RAF B-24 Liberators in North Africa.

In June 1942 to February 1943 two Liberators of 120 Squadron RAF were sent to Fayid for blockade runner ops.

The aircraft were Liberator I AM916 L/120 and Liberator I AM919 P/120.

The 120 Squadron ORB has no details of the ops carried out by these aircraft as they were attached to ?

I'm looking for any info or ORB that might have details of these ops.

Thank you, Peter.

 

Courtesy of IWM Collections Peter, a pointer to No. 108 Squadron at Fayid.

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

ROYAL AIR FORCE: OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, 1940-1943.

 

An in-flight photograph here:

AMERICAN AIRCRAFT IN ROYAL AIR FORCE SERVICE, 1939-1945: CONSOLIDATED LIBERATOR.

Sometimes searching IWM Collections can be a bit of a needle in a haystack thing. From experience I've found to give yourself the best chance of finding a particular photo there the broadest of search terms work best, followed by wading through anything and everything that shows up.

Good luck with all going forward Peter.

Kind degards, always,

Jim.

 

Many thanks Jim, I will have a look.

Best wishes, Peter

 

If you've not reached there already Peter TNA Discovery links for No. 108 Squadron here (most, if not all, digitised and downloadable):


Browse records of other archives | The National Archives

No 108 Squadron: Operations Record Book | The National Archives

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

Already there thanks Jim.

Best wishes, Peter

 

An absolute cracker here Peter, and if my old eyes are not mistaken could well be another (the other?) Liberator in the background far right (very well dispersed).

ROYAL AIR FORCE: OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, 1940-1943.

Again, all courtesy of IWM Collections. Good on 'em!

Kind regards, always,

Jim.

 

This one is well worth a viewing. It at least proves to me that my memory is not completely gone. It came up previously on my Cecil Beaton trawl through the IWM Archives.

ROYAL AIR FORCE: OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, 1939-1943.

A sad denouement for the then crew and the aircraft.

Always remember, never forget,

Jim.

 

What a good spot, Jim! However blurry, you're right - it's another Liberator "at rest": big, deep body with that distinctive raised empennage (OK I know it's not really raised, but you know what I mean) and rounded twin tail.

 

I think these are the earlier Liberators that operated from January 1942.

See here: The first B-24 Liberators in the Desert

The particular aircraft A 'Dumbo' FTR in May 1942 from a raid on Tripoli.

I believe the whole series is from early in 1942, so not related to the 120 Squadron ops.

All the best

Andreas

 

The photos are of the 120 Squadron Liberators and crews photos taken June 1942.

 

"The Liberator in Royal Air Force and Commonwealth Service" notes both aircraft went to Fayid, Egypt between Oct 1942 (not June) and Feb 1943 for those blockade runner patrols. Both were the short nosed GR.I with ASV.II and the 4 cannon belly pack in the forward bomb bay. Both were repainted in "night bomber camouflage" for the duration, but I suspect that they would have retained their CC upper Temperate Sea Scheme camoufage as their operations were over water, but would have had the white undersurfaces painted black instead of CC white. No indication of them being attached to another unit in that book.

In the photo of AM919/P you can see the aft end of the belly gun pack at the extreme left side.

The aircraft that went to the ME as bombers starting with 108 squadron had the normal Liberator nose and were LB-30/Liberator B.II

 

So one kite was 'P'. Any idea what the other one was?

All the best

Andreas

 

AM916/L as per the OP

 

Looked through a few ORB’s found nothing re 120 Squadron Libs.
Maybe I’m looking too hard.

 

Thanks, missed that!

All the best

Andreas

 

Ask me about 109 Squadron, or 18 Squadron, and their Mediterranean detachments...

All the best

Andreas

 

Another photo from North Africa. 1942/43.

Refueling a No.120 Squadron Liberator I

 

There are 9 recirds listed when clicking the IWM link "Associated people and organisations" for 108th Squadron, further down on the IWM of either one of the photos posted above:
Find an object | Imperial War Museums

Not all are related to Liberators, but there is a nice view of Liberator AL511 'A' here:
ROYAL AIR FORCE: OPERATIONS IN THE MIDDLE EAST AND NORTH AFRICA, 1939-1943.

Michel

 

Liberator AM916:
UNITED STATES ARMY AIR FORCES (USAAF) IN BRITAIN, 1942-1945