Hobby Master 1/144 Air Power Series
HA9106 B-24D Liberator "She'Asta" 530th, 380th BG, 5th Air Force, 1943
Source: http://www.hobbymastercollector.com/HA9106.html
Available: http://www.hobbymastercollector.com/HMmilitaryretailers.html
Consolidated was unable to keep up so contracts were awarded to Douglas, Ford and North
American. The D variant became the most numerous with 2,698. The design of the B-24 allowed
it to carry the same payload as the Boeing B-17 and do it faster and further. Compared to the
sleek look of the B-17 the B-24 looked awkward and B-17 crews referred to it as “the crate the B-
17 was shipped in”.
The Consolidated B-24D Liberator “She’Asta” serial 42-40512 c/n 1589 completed manufacturing
on March 15, 1943, the first flight was on March 17 and accepted by the US Military March 18,
1943. The aircraft arrived in Australia on May 2, 1943 and originally assigned to the 531st BS
then the 530th BS. “She’Asta” flew 28 missions and is credited with downing at least 8 enemy
aircraft; four on one mission. The aircraft was SOC (Struck Off Charge) with the U.S. Military on
December 18, 1943 and transferred to the RAAF on March 3, 1944 with serial A72-5. In 1949 the
aircraft was scrapped.
