Consolidated
B-24 Liberator
Photo: Robert Deering 2012
National Museum of the USAF
Wright-Patterson AFB (FFO)

Dayton, Ohio
The Consolidated Aircraft Corporation was founded in 1923 by Reuben H. Fleet, the result of the Gallaudet Aircraft Company's liquidation and Fleet's purchase of designs from the Dayton-Wright Company as the subsidiary was being closed by its parent corporation, General Motors.  Consolidated became famous during the 1920s and 1930s for its line of flying boats. The most successful of the Consolidated patrol boats was the PBY Catalina, which was produced throughout World War II and used extensively by the Allies. Equally famous is the B-24 Liberator, a heavy bomber which, like the Catalina, saw action in both the Pacific and European theaters.
PHOTOS        
Military Aircraft        

B-24
Liberator

N2Y
Trainer

OA-10
Catalina

PB2Y
Coronado

PB4Y
Privateer

PBY
Catalina
       

HISTORY

Consolidated's first design was one of those purchased by Fleet from Dayton-Wright, the TW-3 primary trainer, sold to the U.S. Army and designated the PT-1 Trusty. In September 1924 the company moved from the Gallaudet plant in Connecticut to new facilities in Buffalo, New York, and within a year won a contract from the U.S. Navy for a naval version of the PT-1 designated the NY-1.

In September 1935 Consolidated moved across the country to its new "Building 1", a 247,000-square-foot (22,900 m2) continuous flow factory in San Diego, California. The first production PBY Catalina was launched in San Diego Bay in 1936, and the first XPB2Y-1 Coronado test aircraft made its first flight in 1937.  The XB-24 Liberator prototype made its first flight in December 1939, and the first production order was from the French in 1940 just days before their surrender to Germany, six of these YB-24 Liberators were designated LB-30A and ferried to Britain.

In November 1941 Fleet sold his 34.26% interest in Consolidated for $10.9 million to Victor Emanuel the president of AVCO with the idea that Consolidated would be merged with AVCO's Vultee subsidiary.

In 1943, Consolidated merged with Vultee Aircraft to form Consolidated-Vultee Aircraft or Convair. General Dynamics purchased a majority interest in Convair in March 1953, where it continued to produce aircraft or aircraft components until being sold to McDonnell Douglas in 1994. McDonnell Douglas shut down the division after just two years of operations in 1996.

AIRCRAFT    
Military Aircraft    
A-11/Y1P-25    
B-24 Liberator 1939  
B-32 Dominator 1942  
C-22 Fleetster 1932  
C-87 Liberator Express   B-24 variant
C-109 Liberator   B-24 Variant
Commodore 1931  
OA-10 Catalina   PBY variant
P2Y    
PB2Y Coronado 1937  
PB3Y   Not built
PB4Y-1 Liberator   B-24 variant
PB4Y-2 Privateer 1944 B-24 variant
PBY Catalina 1936  
PT-1 Trusty  1923  
N2Y Trainer    
NY-1 Trainer    
TBY Sea Wolf 1941  
XP4Y-1 Corregidor or "Model 31" 1939  
XPY-1 Admiral flying boat 1928  

Source: Wikipedia