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United States' Martin B-26 Marauder bomber1,2,3
Martin B-26 Marauder bomber at Youks-les-Bains airfield:
United States Army in World War II, Pictorial Record, The War Against Germany and Italy: Mediterranean and Adjacent Areas, 1951, pg 44
Martin B-26 Marauder bomber:
Martin B-26 Marauder bomber:
Martin B-26 Marauder bomber:
Design
The Martin Model 179 Marauder was designed for the United States Air Corps on July 5, 1939 and went straight into production without a prototype or trials.1,2 The head designer was Peyton M. Magruder.2 A total of 1,100 were ordered in September 1939.2
The first flight of the B-26 Marauder was at the factory in November 1940.1
Undercarriage
The engine nacelles housed the wheels of the tricycle undercarriage.1 The nose wheel retracted towards the rear, under the cockpit.1
Control Surfaces
To save on weight the flying control surfaces were wood ribs with fabric covers.1
Prototype
None made.1
Production
The first production model flew on November 25, 1940 (November 25, 19413).2,3 Production ended in April 1945.3
The B-26 Marauder cost $261,000 in 1940 and $192,000 in 1944 to build.1
- B-26: 2013
- B-26A: 1393
- B-26B: 1,8832,3
- Produced at Martin's Baltimore, Maryland plant.2
- B-26C: 1,2103, 1,2352
- Produced in Omaha, Nebraska.2
- B-26F: 3003
- B-26G: 8933
- TB-26G: 573
- Total: 4,6833, 5,1571,2
Variants
- B-26: First production model.3
- B-26A: Carried more fuel.3
- B-26B: Additional armor added.2 More gun added.2,3 Starting at aircraft 642 the wings were wider and had a taller fin.3
- B-26C: Similar to B-26B, but produced at a different factory.3
- B-26F: Wing incidence increased by 3.5°.2,3
- B-26G: Wing incidence increased by 3.5°.2
- TB-26G: Trainer.3
- JM-1: US Navy version of the TB-26G.3
- JM-2: US Navy version of the TB-26G.3
- AT-23: Target tug.3 A conversion.3
Usage
The countries that used the Marauder were Australia, Britain, France, South Africa, and the United States.3
Due to its bad reputation it was nicknamed "Widowmaker" and "Flying Coffin."1,3 However, by VE Day B-26s had the lowest loss rate of any American bomber in World War II.1,3
Australia
The B-26 Marauders were first used by the 22nd Bomb Group, based in Australia, shortly after Pearl Harbor.1,2 They went into action over New Guinea in April 1942.2,3
Midway
B-26s carrying torpedoes were used at the Battle of Midway.3
Lyndon B. Johnson
Future president Lyndon B. Johnson received a Silver Star in a Marauder mission in New Guinea.1
Danger over Ijmuiden, Holland
An entire group of ten B-26 Marauders were lost to fighters, flak, and collisions in a mission in May 1943 over Ijmuiden, Holland.1
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force received 522 B-26 Marauders.1,2 The South African Air Force also flew the B-26 Marauder.1,2 In the Mediterranean the B-26 replaced the Blenheims.1
| Martin B-26 Marauder3 | Martin B-26A Marauder3 | Martin B-26B Marauder1,3 | Martin B-26C Marauder2 | Margin B-26G Marauder3 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Medium bomber3 | Medium bomber1 | Light bomber2 Medium bomber2 |
||
| Crew | 5 - 73 | 71 | 72 | ||
| Engine (Type) | 2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 Double Wasp3 | 2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 Double Wasp3 | 2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-393 | 2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 piston2 | 2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-393 |
| OR | 2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 Double Wasp piston1,3 | 2: Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 Double Wasp piston1,3 | |||
| Cylinders | Radial 183 | Radial 183 | Radial2 | ||
| Cooling | |||||
| HP | 1,850 each3 | 1,850 each3 | 39: 2,000 each3 43: 1,920 each1, 2,000 each3 |
2,000 each2 | 39: 2,000 each3 43: 2,000 each3 |
| Propeller blades | 4 each3 | 4 each3 | 4 each1 | 4 each3 | |
| Dimensions | |||||
| Span - early models | 65'3 19.81 m3 |
63'1 19.12 m1 |
|||
| Span - late models | 71'3 21.64 m3 |
71'1 21.64 m1 |
|||
| Span | 71'2 21.64 m2 |
||||
| Length | 56' - 58' 3"3 17.07 m - 17.75 m3 |
58'1 17.75 m1 |
58' 3"2 17.75 m2 |
||
| Height | 19' 10" - 21' 6"3 6.05 m - 6.55 m3 |
21'1 6.55 m1 |
20' 4"2 6.2 m2 |
||
| Wing area | 679 ft2 1 61.13 m2 1 |
658 ft2 2 61.13 m2 2 |
|||
| Weight | |||||
| Empty | 22,380 lb3, 23,950 lb1 10,152 kg3, 10,886 kg1 |
22,380 lb2 10,152 kg2 |
23,800 lb3 10,796 kg3 |
||
| Loaded | 34,000 lb3, 36,923 lb1 15,422 kg3, 16,783 kg1 |
34,200 lb2 15,513 kg2 |
38,200 lb3 17,327 kg3 |
||
| Performance | |||||
| Speed @ 5,000' / 1,524 m |
283 mph3 455 kph3 |
||||
| Speed @ 15,000' / 4,570 m |
317 mph1 454 kph1 |
282 mph2 454 kph2 |
|||
| Cruising speed | 216 mph3 347 kph3 |
||||
| Climb | 1,000'/minute3 305 m/minute3 |
||||
| Climb to 15,000' / 4,570 m |
24.5 minutes2 | ||||
| Climb to 15,000' / 4,600 m |
13 minutes1 | ||||
| Service ceiling | 23,500'1 6,400 m1 |
21,700'2 6,615 m2 |
19,800'3 6,035 m3 |
||
| Range | 1,100 miles3 1,770 km3 |
||||
| Range with 2,994 lb / 1,351 kg of bombs |
1,148 miles1 1,851 km1 |
1,150 miles2 1,850 km2 |
|||
| Armament | 8: 12.7 mm MG1 4: 0.5" MG3 2: 0.3" MG3 |
11: 0.5" MG3 | |||
| Nose | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | ||||
| Fuselage sides | 4: 12.7 mm MG2 | ||||
| Dorsal turret | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | ||||
| Ventral position | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | ||||
| Tail | 2: 12.7 mm MG2 | ||||
| Bomb-bay | 4,000 lb3, 5,170 lb1 1,814 kg3, 2,359 kg1 |
3,000 lb2 1,361 kg2 |
4,000 lb3 1,814 kg3 |
Sources:
- Aircraft of WWII, General Editor: Jim Winchester, 2004
- Fighting Aircraft of World War II, Editor: Karen Leverington, 1995
- Aircraft of WWII, Stewart Wilson, 1998
