A small number of B-24s were purchased for the RAF but assessment showed that they were not suitable for use over Europe. They were however suitable for long range maritime reconnaissance and were put into use with RAF Coastal Command.
In August 1939, before the prototype had been completed, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) ordered 38 examples of the Consolidated B-24A (the first production variant). From this order, 20 aircraft (originally allocated serial numbers 40-2349 to 40-2368) were released for direct purchase by the RAF where it was given the service name Liberator B.Mk.I (from "Bomber Mark 1").
The twenty Liberator B.Mk.I were delivered to the RAF starting in mid 1941 and were given serial numbers AM910 to AM929.[1]