Bowers, Don Keller, Cam Martin, Bill Miranda, San Diego Aerospace Museum, and Carl Scholl (Aero Trader). As with any book of this nature, the final result was boosted by the help of many people and institutions, including: Air Force Historical Research Agency (AFHRA), Laurent Boulestin, Peter M. This look at the Martin Marauder gets under the B-26's skin, with references to technical manuals and official Army Air Forces reports and wartime correspondence. Marauder had to endure development work even after it was ordered into production, as early models revealed deficiencies only made worse by evolving combat needs. Nonetheless, military aircraft programs at least those which endeavor to push back the frontiers of technology in a meaningful way by introducing new ideas - must be nurtured through sometimes-trying developmental periods. In an effort to streamline the flow of the promising B-26 Marauder into the AAF, it was procured as the first in a series of "off-the-shelf" prog ra ms, with co m pressed development times to hasten production. There's a recurring theme in the Marauder's procurement and development - a theme that still plays in aircraft acquisition programs more than six decades later. By late 1943, stories of crews deplaning from a Marauder and checking the sides of the fuselage for silver casket handles were couched in the past tense. Yet, as all too often happens, the negative stories have lingered long after the B-26 evolved into a viable weapon in the arsenal of the Army Air Forces. Some wags called the B-26 the Separator, because its handling idiosyncrasies separated the men from the boys. In its early iterations, the Marauder exhibited traits that were sometimes hazardous to neophyte bomber pilots. he Martin B-26 Marauder occupies a controversial place on the bookshelf of some enthusiasts and historians. KEY DATES IN THE HISTORY OF THE MARTIN B-26 MARAUDER (AFHRA) Back Cover (Lower): Forward Fuselage structure of the B-26. (Martin via Stan Piet) Back Cover (Right Top): A gleaming cutaway Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 engine was a training aid at the Martin B-26 school. (Copyrighted photo by Jim Koepnick courtesy Experimental Aircraft Association) Back Cover (Left Top): A Martin employee worked on a Marauder tail gun mount which used the Bell M-6 boosted hydraulic unit introduced during B-model production. Aero Trader subsequently worked on the rare B-26 for Kermit Weeks. Its initial recovery and restoration were undertaken by David Tallichet's warbird organization. This Marauder missed combat when it was forced down in the wilderness on its delivery flight to Alaska in January 1942. Jenkins Printed in the United States of Americaįront Cover: Kermit Weeks' short-wing B-26 was photographed in 1998 over Florida. Material contained in this book is intended for historical and entertainment value only, and is not to be construed as usable for aircraft or component restoration, maintenance or use. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical including photocopying, recording or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission from the Publisher in writing. 10 1 Longden Road Shrewsbury SY39EB EnglandĪll rights reserved. Published by Specialty Press Publishers and Wholesalers 11605 Kost Dam Road North Branch, MN 55056 United States of America (651) 583-3239ĭistributed in the UK and Europe by Airlife Publishing Ltd.
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