The Commemorative Air Force’s (CAF) B-29/B-24 Squadron has marked a major step in the restoration of its B-24 Diamond Lil. After a year on the ground, the Liberator’s four engines roared to life on August 29, 2025, during her first full-power run since April 2024. The test marked a critical point in an extensive restoration effort aimed at returning the historic aircraft to flight.
Diamond Lil, the only B-24 flying regularly today, was grounded following inspections that revealed weather-related damage to her fabric-covered control surfaces. Since then, volunteers and technicians have undertaken a painstaking process of stripping, repairing, and re-covering her rudders, ailerons, and elevators. The team also replaced her complex system of flight control cables, work essential for ensuring long-term airworthiness.
“This is the only B-24 in the world that still flies,” squadron leaders emphasized. “We can’t afford mistakes—every detail must be done right.” The squadron has been balancing the project alongside operations of its flagship B-29 FIFI, which returned to airshow tours earlier this year after resolving unexpected engine issues. With FIFI flying again, the focus has shifted back to Diamond Lil as crews push through testing and inspections to prepare her for a return to the skies.
The Liberator’s history adds weight to the project. Originally built in 1940 as AM927 for France and later diverted to Britain, the aircraft was damaged in a 1941 training mishap and repurposed by Consolidated Aircraft as the prototype C-87 Liberator Express. During World War II, it served as a transport and test platform before moving into civilian life—first as an executive transport for Continental Can Company, then as a personnel hauler for Mexico’s Pemex. Acquired by the CAF in 1968 and painted as Diamond Lil in 1972, the bomber has undergone numerous restorations, including major repairs after a hydraulic failure in 2012. Since 2013, she has been a familiar sight at airshows across the United States, offering rides and tours as a flying link to history. Supporters can follow progress on the squadron’s Facebook page or contribute to the project at www.cafb29b24.org/donate.
