Subject: Bomber Series--Consolidated B-24 Liberator (31 of ??)

From: [email-masked] (Joe Baugher)
Date: Wed, 7 Dec 1994 02:33:48 GMT

Number 321 Squadron of the Royal Air Force Coastal Command had 
originally been established in June of 1940 by a group of Dutch Navy 
personnel that had escaped to England following the German conquest of 
the Netherlands.  This squadron initially operated Consolidated 
Catalinas and flew convoy escort missions over the Irish Sea.  No.  
321 Squadron was later supplemented by additional Dutch crews that had 
escaped from the Netherlands East Indies when the Japanese overran 
these islands.  

In November 1944, No. 321 Squadron was re-equipped with Liberator VIs 
(primarily Convair/Fort Worth-built B-24Js).  However, it was not 
until May of 1945 that No. 321 Squadron was declared operationally 
ready.  By that time, the war in Europe was over, and the squadron 
transferred to the Pacific theatre for the final assault on Japan.  
They flew anti-shipping, bombing, and minelaying missions out of bases 
in the Cocos Islands during the last few months of the Pacific War.  A 
total of 23 Liberator VIs ended up serving with this squadron.  
Following the Japanese surrender, No. 321 Squadron flew relief and 
supply missions in support of Allied prisoners that had been released 
from POW camps in Sumatra, Java, and New Guinea.  

Following the re-establishment of Dutch control in the East Indies, 
the Liberators of No. 321 Squadron relocated to Java and were 
repainted in the colors of the newly-reformed Royal Dutch Air Force, 
whose insignia at that time was a rectangle consisting of parallel 
red, white, and blue bars.  However, as required under the terms of 
the Lend-Lease agreement, the Dutch Liberators were withdrawn from 
service and scrapped in late 1946.  None survive today.  

The following Liberators were operated by No 321 (Dutch) Squadron:  

RAF serial	USAAF Designation 	USAAF Serial

EV824			?                   ?	
EV831		        ?		    ?
EV832			?		    ?
EV834			?		    ?
EV869			?                   ?
EV889			?		    ?
EV317		B-24J-35-CF		44-10320
EW320		B-24J-35-CF		44-10323
EW321		B-24J-35-CF		44-40324
FL912		        ?                   ?		
FL940		        ?		    ?
KG847		B-24J-35-CF 		44-10352
KG852		B-24J-40-CF		44-10357
KG991		B-24J-75-CF		44-10656
KH138		B-24J-80-CF		44-10703
KH186		B-24J-80-CF		44-10751
KH187		B-24J-80-CF		44-10752
KH193		B-24J-85-CF		44-44054
KH194		B-24J-85-CF		44-44055
KH296		B-24J-90-CF		44-44167
KH299		B-24J-90-CF		44-44170
KH382		B-24J-95-CF		44-44253
KH383		B-24J-95-CF		44-44254

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.

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

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