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Consolidated Liberator I was the service name of the first Consolidated B-24 Liberator 4-engined bombers to see use with the Royal Air Force (RAF). ==Service history== In August 1939, the USAAC ordered 38 examples of the Consolidated B-24A. From this order, 20 aircraft (serial numbers 40-2349 to 40-2368) were released for direct purchase by the RAF where it was given the service name Liberator B.Mk.I (from "Bomber Mark 1"). The twenty Liberator B.Mk.I were delivered to the RAF starting in mid 1941 and were given serial numbers ''AM910'' to ''AM929''.〔Baugher, Joe. ("1940 USAAC Serial Numbers." ) ''USAF Aircraft.'' Retrieved: 11 June 2011.〕 After a period of testing at the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment (A&AEE) at RAF Boscombe Down, England, it was found to be unsuitable for combat over Europe. Among the deficiencies cited were the lack of self-sealing fuel tanks, poor defensive armament and general lack of combat readiness. The long range and heavy bomb load however, made the Liberator a natural choice for RAF Coastal Command (CC) for use in long-range maritime patrols against the U-boat menace. A total of 12 aircraft were sent to Scottish Aviation in Prestwick, Scotland for extensive conversion to meet the anti submarine role and they were redesignated Liberator GR.Mk.I - the 'GR' standing for 'General Reconnaissance'. The conversion included addition of Air to Surface Vessel radar (ASV) and a pack of four forward firing 20 mm Hispano cannon under the forward bomb bay. Some aircraft were further modified with a pair of stub wings on the fuselage under each wing which carried eight 3 inch (76mm) "60 pound" rockets along with the installation of a Leigh light under the right wing. The entire series of Liberator GR.Mk.Is were assigned to 15 Group Coastal Command with the reforming of No. 120 Squadron RAF in June 1941〔(No.120 Squadron RAF )〕 and continuing until December 1943. During this time, they accounted for five U-boats confirmed sunk and four damaged. With the end of the war, the Liberators in Coastal Command were replaced by arguably inferior maritime patrol variant of the Lancaster, the GR Mk 3. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Consolidated Liberator I」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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