B-24 Liberator: Rugged But Right [Hardcover]

Frederick A. Johnsen (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 13, 1999 | ISBN-10: 0071344489 | ISBN-13: 978-0071344487 | Edition: 1

More B-24s were made and flown than any other warplane in America's history. Between 1939 and 1945, 18,000+ B-24 heavy bombers received their last rivets from rosie, rolled off assembly lines, and flew to military bases around the world. A triumph of ingenious Yankee design, the B-24 was the first heavy bomber with a tricycle landing gear and sophisticated airfoil and flaps. Its greater range permitted bombing runs deep into Germany, Italy, and especially over Japanese targets in the South Pacific. This rare assemblage of wartime records, memories, photos, personal and military histories, and in-depth technical insight brings the B-24 back to life and to center stage of World War II. Written by Air Force historian and world-leading B-24 expert Frederick A. Johnsen, and based in part on his vast personal collection of B-24 lore and memorabilia, B-24 Liberator lets you: Watch as the B-24 was conceptualized, designed, and constructed through reports and photos from the manufacturer's official files; Explore the B-24's full combat history through Air Force archival records; Experience world War II training and combat in the company of the airmen who flew and serviced this mighty bomber in Europe, Asia, and the South Pacific; Share these airmen's unique memories and personal snapshots of combat in the skies and on the ground.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Frederick A. Johnsen is one of the world's foremost authorities on U.S. military aviation history and the author of more than 15 books on the subject. An Air Force historian since 1981, he was formerly a consulting curator for an aerospace museum, and editor of Western Flyer. His books include B-24 Liberator: Rugged but Right, P-47 Thunderbolt, A-26 Invader, F4U Corsair and Douglas A-1 Skyraider. He has contributed to many aviation and general interest periodicals, including Aviation Week and Space Technology , FlyPast, and the Seattle Times. Assigned to the Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, he has been a collector of flight memorabilia since the age of 5 in 1956.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 144 pages
• Publisher: McGraw-Hill Professional; 1 edition (August 13, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0071344489
• ISBN-13: 978-0071344487
• Product Dimensions: 11.3 x 8.8 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,512,209 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars B-24 America's Second Bomber, November 6, 2009

By 

cpt matt (tanktown, DE) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: B-24 Liberator: Rugged But Right (Hardcover)

Although more B-24's were made than B-17s and was a newer design, the B-17 is the most famous American bomber of WW2. Why? The B-24 was faster, had longer range and could carry more bombs. It was an excellent patrol bomber over the Atlantic Ocean and served well in the Pacific war. Over 18,000 were made and used by the US Army Air Force and British.

The B-17 is more famous because it served in Europe sooner then the B-24 and captured the media attention - "the Flying Fortress". It also survived combat better than the high loading wings of the B-24.

This book covers all that and more very well. It gives a good overview of the development,deployment and use of the B-24. Each version is addressed and there are many excellent black and white photos, along with detailed clear diagrams that illustrate the unique features of the B-24. 7 pages of color photos show some of the colors used of the Liberator. It has very good photos of the inside of the bomber, showing each position to effect.

I think this book could be improved with opinions and stories from the crews that flew them. It's a bit short and would have been nice to cover more of the surviving B-24's. These are minor observations, I definately recommend this book to those who want to learn more about a very important part of our Air war against the Axis in WW2.