Comes with a hand-signed C.O.A.

Size: 24 × 35 inches

Dated: October 25th, 1943

From: Ford Motor Company

Aircraft: B-24 Liberator

Reason for 1943 Blueprint Revision of B-24 Liberator Generator Resistors from the Front Spar to the Turbo Bracket Support:

The relocation of generator resistors from the front spar to the turbo bracket support on the B-24 Liberator represented a practical and important wartime engineering improvement. By moving these electrical components away from the primary wing spar, engineers reduced structural stress and minimized the risk of heat and vibration affecting critical load bearing elements. Mounting the resistors on the turbo bracket support also improved airflow and cooling while making the parts more accessible for inspection and maintenance. This change increased overall system reliability, which was essential for long range combat missions flown at high altitude where electrical performance directly affected engine operation and aircraft safety. Though subtle in appearance, this modification reflected how combat experience and factory feedback drove continuous refinement of the B-24’s complex mechanical and electrical systems.

This extraordinary and museum grade World War II artifact is an original Ford Motor Company engineering blueprint dated October 25th, 1943, created during the height of America’s wartime aircraft production effort for the legendary B 24 Liberator bomber. This document is not a reproduction or a later technical copy. It is a genuine wartime engineering drawing produced for active use in the manufacturing and modification of one of the most important heavy bombers of the Second World War.

The blueprint represents a one of one original revision drawing documenting the relocation of generator resistors from the front spar to the turbo bracket support assembly on the U.S. Army Air Forces Consolidated B 24 Liberator. Engineering illustrations such as this were used directly by aircraft engineers and factory production teams to revise existing designs and implement improvements on the assembly line. This specific change reflects an official wartime modification authorized in 1943, a period when reliability, efficiency, and rapid production were essential to sustaining Allied air operations across Europe and the Pacific.

This revised design introduced a new configuration for mounting the generator resistors, moving them from the front spar to the turbo bracket support structure. While this change may appear subtle at first glance, in aviation engineering it carried enormous importance. Relocating these components improved structural integration, reduced stress concentrations, and enhanced accessibility for maintenance and inspection. Small adjustments like this played a critical role in increasing aircraft reliability during long range bombing missions flown under extreme mechanical and environmental conditions.

Beyond the technical improvement itself, this blueprint also documents a meaningful step toward manufacturing efficiency. By repositioning the generator resistors to a more practical and structurally sound mounting location, the revised layout simplified installation procedures and reduced the complexity of associated brackets and supports. This streamlining saved time on the production line and minimized the risk of assembly errors. In practical terms, it allowed Ford Motor Company and its partner factories to maintain the extraordinary pace of B 24 bomber production during one of the most intense periods of industrial mobilization in American history.

The B 24 Liberator was among the most widely produced heavy bombers of the war and one of the most technically demanding aircraft of its time. Its electrical and turbocharged systems were vital to flight performance, especially at high altitudes where power generation and reliability were critical. Any improvement to the placement and support of generator resistors directly affected aircraft durability, operational readiness, and mission success. This blueprint therefore represents not just a mechanical adjustment, but a tangible example of wartime engineering driven by real combat experience and urgent operational need.

As a surviving engineering revision blueprint dated October 25th, 1943, this artifact captures a precise moment in the evolution of the B 24 Liberator. It reflects the constant process of refinement that occurred as engineers responded to field reports, production challenges, and performance demands. Very few original wartime revision blueprints from aircraft factories remain outside of institutional archives. Most were discarded once production runs ended or lost over time. The survival of this document makes it exceptionally rare and historically important.

In essence, this blueprint is a direct link to the vast industrial and engineering effort that powered Allied air superiority during World War II. It tells the story of how even small design changes could influence reliability, safety, and the overall effectiveness of strategic bombing operations. As a one of a kind wartime engineering illustration documenting the relocation of generator resistors on the B 24 Liberator, it stands as a powerful artifact of American ingenuity, precision engineering, and the relentless pursuit of improvement during one of the most consequential conflicts in human history.

• Ford Motor Company and the B 24 Liberator Production Effort
This original engineering blueprint originates from the Ford Motor Company, whose Willow Run plant in Michigan became the largest aircraft manufacturing facility in the world during World War II. Ford revolutionized aircraft production by applying automotive assembly line principles to bomber construction, transforming what had once been a slow and complex hand built process into an unprecedented system of mass production. By 1944, Willow Run was producing a completed B 24 Liberator every sixty three minutes. Ford alone manufactured over 8,600 B 24 aircraft, accounting for nearly half of all Liberators ever built. This blueprint is a direct product of that historic industrial achievement and represents the engineering refinement that allowed Ford to maintain speed, quality, and consistency during the final and most intense years of the war.

• Total Number of B 24 Liberators Produced
The Consolidated B 24 Liberator holds the distinction of being the most produced heavy bomber in aviation history. A total of more than 18,400 B 24 aircraft were manufactured during World War II. Of these, Ford Motor Company produced over 8,600 at Willow Run alone, while the remainder were built by Consolidated in San Diego and Fort Worth, Douglas Aircraft, and North American Aviation. This massive production output made the B 24 the backbone of Allied long range bombing power and a central symbol of American industrial strength during the war.

• Engineering and Design Significance
The B 24 Liberator was one of the most advanced bombers of its time. It featured the high aspect ratio Davis wing, which provided superior lift and fuel efficiency, allowing for longer range missions than earlier bombers. It carried a crew of ten and was equipped with multiple defensive gun positions including the iconic Sperry ball turret mounted beneath the fuselage. Engineering revisions such as the one documented in this blueprint focused on reducing weight, simplifying mechanical systems, and improving manufacturing efficiency. This specific revision introduced a hoist rack design that was twenty six pounds lighter and required fewer parts and brackets. Weight reduction translated directly into increased bomb payload, extended flight range, and improved reliability. These refinements were critical for missions that pushed aircraft to their operational limits.

• Role in Major Battles and Campaigns. 1944 to 1945
From 1944 through 1945, the B 24 Liberator played a central role in many of the most decisive air campaigns of the war. In Europe, B 24s flew as part of the Eighth and Fifteenth Air Forces, conducting strategic bombing missions against German industrial centers, oil refineries, aircraft factories, rail yards, and submarine pens. They participated in Operation Pointblank, the Combined Bomber Offensive, and the sustained bombing campaign that weakened the Luftwaffe and crippled German war production. B 24s also supported the Normandy invasion by attacking transportation networks and coastal defenses in the weeks leading up to and following D-Day.

In the Pacific Theater, B 24 Liberators were essential to long range bombing operations against Japanese bases, shipping lanes, and island strongholds. They were heavily used in campaigns across New Guinea, the Philippines, and later against targets in Formosa and mainland Japan. Their long range capability made them particularly valuable in the vast distances of the Pacific war.

• U.S. Squadrons and Air Forces That Used the B 24 During This Period
During 1944 and 1945, B 24 Liberators were flown by numerous U.S. Army Air Forces units across multiple theaters. In Europe, they were operated extensively by the Eighth Air Force based in England and the Fifteenth Air Force based in Italy. Notable Bomb Groups included the 44th Bomb Group, 93rd Bomb Group, 98th Bomb Group, 389th Bomb Group, and the 376th Bomb Group, among many others. These units carried out daily missions deep into enemy territory, often facing intense anti aircraft fire and fighter opposition.

In the Pacific, B 24s were flown by the Fifth Air Force, Seventh Air Force, and Thirteenth Air Force. These squadrons conducted long range bombing raids and maritime patrol missions across island chains and open ocean. The aircraft also served with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Army Air Forces in anti submarine roles in the Atlantic, protecting vital supply convoys from German U boats.