Martin B-26B Marauder

Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum ^ | 7 April 2001 | R. E. Lee

[45Auto]

Project engineer Peyton M. Magruder designed the Glenn L. Martin Company's B-26 Marauder in response to an Army Air Corps specification issued in January 1939. This specification also caught the attention of North American Aviation Inc. and that firm responded with the B-25. War fever caused the Air Corps to forego a prototype test stage and both bombers went from the drawing board straight into production. The consequences were deadly for crews that flew the Martin airplane.

[45Auto]

[45Auto]

My uncle who is now 85, flew several missions in this plane as part of the the 449th Bombardment Squadron, 322nd Bombardment Group (nicknamed the 'Annihilators').

[TXBSAFH]

Because of teh short stubby wings, one of the nicknams for it was the "Baltimore Whore". No visible means of support. My Grand Father was a line chief im World War 2, he told a lot about this eras aircraft.

[68skylark]

Their photo isn't very good, but the story is great -- thanks for the post.

[Doctor Raoul]

The consequences were deadly for crews that flew the Martin airplane.

I seem to recall that the B-26 had a lower loss rate in combat.

[AZRepublican]

[VOA]

IIRC, Jimmy Doolittle (General by then?) saved the plane. I saw a documentary
(History Channel?) and it has footage in which Doolittle did some sort of
training film, explaining the special attributes of the plane...and how
to change flying technique for best performance.

I guess that advice and some modifications really made flying the
B-26 a much more survivable experience.

[Beowulf]

"...the regularity of B-26 crashes by pilots training at MacDill Field — up to fifteen in one thirty day period — lead to the only mildly exagerated catchphrase, 'One a day in Tampa Bay.'"

[A.A. Cunningham]

AKA Truman's Folly

[A.A. Cunningham]

Marauder - A Pilot's Story

[ANGGAPO]

It didn't fly slow, at all. But when you wanted to go home it got you there in a hurry.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

D-Day livery.

[jscd3]

I seem to recall that the B-26 had a lower loss rate in combat.

In fact I recall that it ended up with the lowest combat loss rate of any bomber operating in the European theater during WWII

However, that was after the introduction of the 'B' version, which had wings that were 18" longer than the original

[jscd3]

I believe that the A26K was the Douglas Invader, a different aircraft than the B26 Martin Marauder

On the other hand, after WWII, the Marauder was pulled out of service and the A26 was renamed the B26.

Around the time of the Vietnam war, these "B26" bombers were pulled out of desert boneyards, renamed the A26 again, and sent to SE Asia to operate as COIN aircaraft.

[christabel]

The B-26 had better performance but I always thought the B-25 was prettier.

[Snickersnee]

My neighbor flew these in the Med and in Italy throughout all of WW2, going to a B-26 squadron right out of flight school. He was acclimatized to the plane from the beginning. But pilots who had broken in on 4-engine ships, or B-25s or B-18s had a lot to adjust to. The Marauder was like a Camaro in a world of Ford Expeditions.

[jscd3]

I had a model of this specific B26 when I was a kid - Revell made it, if I recall.

After reading Martin Caidin's Ragged Rugged Warriors when I was in the 6th grade, I really fell in love with the B26

[Defendingliberty]

My pop had 57 missions including 2 on D-Day

[RayChuang88]

What is interesting was that the pilots actually preferred the B-25 Mitchell over the B-26 Maurader because the B-25 was aerodynamically a more forgiving plane to fly. That's why the B-25 proved popular everywhere it was involved in combat.