The F-7 was a photographic reconnaissance version of the Liberator, obtained by converting existing B-24 airframes at Army modification centers.
The first XF-7 was obtained in January of 1943 by converting B-24D 41-11653 by removing all the bombing equipment and installing eleven reconnaissance cameras in the nose, bomb bay, and aft fuselage. All the defensive armament was retained. This conversion was carried out at Lowry AB in Colorado. Four additional Consolidated/San Diego-built B-24Ds were converted to reconnaissance configuration under the designation F-7 at the Northwest Airlines Modification Center in St.Paul, Minnesota.
Most of the reconnaissance conversions were of nose-turreted B-24J, L and M Liberators. The first of these conversions were designated F-7A. The F-7A had a trimetrogon camera located in the nose, and a pair of vertical cameras installed in the aft bomb bay. The full defensive armament suite of the bomber was retained, and the F-7A conversions could externally be distinguished from stock bomber Liberators only by the presence of the additional camera windows cut into the rear bomb bay and into the lower nose. Generally, extra fuel tanks were installed in the forward bomb bay for additional range. The aft bomb bay was sealed shut and a crew compartment was installed for the photo technicians operating the cameras. Heaters were installed to keep the temperature of the compartment constant, more for the film than for the comfort of the crews.
Later reconnaissance conversions were designated F-7B. The F-7B differed from the F-7A in carrying all five cameras in the aft bomb bay, with the nose camera installation being deleted. The reason for this shift was that the navigator tended to bump up against the nose cameras, knocking them out of adjustment. Most F-7Bs were conversions of late-model B-24Ms, although a few B-24Js and Ls became F-7Bs as well.
The F-7s were assigned to the following groups: 1st Photographic Group, 4th Photographic Group, 5th Photographic Group, 6th Photographic Group, 11th Photographic Group, and the 311th Reconnaissance Wing,
Serials of F-7, F-7A, and F-7B conversions:
42-40433/40482 Consolidated B-24D-60-CO Liberator 40433 converted to F-7 40476 converted to F-7 42-40483/40527 Consolidated B-24D-65-CO Liberator 40488 converted to F-7 40494 converted to F-7 42-64047/64141 Consolidated B-24J-1-CF Liberator 64047/64056 converted to F-7A 64102/64106 converted to F-7A 42-64142/64236 Consolidated B-24J-5-CF Liberator 64158 converted to F-7A 64165 converted to F-7A 64167/64174 converted to F-7A 64175 converted to F-7A - later converted to CB-24J 64176/64181 converted to F-7A 64184/64186 converted to F-7A 64188/64194 converted to F-7A 64197 converted to F-7A 64199/64201 converted to F-7A 64203 converted to F-7A 64235/64236 converted to F-7A 42-64237/64328 Consolidated B-24J-10-CF Liberator 64237/64238 converted to F-7A 64239 converted to F-7B 64240/64242 converted to F-7A 64243 converted to F-7B 64245 converted to F-7A 64247 converted to F-7B 64247/64248 converted to F-7A 64249/64250 converted to F-7B 64251 converted to F-7A 64253/64254 converted to F-7A 64255/64256 converted to F-7B 64260 converted to F-7B 64262 converted to F-7B 64323 converted to F-7A 42-64330/64346 Consolidated B-24J-15-CF Liberator 64331 converted to F-7A 64337 converted to F-7A 42-64347/64394 Consolidated B-24J-20-CF Liberator 64369 converted to F-7A 64371 converted to F-7A 42-73015/73064 Consolidated B-24J-5-CO Liberator 73020 converted to F-7A 73028 converted to F-7A 73031 converted to F-7A 73033/73035 converted to F-7A 73038/73045 converted to F-7A 73047/73050 converted to F-7A 73052/73053 converted to F-7A 42-73115/73164 Consolidated B-24J-15-CO Liberator 73131 converted to F-7A 73157 converted to F-7A 44-40049/40148 Consolidated B-24J-145-CO Liberator 40147 converted to F-7B 44-40149/40248 Consolidated B-24J-150-CO Liberator 40160 converted to F-7B 40197/40199 converted to F-7B 40209 converted to F-7B 44-40349/40448 Consolidated B-24J-160-CO Liberator 40356 converted to F-7B 40376 converted to F-7B 40412/40413 converted to F-7B 40415/40417 converted to F-7B 40419 converted to F-7B 40422/40423 converted to F-7B 44-40549/40648 Consolidated B-24J-170-CO Liberator 40602 converted to F-7B 40612 converted to F-7B 40616 converted to F-7B 40622 converted to F-7B 40625/40627 converted to F-7B 40629 converted to F-7B 44-40649/40748 Consolidated B-24J-175-CO Liberator 40656 converted to F-7B 40658/40659 converted to F-7B 40663 converted to F-7B 40669 converted to F-7B 44-40749/40848 Consolidated B-24J-180-CO Liberator 40847 converted to F-7B 44-40849/40948 Consolidated B-24J-185-CO Liberator 40883 converted to F-7B 40885 converted to F-7B 40895 converted to F-7B 44-40949/41048 Consolidated B-24J-190-CO Liberator 40961 converted to F-7B 40963 converted to F-7B 40967 converted to F-7B 41013 converted to F-7B 41040 converted to F-7B (may have been converted to an F-7B) 44-41449/41548 Consolidated B-24L-5-CO Liberator 41477 converted to F-7B 44-41649/41748 Consolidated B-24L-15-CO Liberator 41678/41681 converted to F-7B 44-41849/41948 Consolidated B-24M-5-CO Liberator 41943/41944 converted to F-7B 44-41949/42048 Consolidated B-24M-10-CO Liberator 41968 converted to F-7B 42026 converted to F-7B 42028 converted to F-7B 42031 converted to F-7B 44-42049/42148 Consolidated B-24M-15-CO Liberator 42059 converted to F-7B 42097/42098 converted to F-7B 42135/42136 converted to F-7B 42141 converted to F-7B 44-42149/42248 Consolidated B-24M-20-CO Liberator 42239 converted to F-7B 44-42249/42348 Consolidated B-24M-25-CO Liberator 42265 converted to F-7B 42272 converted to F-7B 42302 converted to F-7B 42313/42314 converted to F-7B 42328 converted to F-7B 44-42349/42448 Consolidated B-24M-30-CO Liberator 42350 converted to F-7B 42373 converted to F-7B 42376 converted to F-7B 42387 converted to F-7B 42403 converted to F-7B 42409 converted to F-7B 42426 converted to F-7B 44-42449/42548 Consolidated B-24M-35-CO Liberator 42452 converted to F-7B 42478/42480 converted to F-7B 44-42549/42648 Consolidated B-24M-40-CO Liberator 42580 converted to F-7B 42604/42605 converted to F-7B 42621 converted to F-7B 44-42649/42722 Consolidated B-24M-45-CO Liberator 42653 converted to F-7B 42686/42687 converted to F-7B 42689/42691 converted to F-7B 42693 converted to F-7B 42695/42722 converted to F-7B 44-51452/51928 Ford B-24M-30-FO Liberator 51518 converted to F-7B 51655 converted to F-7B
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General Dynamics Aircraft and Their Predecesssors, John Wegg,
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Consolidated B-24D-M Liberator IN USAAF-RAF-RAAF-MLD-IAF-CzechAF
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United States Military Aircraft Since 1909, Gordon Swanborough
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