Local volunteers at each stop are also lifesavers, many times taking over simple duties and giving the regular crew members a much-needed breather. Not all of each day involves physical labor. Quite a bit of time is spent talking with, and just listening to, the people who come out to see the planes. Also, most of the young people seemed to know more about the Flying Fortress than the Liberator, possibly due to the fact that the B-17 got more publicity both during and after the war. The B-24's cockpit has been restored to its wartime appearance.
Modern equipment is hidden behind removable panels.
Of the over 18,000 Liberators built only approximately nine airframes are in existence today and of these there is only one fully restored and flying bomber. The B-17, while still rare, survived in greater numbers because of its usefulness as a fire bomber. Even so of the over 12,000 built there are only about a score still flying and a little more than that number in museums and storage around the world. At this time, also, the oil coolers were relocated to the sides of each engine. The C model saw the addition of a Martin dorsal and a Consolidated tail turret, each with two 0.50 in guns.