Article 8414 of rec.aviation.military:
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From: jfb@usgp1.ih.att.com (Joe Baugher)
Subject: Bomber Series--Consolidated B-24 Liberator (32 of ??)
Message-ID: <D0oG9M.A3K@ssbunews.ih.att.com>
Summary: B-24 in service with Indian Air Force
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Date: Mon, 12 Dec 1994 02:58:34 GMT
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India became independent of Britain on August 15, 1947.  It just so 
happened that lots of Liberators had been left behind in India by the 
USAAF, the RAF and the RCAF when the war in the Pacific ended, and 
these planes were salvaged for use by the newly-independent Indian Air 
Force.  The first Liberators for the IAF were refurbished by Hindustan 
Aircraft. Ltd. of Bangalore in November of 1949 and were delivered 
to No 5 Squadron.  This unit eventually got 16 Liberators.  Later, No.  
6 Squadron was reformed and provided with another 16 refurbished 
Liberators and No 16 Squadron was established as a Liberator-equipped 
training unit.  

The Indian Liberators were employed primarily in the maritime 
reconnaissance role and were usually equipped with an ASV-15 radar 
with a retractable radome in the bay where the ball turret had been 
located.  Sonobuoys and depth charges were the typical offensive load.  

No 5 and 16 Squadrons traded in their Liberators for English Electric 
Canberras in 1957.  The Liberators of No. 6 Squadron remained in 
service.  These aircraft participated in the Indian takeover of the 
Portugese colonies in India in 1961, flying reconnaissance missions 
along the approaches of Diu and Daman.  On December 18, 1961, 
Liberators of No.  6 Squadron dropped surrender leaflets over Goa.  
The last Liberators left Indian service in 1968, the IAF being the 
last air force to fly the type.  

Two former IAF Liberators survive today.  IAF serial number HE877 (ex 
USAAF B-24J 44-44175) is with the Pima County Air Museum in Tucson, 
Arizona, and IAF serial number HE773 (ex USAAF B-24L 44-50154) is with 
the National Aeronautical Collection in Trenton, Ontario in Canada.  

I don't have a list of IAF serials for Indian-operated Liberators.  
Can anyone out there help?  

Sources:

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

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

    The Consolidated B-24J Liberator, Roger A. Freeman,
    Profile Publications, Inc. 1969.

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

    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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