Consolidated B-24 Liberator

The 7th Air Force actually began operations in Hawaii in February 1942 with the LB-30, a transport version of the B-24, with what became known as “Southern Cross Airways”. The long range cargo planes stayed in service with the 7th until 1945. B-24D Liberators started to arrive in Hawaii in the spring of 1943. Compared to the B-17, the B-24 was faster and had greater range, which is why they were assigned to most of the Bomb Groups in the pacific theater. The 11th and 30th Bomb Groups of the 7th Air Force have thier roots before Pearl Harbor, and both fought through till the end of the war. Joining them in 1944 was the 494th Bomb Group, and by the time the war was over, all three groups were flying the B-24J model.