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The B-32 was the last US heavy bomber to go into action during World War II, aircraft of this type flying a score or so of sorties before Japan surrendered. It was designed to the same specification as the Boeing B-29, considerably more development being necessary for the B-32. Pressurisation and remote control of the gun turrets were abandoned and the twin-ruddered B-24-type tail was replaced by a very large single fin and rudder on the B-32. The first of three prototypes flew on 7 September 1942. A total of 114 were built, powered by 1,639kW Wright R-3350-23 engines driving Curtiss Electric reversible-pitch four-blade propellers. Armament comprised ten 12.7mm machine-guns and up to 9,000kg of bombs.
| CREW | 8 |
| ENGINE | 4 x Wright R-3350-23 Cyclon, 1641kW |
| WEIGHTS |
| Take-off weight | 50576 kg | 111502 lb |
| Empty weight | 27339 kg | 60272 lb |
| DIMENSIONS |
| Wingspan | 41.15 m | 135 ft 0 in |
| Length | 25.32 m | 83 ft 1 in |
| Height | 10.06 m | 33 ft 0 in |
| Wing area | 132.1 m2 | 1421.91 sq ft |
| PERFORMANCE |
| Max. speed | 575 km/h | 357 mph |
| Ceiling | 10670 m | 35000 ft |
| Range w/max.fuel | 6115 km | 3800 miles |
| Range w/max.payload | 1287 km | 800 miles |
| ARMAMENT | 2 x 20mm cannons, 4 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 9072kg of bombs |
 | A three-view drawing (700 x 898) |
| R.Hunt, Greg(@)greghunt.freeserve.co.uk, 03.11.2008 also had the last american to be killed in the sky | | Ray E. Cartier, atadir(@)sbcglobal.net, 07.05.2008 Two of the pilots who flew first flight were still around last year and showed up during a B-24 reunion in Ft. Worth where they were built. The B-32 arrived in the Pacific only two weeks before the end of the war. Their footnote is that they conducted the last bombing mission of WWII and fought off some enemy aircraft, thus also taking part in the last air to air combat of the war. | | Ross Rainwater, r-rainwater(@)juno.com, 26.04.2008 I read somewhere that the last of these to come off the production line were flown immediately to the "bone yard" as surplus/scrap.
I've read elsewhere that "Dominator" was considered non-PC before that term was even invented. "Liberator" was a positive name; "Dominator" was seen as a negative, too-aggressive name. Go figure. | | david frank, stanleydsf(@)aol.com, 16.04.2008 1 are there any in historical collections?
2 was it inferior to B29Gs in range? | | Eugene Roth, genorsuprema(@)sbcglobal.net, 18.03.2008 Despite comments that I have heard through the years, the B-32 was not that bad a machine. Lots of shortcomings but these could have been corrected early in its production. I was not a pilot on this airplane but did fly on it, not in combat. Have flown 13,000 hours as pilot since then. | | Eugene Moser, EMoser731(@)aol.com, 22.10.2007 I know where a gun turrent is for this plane. Twin 50's I think. | | erniecourier@aol.com, 14.11.2006 The B-32 my Older brother was on in WW2 had 10 .50 Cal mg no 20MM cannon. |
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Do you have any comments about this aircraft ?
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COMPANY
PROFILE
FACTS AND FIGURES© Despite having the same
powerplants as the B-29,
the B-32 had even more
trouble with engine fires
during development than
did the Superfortress. © The B-32 had a similar Davis
high-speed wing to the B-24. In
many ways the Dominator was a
'Super Liberator', but failed to
approach that aircraft's success. © The first prototypes had a
huge tailplane with twin fins.
Production examples had a
large single fin and rudder like
that on the PB4Y Privateer.
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