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Airworthy Liberator in the UK
As a schoolboy in the early 1980s living in the Cotswolds, I remember seeing a Liberator overfly my home one weekday afternoon. I cannot remember exactly when it was but was presumably between 1980 and 1984. The t'interweb tells me that there was a B24 at Blackbushe at about the right time but it appears that this never flew in the UK. The one at Cosford (now Hendon) was already on display and none of the others currently in existence appear to have been in the UK at the time. Can anyone tell me which Liberator I may have seen?
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B-24A Diamond Lil
Don't know about early '80's, but B-24A Diamond Lil was at Cosford in June '92 see link below
YouTube - B-24 Liberator Diamond Lil at Cosford PZU - Out of Africa (Retired) |
Are you sure it wasn't a Shackleton Mk 1 (or T4) which has a similar outline - especially the large rounded fin-and-rudders ?
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I remember seeing Diamond Lil landing at East Mids while watching some racing at Donington Park and that was much later.
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I am also fairly sure it was not a Shackleton. My Father was in the Royal Observer Corps and I grew up looking at all of his old ROC Journals. My recognition in those days was pretty good and I was able to win prizes at it as an Air Cadet! Growing up in the Cotswolds, Shackletons were a fairly rare sight (as were Nimrods) as we were so far from the sea. I had to make do with VC10s, C130s KC135s and A10s. Much more activity then compared to today. The B25s at Little Rissington for Hanover Street were a highlight of my childhood but they were much earlier than my "B24".
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A couple of ex Indian AF Liberators passed throught the UK in the early 1970s - presume that would be too early? One is now with Kermit Weeks.
The one at Blackbushe was dismantled in the hangar - I saw it through a crack in the door while Doug Arnold wasn't around! |
'Diamond Lil' was also at the very hot excellent Boscombe Down show. The date escapes me. I remember stopping my car to watch it flying near Aylesbury, Bucks, in company with The Fighter Collection B.25 Mitchell, on the way to the show. I saw 'Diamond Lil' at Oshkosh, Wisconsin, 2 years ago, with all it's turrets, and in camouflage. Looked much better than pink!!!
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Kermit Week's B.24 stopped at Duxford on it's way to the States. It was in 1975, and was/is called 'Delectable Doris.'
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I am pretty sure it belonged to David Tallichet.
It stayed for some time at Duxford...and would be your prime candidate. PeterA A shot from Ray Wood's collection. http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...ction-002a.jpg |
Thank you for your suggestions
Chaps. Thanks for your help. My online research had suggested that something, probably my memory, was not quite right: I am past 40 now afterall! I would have said that my sighting was while I was at home watching Blue Peter/Magpie/Newsround (or something like) after a day at grammar school which would make the time somewhere between 1979 and 1984. Also, I am not sure that I would have known what a B24 was in the early 70s if it was that long ago. Unless it was a secret CIA flight between Little Rissington and Kemble, and details of this are posted on WikiLeaks in the future, I guess this will remain a mystery. Thanks again. :)
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The Duxford Liberator did fly on rare occaisions, I saw it (on the ground) at Duxford along with OHB's T33's. I seem to recall that it was owned by David Tallichet, and on arrival in the states was subsequently purchased by Kermit Weeks, or he may have purchased it here. Again I have a dim recollection that it was 'at risk' at Duxford due to a lack of money by its owner, hence it moving on. It was there for 3-4 years off the top of my head. I think if you did in fact see a Liberator, its likely it was the Duxford aircraft.
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When did the Indian Air Force Lib destined for Cosford arrive?
That could have been early eighties. |
Diamond Lil was at the 1992 ATI at Boscombe
Wiretensioner |
The Cosford Liberator arrived in the mid-1970s.
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Liberators last flight
The cosford liberators last flight was RAF LYNEHAM to the museum at RAF COLERNE,it was moved by road to RAF COSFORD when COLERNE closed in march 1976 :sad:
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RAF Museum Liberator
Last Flown 1974 From the history of the aircraft http://www.rafmuseum.org.uk/london/c...0Liberator.pdf 7 Jul 74 Arrived from Rome at RAF Lyneham, Wilts for customs clearance at 17.35 having overflown the air display at Greenham Common en route, making a low pass. 11 July 74 Following some minor repairs, flown to RAF Colerne, Wilts to join the aircraft collection there as the runway at Cosford, the original destination, was thought too short. This 15-minute delivery flight ended the 41 hours of flying back to the UK. Therefore unlikey to be the one at Hendon The one that was at Duxford was HE771 which was delivered to USA from Duxford, UK. on Aug. 27, 1975. So none around in the eighties |
Or could have been the B25 Mitchells that were involved in the filiming of Hanover Street? I remember seeing them at low level from Kemble to Little Rissington, although I could not be certain on the year....
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1978 - remember them at Blackbushe during Farnborough week.
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I think more likely the Shackleton T4 from Farnborough which operated around there and Boscombe Down in the late 1970's early 80's
Arc |
Certainly we were frequently mistaken for Liberators by Americans when operating into US bases, but very rarely in the UK.
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