax lll, Do-17, Bf110,  P-38, and the Lockheed Hudson.

Edited September 14, 2019 by Fred Jack

[LSP_Ray]

When I first saw the Collings Foundation B-24, it was natural metal and painted as "Dragon and his Tail!"

[Dave Williams]

16 hours ago, Fred Jack said:

That’s just it. They still say it is a J, but when I first saw it, it was an H. My favorite multi engine planes were always the B-24, Halifax lll, Do-17, Bf110,  P-38, and the Lockheed Hudson.

 

What made you sure it was a H model?  The actual aircraft serial is 44-44052, which makes it built as a B-24J-195.  The fact that they may have painted “made in Willow Run” on the side isn’t definitive since it’s a warbird painted up and marked to represent a different aircraft.  It’s currently marked as a B-24H, but that doesn’t mean that it really is or was one.  That’s just how it’s currently painted.

[LSP_K2]

I saw one of the B-24 kits built-up at our show today (along with a Lancaster), and was quite impressed with the overall appearance of the kit.