The "Flying Coffin" Turned Escort "Fighter": Consolidated XB-41 Liberator

In this video, we talk about the Consolidated XB-41 Liberator, a modified B-24 Liberator from early World War 2 that was designed to take the place of escort fighters. We look at why a bomber design was selected to fill in for the escort fighter role, how the plane performed, and why it ended up failing as a concept. We also take a brief look at the Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress, a similar gunship bomber concept that had more success, in order to get an idea of how the XB-41 would have performed in combat. Finally, we conclude with a look into the gunship-escort concept and the benefits.