Another special delivery just arrived: a B-24 Liberator turbo charger! All the way to us from England.

It’s first public appearance will be at the Antique Tractor Show, Saturday August 25th, at Keating Tractor & Equipment. Why? The turbo charger was made by the Allis-Chalmers manufacturing company, most recognized for their orange tractors!  Like many manufacturing companies during WWII, the company contributed to the war effort by putting their civilian product lines on hold, and producing machinery for naval ships and aircraft.

The Liberal Army Air Field specifically trained B-24 pilots during WWII, producing more B-24 commanders than other other airfield in the United States.  The LAAF trained more than 1/4 of WWII’s B-24 commanders.  We are excited to have acquired this piece of history to bring back to the Mid-America Air Museum, which resides on a portion of the old LAAF.

Following this Antique Tractor Show, the turbo charger will then be on permanent display here at the museum.  Enjoy this short unveiling video, B-24 Liberator Turbo Charger, as our Education Director, Chris Givan, explains just how the turbo chargers worked.