5 OTU final entry

This final installment will deal with three changes to Liberators markings. These were the application of yellow identification markings beginning in the fall of 1944, removal of camouflage on at least the Abbotsford Liberators beginning in February 1945 and the replacement of aircraft codes from around May 1945. These will be discussed in the reverse order in which they occurred. The change of codes was discussed in Part 2. As previously noted, around February 1945, Liberators at Abbotsford began to be stripped of camouflage paint. A picture from March 3, 1945 shows a mixture of both painted and unpainted B 24’s. This loss of camouflage predated the previously discussed change in aircraft codes. Variation between aircraft occurred, with KG880, code “Y”, maintaining painted turret and canopy framing as well as having a triangular olive drab antiglare panel while KH106, code “AP” showed only painted canopy frames. A later picture of this aircraft when coded “VG” shows it with a painted replacement left inner cowling. In addition, partially marked aircraft could be seen; such as Liberator code “AK” flying without serials or upper wing roundels while in formation with another aircraft devoid of any codes. The last change to be discussed was the application of yellow identification panels, with the earliest examples pictured in late 1944. These took the form of 45-inch bands on the rear fuselage, which partially overlapped the aft bomb bay doors, yellow rudders or yellow wing panels from the upper wing roundel to the wing tip. The wing panels might extend straight back to cover part of the aileron. Alternately, some aircraft had the entire aileron painted while others sported overall aluminum ailerons. In the article on 5 OTU by J.E.H. Fail, he stated that Boundary Bay Liberators were to remain camouflaged and to have yellow fuselage bands and rudders while Abbotsford’s aircraft were to be unpainted and to carry yellow wingtips. However, EW216, code “P” was a Boundary Bay Liberator, which had paint removed. Also, photos show yellow bands on Abbotsford aircraft as well as yellow outer wings on some but not all natural metal planes. While yellow rudders were to be used in conjunction with the fuselage band, photos show their use to be sporadic and to have also been used on aircraft with yellow wing tips. All these changes are well represented on Liberator KG931, code ”AK”. This aircraft was photographed at Abbotsford in camouflage with yellow wing tips. Of note, is that it also shows a natural metal band aft of the wing in keeping with the removal of the fuselage band. The aircraft did not carry upper wing roundels. An in flight shot shows “AK” in natural metal, codes moved to the nose, no serial numbers and dark rudders. These were probably olive drab but a side profile of “AK” shows the rudders to now be yellow. As noted, yellow rudders were not universal, with KH174, now coded “VP” showing rudders painted aluminum. I have a soft spot for the Liberator and have accumulated a few references over the years. However, I would like to mention two I find most useful. The first is the recent MMP Books publication “Consolidated Mess” , ISBN 978-83-61421-16-0, by Alan Griffith. This is an illustrated guide to nose turreted Liberators and a comprehensive reference for anyone interested in the subject. The second reference is “Canada’s Wings 2, The Liberator and Fortress”, ISBN 0-920002-01-3, by Carl Vincent. This is an indispensible reference for anyone interested in the history of these aircraft in Canada and the source of much of the information in these articles. The book also stands on its own as a general Liberator reference, the photos of the Leigh Light installation on the ASW B24s being particularly helpful. Although long out of print, it occasionally will show up on Amazon at a reasonable price. Grab it if you can. Hical, Allan