Royal Air Force Consolidated B-24L-20-FO Liberator B.VIII KN751 of 99 (Madras Presidency) Squadron in the Bomber Hall Aircraft Collection at the Royal Air Force Museum, Hendon. Thursday 7th July 2011
Note, the aircraft was built in late 1944 by the Ford Motor Company at the Willow Run factory in Detroit and taken on charge by the United States Army Air Forces as serial 44-50206 on 6th December 1944 but was immediately placed in store as Liberator production was outstripping demand. It was allocated to Britain under the Lend/Lease arrangement and on 2nd June 1945 was ferried to Dorval Field at Montreal in Canada and given Royal Air Force serial KN751, being ferried to India two days later. It was issued to 99 (Madras Presidency) Squadron at Dhubalia on 26th June 1945, and served with the squadron until it was disbanded on the Cocos Islands on 15th November 1945. It was struck off on 11th April 1946 while stored at Number 322 Maintenance Unit at Chakeri in India and it passed into Indian ownership upon the country’s independence in August 1947. It was taken on charge by the Royal Indian Air Force as serial HE807 on 2nd March 1949 after conversion by Hindustan Aircraft Limited for a maritime patrol role. Used by various units until placed in store at Poona in January 1969 where it remained until June 1974 when it was ferried to Bangalore for preparation for a flight to England. It was formally presented to the Royal Air Force Museum by the Indian Government on 1st July 1974 and over the next few days flew back to Royal Air Force Lyneham, arriving on 7th July 1974. Although planned to be exhibited at the Cosford Aerospace Museum it was flown to Royal Air Force Colerne for display as the runway at Royal Air Force Cosford was thought to be too short. It was moved to the Cosford Aerospace Museum in early 1976 where it was restored to its Royal Air Force identity in 1987, and was moved to the Royal Air Force at Hendon in summer 2005
Ref no IMG_0219
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