Building the B-24 Liberator

1938–1945

A New Long-Range Bomber Is Needed

In the late 1930s, as Europe moved toward war, the U.S. Army Air Corps issued a call for a new long-range heavy bomber. It needed to fly farther, carry heavier bomb loads, and operate from shorter runways than the B-17. The challenge was enormous — and the contract attracted fierce competition.

Reuben H. Fleet immediately recognized that this was the moment Consolidated had been preparing for. Years of work on flying boats, hull design, long-span wings, and rugged structures gave his team the experience required to attempt something radically new.

The Davis Wing — A Revolutionary Idea

Central to the B-24’s design was the Davis wing, an innovative airfoil developed by David R. Davis. When Fleet’s engineers tested the concept, they realized it offered:

exceptional lift
lower drag
dramatically improved fuel efficiency
long-range cruise potential unmatched by existing bombers

Fleet committed fully to this bold new wing, even though it required rethinking the shape and internal structure of the entire aircraft. It would become the B-24’s defining feature.

Designing the B-24

Consolidated’s engineers in San Diego created an aircraft that broke from heavy-bomber tradition:

A high-aspect-ratio Davis wing for maximum range
A deep, box-like fuselage accommodating large bomb loads
Tricycle landing gear, improving takeoffs, landings, and pilot visibility
Efficient internal bomb racks allowing tremendous payload flexibility
Powerful Pratt & Whitney R-1830 engines
Rugged, production-friendly construction enabling mass manufacture

The result was a bomber that could fly farther, carry more, and operate from rough fields — a strategic advantage the military urgently needed.

Human Moments from the Early Development

Recollections from engineers describe how Fleet insisted that every decision be rooted in safety, range, and structural integrity. One account recalls him walking along the assembly floor, stopping at the wing root and saying, “This aircraft must carry more than bombs. It carries the lives of the men who fly it.”

Workers noted that Fleet reviewed diagrams personally, focusing on the Davis wing’s angles and stresses. According to one anecdote, when a young engineer expressed doubt that such a long, thin wing could support wartime loads, Fleet replied gently:
“Wings are promises. If we make the right one, it will carry us farther than we imagined.”

These personal stories reveal how deeply he invested himself in the Liberator’s creation.

The XB-24 Takes Flight

The prototype XB-24 flew in December 1939 — less than a year after the contract was awarded. It exceeded expectations:

greater range than the B-17
higher top speed
superior load capacity
impressive climb rate

The Army Air Corps ordered the aircraft into immediate production, even before testing was complete.

The B-24 Goes to War

During World War II, the B-24 operated in every major theater:

bombing missions in Europe
long-range strikes in the Pacific
anti-submarine patrols over the Atlantic
transport and supply operations
low-level attacks such as the famous Ploesti raid

Its range allowed missions no other heavy bomber could attempt. Its payload capacity gave strategic planners new options. Its versatility made it indispensable.

Mass Production — An American Industrial Miracle

At their peak, Consolidated and associated plants achieved staggering production numbers. San Diego alone employed over 40,000 workers at wartime maximum. The B-24 became not just an aircraft but a nationwide industrial effort.

In total, over 18,400 B-24s were built — more than any other American aircraft in history.

The Liberator’s production scale was unprecedented:

Consolidated’s San Diego plant
Consolidated/Fort Worth plant
North American Aviation plant in Dallas
The enormous Willow Run plant operated by Ford

Fleet’s design proved adaptable, modular, and efficient to build — exactly what mass wartime production required.

The Liberator’s Legacy

The B-24 Liberator left an unmatched mark on aviation history:

the most-produced U.S. aircraft
the backbone of Allied heavy-bomber forces
a symbol of American industrial strength
a testament to engineering ambition

Its success reflected Fleet’s lifelong principles: innovation, safety, range, reliability, and the courage to attempt something greater than what came before.

Fleet’s Masterwork

Though Fleet also oversaw the PBY Catalina and earlier aircraft, the B-24 was the pinnacle of his industrial and engineering leadership. It represented:

the maturity of his design philosophy
his mastery of large-scale production
his unwavering commitment to pilot and crew safety
his ability to meet the strategic needs of a nation at war

The Liberator was not merely a bomber.
It was Reuben H. Fleet’s promise fulfilled.