What part of a B-24-J is fabric covered?

[vintageproductions]

We bought an estate this week to a WWII 15th AF aircrew member.

 

Lots of cool stuff but stuck in one of his books was this piece of fabric.

 

I am by no means an B-24 expert, but I thought they were all made of metal. What part of it would have been aircraft fabric?

 

Thanks for any info.

 

 

[gomorgan]

Weren't part of the tail rudders covered in fabric?

[Keith]

Not a B-24, but the C-47 had fabric elevator and ailerons...maybe the rudder too. That is my recollection from working on DC-3's; 47 long years ago..

[dave peifer]

I don't know of any metal the on outside surfaces.perhaps from a seat?...................dave

[Salvage Sailor]

Aloha Bob,

 

In reading the journal of a B-24 tail gunner I recall that the tail assembly (rudder, elevators) were fabric covered

[pararaftanr2]

All the control surfaces on the B-24 were fabric covered.

 

"All tail assembly control surfaces are of aluminum torque box and rib construction, covered with fabric. The stabilizer, constructed as a separate assembly, has a smooth sheet metal skin and is attached to the fuselage with only four fittings, to facilitate replacement. The entire tail assembly is mounted just enough forward of the tail gunner's compartment so that the trailing edge does not obscure the gunner's vision."

 

This was found in "Design Analsysis of the Consolidated B-24 Liberator" and can be found here for more information:

http://legendsintheirowntime.com/LiTOT/B24/B24_Av_4507_DA.html

 

 

 

 

[pararaftanr2]

Damage:

[Longbranch]

Yes, many of the control surfaces on a variety of different planes were still fabric covered during the WW2 era.

[vintageproductions]

Thanks everyone

[The Meatcan]

Pretty neat item found with the other things Bob!

Terry

[38Driver]

We bought an estate this week to a WWII 15th AF aircrew member.

 

Lots of cool stuff but stuck in one of his books was this piece of fabric.

 

I am by no means an B-24 expert, but I thought they were all made of metal. What part of it would have been aircraft fabric?

 

Thanks for any info.

 

skin1.jpg

 

skin2.jpg

 

What unit? Might be able to ID the 24 more completely since he has a date and a name for it. Who knows. Photo of the wreck may be out there somewhere

 

[38Driver]

Too funny. Wally Foreman's book on B-24 nose art names lead me to Hanger Annie of the 484th BG, 15th AF, which in turn led me here

 

http://www.484th.org/Aircraft/Aircraft.html

 

Note to two photos of #38. I believe that's your bird. Hanger Annie is listed as an 825th BS, as noted on your fabric as well.

 

All the info matches although the 484th site has the accident as 9/18/45. Since the 24 still has guns and turrets, I think the website date is a typo and the 8/19/44 date is the correct one as shown on the fabric.

[vintageproductions]

Thanks for the above images.

 

While going through about 1000+ photos in this estate, I also found these.

 

 

 

[38Driver]

Very cool. I spent much of the 90s and beyond researching a 15th AF B-24 crew. I have a real soft spot for those guys and the unsung war they fought out of Italy. I have a piece of plexiglass from the 24 they went down in. A flak shell in the cockpit brought them down and a chuck of the glass went through the windscreen of the 24 behind them. The co-pilot of that plane passed that on to me. A sobering little piece of wreckage.

 

Thanks for sharing this stuff

[Salvage Sailor]

An Aside: In the 1980's I worked alongside a B-24 pilot who completed his tour with the 15th AF in April 1944. He told me that during his entire tour he never saw a German fighter, but was constantly flying through heavy flak, especially when bombing Austrian targets. At the time I was reading 15th AF B-17 pilot John Muirheads' book Those Who Fall and he asked to borrow it.

 

After reading about half of it, he returned it telling me "It's too real" and brought back his nightmares and sent him on a bender.