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CAF B-24/LB-30 RETURNED TO B-24A CONFIGURATION
MIDLAND, TEXAS (Aug. 2, 2007) ñ The B-29/B-24 Squadron of the Commemorative Air Force rolled out the ìnew and improvedî B-24A May 12, 2007, at a Gathering of Twin Tails held at CAF Headquarters in Midland, Texas. The plane, formerly known as Diamond Lil and know called Ol 927 in reference to the planeís original serial number AM927, has been restored to its original B-24A configuration, complete with new paint scheme and new Nose ArtÆ.
The B-24A took its first flight since the modifications on July 14, 2007, and attended EAA AirVenture at Oshkosh where it received a Judgeís Choice award for bombers.
Crew chief Gary Austin began the reconfiguration Oct. 27, 2006. Although some restoration work remains, Austin has made tremendous progress in restoring five out of six gun positions, returning the interior of the plane to its original layout and adding bomb racks.
The plane was originally part of an order for the Army Air Corps in 1941, but was diverted because of a pressing need for British bombers. However, the airplane was damaged in a training incident prior to going to war and was then used by Consolidated as a transport aircraft and test bed for later B-24s. After the War, it was used as a transport and corporate airplane before being purchased by the, then, Confederate Air Force in 1968.
