Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express
| C-87 Liberator Express | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Role | Military transport aircraft |
| Manufacturer | Consolidated Aircraft |
| Introduction | 1942 |
| Status | Retired |
| Primary users |
United States Army Air Forces Royal Air Force |
| Number built | 287 |
| Developed from | B-24 Liberator |
The Consolidated C-87 Liberator Express was a transport derivative of the B-24 Liberator heavy bomber built during World War II for the United States Army Air Forces. A total of 287 C-87s were built alongside the B-24 at the Consolidated Aircraft plant in Fort Worth, Texas. Converted former C-87s were the basis for a USAAF flight engineer trainer designated as the AT-22, a United States Navy VIP transport designated as the RY, and a Royal Air Force VIP transport designated as the Liberator C.IX.
The C-87 was hastily designed in early 1942 to fulfill the need for a heavy cargo and personnel transport with longer range and better high-altitude performance than the C-47 Skytrain, the most widely available United States Army Air Forces transport aircraft at the time. Production began in 1942.
The first C-87 prototype was based on a damaged B-24D, serial 42-40355, that crashed at Tucson Municipal Airport #2 on 17 February 1942. Six Consolidated Aircraft employees riding as passengers were killed and several others were injured in the B-24D. The transport, "Pinocchio" as it was known, was later converted to a single tailfin with Privateer-type engine packages..
The prototype was converted into a transport configuration by various modifications, including the elimination of gun turrets and other armament along with the installation of a strengthened cargo floor, including a floor running through the bomb bay. The glassed-in bombardier compartment of the B-24 was replaced by a hinged metal cap to allow front cargo loading. A cargo door was added to the port side of the fuselage, just forward of the tail, and a row of windows was fitted along the sides of the fuselage.
The C-87 could be fitted with removable seats and racks to carry personnel or litters in place of cargo. In its final configuration, the C-87 could carry between 20 and 25 passengers or 12,000 lbs of cargo. Because of war production bottlenecks and shortages, many C-87 aircraft were fitted with turbosuperchargers producing lower boost pressure and power than those fitted to B-24s destined for combat use, and ceiling and climb rate were accordingly adversely affected.
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