Other Consolidated Bombers

Beyond the Liberator

While the B-24 Liberator came to define Consolidated Aircraft’s wartime legacy, it did not stand alone. Before the Liberator—and alongside it—the company developed and produced other bomber designs that contributed to the evolution of American military aviation.

These aircraft reflect Consolidated’s steady progression from early bomber concepts to the industrial mastery required for global war.

Early Bombers (Pre-B-24)

Laying the Groundwork

In the years before World War II, Consolidated explored bomber designs during a period when military aviation doctrine was still taking shape. These early bombers were developed at a time when range, payload, and reliability were increasing priorities, but before the realities of modern air combat were fully understood.

These aircraft helped establish:

structural approaches to large airframes
early concepts of long-range bombing
crew layout and internal organization
manufacturing techniques for military aircraft

Though produced in smaller numbers and quickly eclipsed by wartime designs, these bombers played an important role in preparing Consolidated for the demands of mass production and rapid wartime innovation.

They were stepping stones—essential to the company’s ability to respond when global conflict arrived.

Experimental Projects

Exploring What Might Come Next

Alongside operational bombers, Consolidated pursued experimental bomber concepts aimed at improving performance, efficiency, and survivability. These projects explored ideas that were often ahead of their time, examining new configurations, materials, and mission profiles.

Experimental efforts focused on:

aerodynamic refinement
structural innovation
alternative layouts and systems
performance optimization

Many of these projects never entered production, either because the war demanded immediate, proven solutions or because technology was advancing faster than designs could be finalized.

Even so, these experiments contributed valuable knowledge that informed later aircraft development—both during and after the war.

A Broader Perspective

Taken together, Consolidated’s other bomber projects reveal a company constantly learning, adapting, and pushing forward. While the Liberator remains the most visible symbol of this work, it was supported by years of experimentation, incremental improvement, and design exploration.

These lesser-known bombers and experimental projects remind us that major breakthroughs rarely appear fully formed. They emerge from a long chain of ideas, trials, and hard-earned experience.

Completing the Bomber Story

With the Liberator and its naval derivatives complete, these additional bomber efforts help round out the picture of Consolidated Aircraft’s contribution to wartime aviation.

They show not only what the company built, but how it thought—balancing ambition, practicality, and innovation in a time when the stakes could not have been higher.

Continue Exploring

Bombers (Overview)
B-24 Liberator
Bomber Strategies
WWII Aircrew Survival & Training
The Enemy: Threats in the Air and at Sea