Tony Muller spoke about his involvement in the B-24 Liberator Restoration Project.
In 1940, Australia needed bombers and had to choose between three – B-17, B-24 or the Lancaster. The B-17 didn’t have sufficient range and the Lancaster was impossible to obtain, so the B-24 was selected. It had a range of 3000 miles and could carry twice the pay load of the B-17. It included radar, was versatile and could carry passengers (Churchill had one, because it was the only plane that could cross the Atlantic without refuelling). Australia bought 300.
19,700 B-24s were made, of which 18,300 were of the twin tail variety. Only 10 remain today. A group in Werribee decided to rebuild one, so set out to source spare parts wherever they could. In PNG, a wreck was discovered sitting in kunai grass at the end of an abandoned airstrip. With the help of Australian Navy personnel and helicopters, the fuselage and wings were recovered and delivered to Port Moresby. From there, they were shipped to Australia via a sugar ship. With equipment sourced from elsewhere, sufficient parts have been recovered to fully rebuild the plane. Currently, it is 70% complete.
The B-24 cannot be fully reconstructed until a new, larger, hangar has been rebuilt. 1.2ha of land have been acquired and $5 million has been allocated to the project. The hangars themselves are heritage listed because they were made of Australian blackwood during the war when steel was unavailable. The timber frames were built on the ground, plated together and then lifted into place.
Tony, who has an automotive engineering background, has been working on the project for 18 years and it’s very much a family affair. Both his brother and his wife are involved, along with 7 other members of his Probus club. On any particular day, 20-25 men turn up to work, while ladies run the shop.
The B-24 Restoration Project is totally self-funded and relies on donations and bequeaths. Visitors are most welcome ($5 entry plus a guided tour) to the site on the corner of Farm Road and Princes Highway, Werribee.