The B-24 Liberator was an American heavy bomber with high cruise speed and long range capabilities. There were 287 B-24s flown by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during the Second World War, and they were an integral part of the air war in the Pacific.
The RAAF discontinued use of B-24s in 1948 and in due course, they were decommissioned and sold off. In 1988, the B-24 Liberator Memorial Restoration Fund was formed to buy and restore a B-24 Liberator as a memorial to all allied airmen who had served with them. The restored aircraft is made up of parts from two original B-24s, including A72-176.
This service is to commemorate all air and ground crew who served with B-24 Liberator aircraft in the Pacific. It is held close to the date when A72-176 was sold by the RAAF, on 23 March 1948.
Reviewed 13 June 2023