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Martin Marauder in Action The Martin B-26 Marauder was an American World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn (More) The Martin B-26 Marauder was an American World War II twin-engine medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company.
The first medium bomber in the Pacific theater and Aleutian Islands in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater of Operations and the European Theater of Operations. The plane distinguished itself as "the chief bombardment weapon on the Western Front" according to an US Army Air Forces dispatch from 1946, and later variants maintained the lowest loss record of any combat aircraft during World War II. Its late-war loss record stands in sharp contrast to its unofficial nickname "The Widowmaker" -- earned due to early models' high rate of accidental crashes during takeoff.
A total of 5,288 were produced between February 1941 and March 1945; 522 of these were flown by the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force.
In 1939, the United States Army Air Corps issued a specification for a twin-engined medium bomber, Circular Proposal 39-640. Six months later, Glenn L. Martin Company presented a design to the US Army Air Corps. Peyton M. Magruder led the design team for this aircraft after Martin won the contract. This design, Martin Model 179, was accepted for production before a prototype even flew, due to the desperate need for medium bombers following the intensification of World War II in Europe.
Once the first aircraft came off the production line in November 1940, Martin conducted tests, the results of which were promising. The first B-26, with Martin test pilot William K. "Ken" Ebel at the controls, flew on 25 November 1940 and was effectively the prototype. Soon after, it was turned over to the Army Air Corps to be service tested. It went from paper concept to working plane in less than two years.
While the B-26 was a fast plane with better performance than the contemporary B-25 Mitchell, its relatively small wing area and resulting high wing loading (the highest of any aircraft used at that time) led to tricky high-speed landings (approach at 140 mph (225 km/h) and stall at 130 mph (210 km/h) indicated airspeed). The R-2800 engines were reliable, but the electric pitch change mechanism in the propellers required impeccable maintenance and was prone to failure. Failure of the mechanism placed the propeller blades in flat pitch with instant total loss of power. Due to the rotund fuselage, the B-26 engines were placed far outboard, and loss of power on one side resulted in a violent snap roll flipping the aircraft on its back. This led to a high number of accidents during takeoff, thus earning B-26 the nickname "Widowmaker" by its pilots. Other colorful nicknames included "Martin Murderer," "The Flying Coffin," "B-Dash-Crash," "The Flying Prostitute," (because it had no visible means of support, referring to the small wings), and "The Baltimore Whore" (a reference to the city where Martin was based).
The toll eventually led to a halt in production. During this time a commission of inquiry (led by then-Senator Harry Truman) was appointed to look into the problem. When Truman and the other commission members arrived at the Avon Park Bombing Range, they were greeted by the still-burning wreckage of two crashed Marauders. Indeed, the regularity of crashes by pilots training at MacDill Field — up to fifteen in one thirty day period — led to the only mildly exaggerated catchphrase, "One a day in Tampa Bay."
The resulting aircraft (designated B-26B) had a 6 ft (1.8 m) increase in wingspan, and other changes, some of which reduced the aircraft's speed. The newer version had reduced landing and stall speeds. The safety of the B-26B was an immense improvement: it had the lowest attrition rate of any aircraft used during the war. Nevertheless, it remained a challenging plane to fly and continued to be unpopular with potential crews throughout its life.
General characteristics
Crew: 7: 2 pilots, bombardier, navigator/radio operator, 3 gunners
Length: 58 ft 3 in (17.8 m)
Wingspan: 71 ft 0 in (21.65 m)
Height: 21 ft 6 in (6.55 m)
Wing area: 658 ft² (61.1 m²)
Empty weight: 24,000 lb (11,000 kg)
Loaded weight: 37,000 lb (17,000 kg)
Powerplant: 2× Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 radial engines, 1,900 hp (1,400 kW) each
Zero-lift drag coefficient: 0.0314
Drag area: 20.66 ft² (1.92 m²)
Aspect ratio: 7.66
Performance
Maximum speed: 287 mph (250 knots, 460 km/h) at 5,000 ft (1,500 m)
Cruise speed: 216 mph (188 knots, 358 km/h)
Landing speed: 104 mph (90 knots, 167 km/h))
Combat radius: 999 nm (1,150 mi, 1,850 km)
Ferry range: 2,480 nm (2,850 mi, 4,590 km)
Service ceiling: 21,000 ft (6,400 m)
Wing loading: 46.4 lb/ft² (228 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.10 hp/lb (170 W/kg)
Lift-to-drag ratio: 12.0
Armament
Guns: 12× .50 in (12.7 mm) Colt-Browning machine guns
Bombs: 4,000 lb (1,800 kg) (Less)
Hawker Typhoon in Action In February 1940, the first N model, now known as the Typhoon, was delivered. Like the Tornado, the (More) In February 1940, the first N model, now known as the Typhoon, was delivered. Like the Tornado, the Typhoon was soon demonstrating its own problems, including vibrations from the engine causing the wing skinning to peel. The first production Mk IA was delivered in May 1941 with 12 Browning .303 guns, but this was followed quickly with the Mk IB with four Hispano 20 mm cannons.
By this time the Spitfire Vs were encountering the superior Focke-Wulf Fw 190 in combat and suffering heavy losses, with the inevitable result that the Typhoon was rushed into squadron service (with Nos. 56 and 609 Squadrons) to counter the new German plane. Sadly, this decision proved to be a disaster, and several Typhoons were lost for mysterious reasons. Once again there was talk of killing the Typhoon.
The cause of the tail failures was eventually identified only because one pilot managed to survive and return to tell his story. The problem was found to be caused by fatigue failure of the elevator mass-balance, allowing elevator-flutter to occur which was at its greatest when pulling out of a dive. Diving out of combat was the favourite escape manoeuvre for the Fw 190, which had a distinct speed advantage over the Spitfire. Against the Typhoon this manoeuvre should have proved deadly for the Fw pilots, but flutter problems turned the tables.
As a "temporary" measure, rectangular strengthening "fishplates" were riveted around the fuselage/empennage joint, the site of the failures. These fishplates remained a feature on all subsequent Typhoons. Problems with leakage of exhaust fumes into the cockpit and subsequent high carbon monoxide levels also meant Typhoon pilots had to use oxygen for even low level operations. The Sabre engine was also a constant source of problems, notably in colder weather where it was very difficult to start. During late 1942 and early 1943, the Typhoon Squadrons on the South Coast were finally effective in countering the Luftwaffe's "tip and run" low-level nuisance raids, shooting down a score or more fighter-bomber Fw 190s. The first two Messerschmitt Me 210 fighter-bombers to be destroyed over the British Isles fell to the guns of Typhoons in late 1942, and during a daylight raid by the Luftwaffe on London on 20 January 1943, five Fw 190s were destroyed by Typhoons.
As soon as the aircraft entered service it was immediately apparent the profile of the Typhoon resembled a Fw190 from some angles, and this similarity caused more than one "friendly fire" incident with Allied anti-aircraft units and other planes. This led to Typhoons being marked up with high visibility black and white stripes under the wings; a precursor of the marking applied to all Allied aircraft on D-Day.
The Typhoon would however become much more famous armed with four "60 lb" RP-3 rockets under each wing—the so-called "Rocketphoons." In October 1943, No. 181 Squadron made the first Typhoon rocket strikes. Although the rocket projectiles were inaccurate and took some considerable skill to aim properly and allow for the drop after firing, the sheer firepower of just one Typhoon was equivalent to a destroyer's broadside. The top speed of the Typhoon was reduced by some 15 mph by the non-jettisionable rocket rails. By the end of 1943, 18 rocket-equipped Typhoon squadrons formed the basis of the RAF's Second Tactical Air Force ground attack arm in Europe.
Inaccuracy notwithstanding, the rockets (backed by the Typhoon's four 20 mm cannon) proved highly effective against many targets, such as unarmoured "soft-skinned" vehicles, road transport, trains and small sea craft. Although great things were expected against the heavily armoured tanks of the Wehrmacht, the rockets needed to hit the thin-walled engine compartment or the tank's tracks to really have any destructive effect. Analysis of destroyed tanks after the Normandy battle showed a 'hit-rate' for the air-fired rockets of only 4%.
General characteristics
Crew: One
Length: 31 ft 11.5 in (9.73 m)
Wingspan: 41 ft 7 in (12.67 m)
Height: 15 ft 4 in (4.66 m)
Wing area: 249 ft² (23.13 m²)
Empty weight: 9,800 lb (4,445 kg)
Loaded weight: 11,400 lb (5,170 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 13,980 lb (6,340 kg)
Powerplant: 1× Napier Sabre IIC liquid-cooled H-24, 2,260 hp (1,685 kW)
Performance
Maximum speed: 405 mph at 18,000 ft (650 km/h at 5,485 m)
Range: 610 mi (980 km)
Service ceiling: 34,000 ft (10,400 m)
Rate of climb: 2,630 ft/min (13.4 m/s)
Wing loading: 45.8 lb/ft² (223.5 kg/m²)
Power/mass: 0.20 hp/lb (0.33 kW/kg)
Armament
4x 20 mm Hispano-Suiza HS.404 cannons
2x 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs
8x 3 in (75 mm) RP-3 ("60 lb) unguided rockets (Less)
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