Article 5964 of rec.aviation.military:
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From: jfb@usgp1.ih.att.com (Joe Baugher)
Subject: Bomber Series--Consolidated B-24 Liberator (19 of ??)
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Summary: XB-24K 
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Organization: AT&T
Date: Sun, 13 Nov 1994 02:22:33 GMT
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As early as 1942, the Army had concluded that the Liberator would have 
better aerodynamic stability if it had a single fin and rudder.  
However, the Liberator was destined to go through almost its entire 
career with its original twin fin-and-rudder assembly.  

In early 1943, Ford/Willow Run decided to test this assumption of 
better stability with a single fin and rudder.  They modified a B-24D 
airframe to accommodate a single vertical tail unit taken from a 
Douglas B-23 Dragon.  This aircraft was initially known as B-24ST 
(where the ST stood for *Single Tail*), and made its first flight on 
March 6, 1943.  Following a change to a C-54 tailplane and a new 
rudder, the new fuselage was attached to another, later production 
B-24D airframe (B-24D-40-CO 42-40234).  At the same time, it was 
fitted with more powerful R-1830-75 engines, each developing 1350 hp 
for takeoff.  This airframe was also fitted with the power-operated 
nose turret that had been installed on later Liberators, while 
retaining the Consolidated tail turret.  

This highly modified aircraft, designated XB-24K, flew on September 9, 
1943.  Tests revealed that the new tail configuration did indeed 
greatly improve the stability and handling of the Liberator.  An 
additional benefit was an improvement in the field of fire for the 
tail gun.  As a result of its additional engine power, the XB-24K was 
11 mph faster than previous Liberators and had a much improved climb 
rate.  

The results were so encouraging that in April 1944 the Army 
recommended that all future Liberators be manufactured with single 
tails.  It was planned that the single-tailed Liberator would first 
appear on the production line with the B-24N version, but the 
approaching end of the war led to the cancellation of the B-24N 
contract after only 8 examples had been built.  However, the 
single-tail configuration was later adopted for the PB4Y-2 Privateer.  

Sources:

    Famous Bombers of the Second World War, William Green, 
    Doubleday, 1959.

    British Military Aircraft Serials, 1912-1969, Bruce Robertson,
    Ian Allen, 1969.

    Liberator: America's Global Bomber, Alwyn T. Lloyd,
    Pictorial Histories Publishing Co, Inc, 1993.

    B-24 Liberator in Action, Larry Davis, Squadron/Signal Publications
    Inc, 1987.

    General Dynamics Aircraft and Their Predecesssors, John Wegg,
    Naval Institute Press, 1990.

    Consolidated B-24D-M Liberator IN USAAF-RAF-RAAF-MLD-IAF-CzechAF
    and CNAF Service, Ernest R. McDowell, Arco, 1970. 

    United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough
    and Peter M. Bowers, Smithsonian, 1989.

    American Combat Planes, 3rd Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner,
    Doubleday, 1982.

    Jane's American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th Century,  Michael
    J.H. Taylor, Mallard Press.


Joe Baugher			  **************************************
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