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Dates |
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Event |
May 1941 |
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Constructed as a B-24A. |
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Contracted to be built for France in 1940 and later contracted to be diverted to Great Britain, this Liberator was the 25th built out of a total of 18,482 B-24s.There were 7 aircraft built which were considered to be preproduction, accounting for this being the 25th aircraft, but with s/n of 18. |
May 1941 |
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Assigned s/n 40-2366 with the United States Army Air Corps for administrative purposes. It did not serve with this service.
Although Contract Number 40-2366 was intended, that number was never officially assigned to this aircraft, because it was never delivered to the Army. |
May 1941 |
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Taken on Strength/Charge with the Royal Air Force with s/n AM927 as a Liberator I. |
May 1941 |
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Two days after acceptance by the British Air Ministry, a Consolidated Aircraft Company aircrew flew AM927 to Kansas City and handed it over to Trans World Airlines. TWA had been contracted to conduct flight crew training out of Albuquerque, NM. AM927 was then flown to what was called the TWA Eagles Nest Flight Center in Albuquerque, NM to be used to train RAF pilots. |
June 1941 |
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Damaged.
Frank Burcham and Ned MacKrille, TWA instructor pilots, were practicing landings. The right main brake locked up during landing and aircraft departed the runway. There was also significant damage to the bomb bay. |
From June 1941 to December 1941 |
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Consolidated initiated a recovery effort and in December of 1941 the aircraft was flown back to the Consolidated Aircraft Company in San Diego. |
Circa January 1942 |
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To Consolidated Vultee Corp, San Diego, CA.
Due to the aircraft being damaged too extensively to be returned to service as a bomber, but still flyable, a loan arrangement was made between the British Ministry and Consolidated Aircraft Company for the company to keep possession of AM927 for logistic support and further B-24 development. (Some sources say that Consolidated provided another aircraft in trade.). |
July 1942 |
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AM927 was reconfigured with a solid keel, replacing the bomb bay doors and returned to service. This is similar to the configuration of the later C-87 Liberator Express. Some sources say this plane was the prototype for the C-87, but this is incorrect. |
From July 1942 to September 1945 |
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Throughout the war, the aircraft was used to haul personnel and equipment between the five B-24 production plants and numerous vendors. She was also used extensively for flight test purposes developing such things as improved flight control characteristics for the later model Liberator bombers. |
November 1945 |
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To Consolidated Vultee Corp, San Diego, CA with new c/r NL24927.
Britain ceded actual ownership of AM927 to Consolidated Vultee. |
From November 1945 to 1947 |
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Numerous modifications were made to improve performance and sustainability that included the long RY-3 nose, and the PBY variant of the P and W 1830 engines and nacelle assemblies. |
August 1946 |
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Photographer: William T Larkins
Notes: Consolidated LB-30 Modified AM927 in 1946.At Oakland, CA, in August 1946. It went to Continental Can Company |
November 1948 |
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To Continental Can Co, Morristown, NJ with new c/r N1503. |
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The aircraft was repainted and outfitted with a luxury interior. Continental Can Company utilized AM927 for executive transport and cross-country flights between its North American plants. |
1949 |
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Photographer: Midway Airport Historians
Notes: At Chicago Midway |
1949 |
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Photographer: William T Larkins |
11 April 1959 |
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To Petroleos Mexicanos-PEMEX, Mexico keeping c/r N1503. |
November 1959 |
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To Petroleos Mexicanos-PEMEX, Mexico with new c/r XC-CAY.
Used to transport personnel throughout Latin America and the United States. |
1967 |
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Loaned to Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX.
Continental Can Company replaced the plane with a DC-6. Aircraft remained in Mexico. |
1968 |
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To Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX with new c/r N12905.
Ownership taken over by CAF. |
May 1968 |
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Ferry flight.
From Mexico to Harlingen, TX. |
By January 1969 |
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Photographer: Unknown |
By January 1969 |
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Photographer: Unknown |
By June 1970 |
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Photographer: Unknown |
1972 |
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Markings Applied: R, DIAMOND LIL
Painted in the colors of the 98th BG, of the Ploesti Raid. |
By February 1972 |
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Photographer: Unknown |
Circa 16 January 1973 |
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Photographer: Unknown
Notes: Photographed at the Great Miami Air Race. |
1978 |
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Photographer: Unknown
Notes: Photographed at Oshkosh. |
6 October 1978 |
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Photographer: Peter Nicholson
Notes: Routine maintenance on Diamond Lil during the Confederate Air Forces 1978 Airshow at Harlingen, Texas. |
6 October 1978 |
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Photographer: Peter Nicholson
Notes: Diamond Lil performing a flypast at the Confederate Air Forces Harlingen base, Texas during their 1978 Airshow. |
28 October 1979 |
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Photographer: Peter Nicholson
Notes: Diamond Lil of the Confederate Air Force was seen at their Harlingen base, Texas in October 1979. |
Circa 10 September 1984 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: Seen from the Aurora, IL airport control tower. |
26 September 1984 |
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Photographer: Mike Powney
Notes: 1984 photo taken at Denver Stapleton Airport |
14 October 1984 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at Habsheim, France. |
July 1987 |
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Photographer: Tom Roberts Collection |
July 1987 |
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Photographer: Tom Roberts Collection |
July 1987 |
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Photographer: Tom Roberts Collection |
July 1987 |
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Photographer: Tom Roberts Collection |
October 1990 |
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To Confederate Air Force, Harlingen, TX with new c/r N24927. |
30 July 1991 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: At the EAA Convention, Oshkosh, WI |
6 September 1991 |
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Based with Commemorative Air Force, Dallas, TX. |
September 1991 |
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Based at American Airpower Heritage Museum/Commemorative Air Force, Midland International Airport (MAF), Midland, TX.
 View the Location Dossier |
1992 |
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Flew across the Atlantic to England, spending several months at Airshows and Tour Stops. |
20 June 1993 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at the Hamilton International Airshow. |
21 September 1998 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: Seen from the Cedar Rapids, IA Control tower |
2002 |
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To Commemorative Air Force, Midland, TX keeping c/r N24927. |
From 2006 to 2007 |
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Restored as a B-24A.
Markings Applied: Ol 927
The aircraft was reconfigured back to her B-24A/RLB-30 roots which involved removing the fuselage windows, adding.50 Cal guns in the Nose, Waist, Belly, and Tail. It was painted in a darker green/brown camouflage. |
May 2007 |
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First post-restoration Flight. |
25 August 2007 |
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Photographer: James Eubanks
Notes: Indianapolis Air Show, Indianapolis IN |
25 August 2007 |
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Photographer: James Eubanks
Notes: Indianapolis Air Show, Indianapolis IN |
9 August 2008 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at Thunder Over Michigan at the Yankee Air Force Museum in Ypsilanti, MI. |
9 August 2008 |
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Photographer: Mike Henniger
Notes: Photographed at Thunder Over Michigan at the Yankee Air Force Museum in Ypsilanti, MI. |
23 April 2009 |
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23 April 2009 |
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23 April 2009 |
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Photographer: James Eubanks
Notes: Sun-n-Fun, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, Lakeland FL |
April 2012 |
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Markings Applied: Diamond Lil |
26 May 2012 |
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Damaged.
Diamond Lil experienced a complete hydraulic failure, due to a burst line, and suffered a subsequent nose gear collapse in Charlotte, NC.AaTemporary repairs were made and the aircraft was flown back to Addison, Texas. |
From May 2012 to July 2013 |
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Restored.
Because of the need to fabricate many replacement parts, restoration was not complete until July of 2013. |
26 July 2014 |
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Photographer: Michael W. Fuller
Notes: Taken at DuPage Airport, West Chicago IL |
From July 2015 to August 2016 |
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Restored.
Diamond Lil was placed in long term maintenance status for a number of repairs and upgrades.Aa These included resealing of wing fuel tanks and new avionics. |
From 1 September 2016 to October 2018 |
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First post-restoration Flight.
First post-restoration flight, which proceeded without incident. However, after a series of pilot training flights later in the day, two high-time engines failed, and the aircraft was once again grounded until more engines could be installed. |
By 2018 |
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Based at Vintage Flying Museum, Fort Worth Meacham Airport/Meacham Field, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.
View the Location Dossier |
19 July 2019 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: At Janesville, WI |
19 July 2019 |
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Photographer: Glenn Chatfield
Notes: At Janesville, WI |
By 2020 |
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Based at Commemorative Air Force-B-29/B-24 Squadron, Addison, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.
View the Location Dossier |
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To Commemorative Air Force-B-29/B-24 Squadron, Fort Worth Meacham Airport/Meacham Field, Dallas-Fort Worth, TX.
View the Location Dossier |
