B-26 Marauder
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1st Lt Ralph G McConnell occupying his position in the nose of his B-26 1944
1st Tactical Air Force Marauders in formation over Germany 1945
22nd Bomb Group B-26 Marauder at Port Moresby 7 Mile Drome New Guinea 1942
319th Bomb Group Marauder "Lil Angel's Big Sis' Taffy" crew, North Africa 1943
320th BG B-26 after crash landing at North African base 1943
323rd Bomb Group Crew in Damaged B-26C-6-MO Marauder "Miss Emily"
344th Bomb Group, Martin B-26C-45-MO Marauder s/n 42-107574 in England 1944
394th Bomb Group Marauders at unfinished Boreham Airfield 1944
397th Bomb Group 596 BS, Martin B-26B-55-MA Marauder s/n 42-96154 X2+O, after a crash landing in France 24 February 1945
397th Bomb Group B-26 "By Golly" after crash landing in France 1944
397th Bomb Group Marauders raid over France Spring 1944. 9F-Y 42-96137 and 9F-N 42-96191 on the foreground.
77th BS B-26 with torpedo Adak Island fall 1942
95th Bomb Squadron B-26C "Helen" crew North Africa 1943
9th AF bombardier in B-26 with Norden bombsight
9th AF Marauders enroute to Ijmuiden Holland 1944
9th AF Marauders over French coastline 1944
A pair of 323rd BG B-26B and C Marauders after an accident on a French airfield. 41-31813 RJ+G and 41-34871.
A torpedo armed 22nd Bomb Group B-26B Marauder Port Moresby 1942 41-17589
B 26 40 1491 Major Monsoon of the 33rd Bomb Squadron 22nd BG
B 26 Marauder "The Dark Angel" nose art
B 26B 75 1942 2
B-26 "Pappys Pram" Nose Art 322nd Bomb Group
B-26 "Southern Cross" 40-1363 of the 22nd BG, 19th BS belly landing at 7-Mile Drome, June 9, 1942
B-26 "Texas Peacemaker" Nose Art 322nd Bomb Group
B-26 "Truman Committee" Nose Art 322nd Bomb Group
B-26 "Winnie" of the 386th Bomb Group
B-26 "Yankee Guerrilla" 41-34946 of the 386th Bomb Group, 555th BS
B-26 344th BG, 497th Bomb Squadron in flight
B-26 40-1368 of the 22nd BG New Guinea 1943
B-26 40-1407 "Our Gal" of the 22nd Bomb Group
B-26 40-1432 "Little Audrey" of the 22nd Bomb Squadron
B-26 40-1509 "Ole Tomato" of the 2nd Bomb Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group
B-26 40-1516 of the 22nd Bomb Group in flight
B-26 41-17750 and Lt Joe McCarthy and 322nd BG crew with RAF 617 Sqn Dam Busters 1943
B-26 42-107566 06 shot down by Flak during an attack on rail bridge at Marzabotto, Italy Jul 10, 1944
B-26 42-107609 H9-R of the 394th Bomb Group, 586th BS
B-26 42-107735 "Flossies Fury" of the 17th BG, 95th BS with engine blown off near Toulon, France August 20, 1944
B-26 and B-25 ground collision at New Caledonia in the South Pacific March 11 1943
B-26 crew Mr. Five-by-Five, 555th BS July 1944
B-26 from 22nd Bomb Group, Langley Field 1941
B-26 Marauder "Lil Pokchop" Nose Art 322nd Bomb Group
B-26 Marauder "Pikes Little Peek" Nose Art 322 Bomb Group
B-26 Marauder 17 Bomb Group 1943
B-26 Marauder 320th Bomb Group 443rd Bomb Squadron North Africa 1943
B-26 Marauder 391st Bomb Group in winter
B-26 Marauder 391st Bomb Group winter 1944
B-26 Marauder and A-20 Clark Field Luzon Philippines 1945
B-26 Marauder Bomber "Coughin Coffin" Nose Art
B-26 Marauder Bomber "Lonesome Pole Cat" Nose Art
B-26 Marauder Bomber "Mister Period Twice" nose art
B-26 Marauder Bomber "Pistol Packing Mama" Nose Art 22nd Bomb Group PTO
B-26 Marauder Bomber at Airbase
B-26 Marauder Bomber Bob Robin Nose Art and Crew 9th Air Force
B-26 Marauder Bomber Bomb Trailer 391st Bomb Group 9th Air Force
B-26 Marauder Bomber Crash, 391st Bomb Group 9th Air Force 2
B-26 Marauder Bomber Damaged 391st Bomb Group 9th Air Force
B-26 Marauder Bomber Hit By Flak over France 9th Air Force
B-26 Marauder Bomber Nose Art US Navy Version JM-1
B-26 Marauder Bomber Ruthless Nose Art 391st Bomb Group 9th Air Force 2
B-26 Marauder Bomber Sharks Mouth Italy
B-26 Marauder Bombers Formation of the 386th Bomb Group 553rd BS 9th Air Force. B-26 with D-Day stripes coded AN-T.
B-26 Marauder bombing
B-26 Marauder Crash Landed Pacific
B-26 Marauder crew
B-26 Marauder Foggia Airfield Comp Italy
B-26 Marauder front view
B-26 Marauder in flight
B-26 Marauder Judy
B-26 Marauder Klondike II nose art
B-26 Marauder of the 323rd Bomb Group, 453rd BS
B-26 Marauder Over D-Day Invasion Fleet June 1944
B-26 Marauder pre war photo 1941
B-26 Marauder Units 9AF airfield, England
B-26 Marauder Units 9AF England
B-26 Marauders in the 22nd BG dispersal area at 7 Mile Drome Summer 1942
B-26 Marauders of the 391st Bomb Group
B-26 Marauders rear view
B-26 named "Mammy Yokum II" and crew, 9th AF June 1944
B-26 of the RAF
B-26B "Barbara Ann" 42-96195, 4T-P of the 585th Bombardment Squadron, 394th BG
B-26B 41-17876 21 August 1942
B-26B 41-31624 YA-S "Loretta Young" 386th Bomb Group, 555th Bomb Squadron in flight
B-26B 41-31964 "Hades Lady" WT-L of the 456th BS, 323rd Bomb Group
B-26B 42-96120 of the 397th Bomb Group, 597th BS
B-26B 42-96129 U2-A from 397th BG, 598th Bomb Squadron
B-26B Bombers On Flight Line 17th Bomb Group 37th BS November 1942
B-26B Marauder Bomber of the 391st Bomb Group 575th BS 9th Air Force
B-26B Marauder of the 452nd BS "Mild And Bitter" Returning From 100th Mission, 9th AF May 1944
B-26B Marauder over Amsterdam Holland 1943 386th Bomb Group 552nd Bomb Squadron
B-26B-55-MA Marauder 42-96151 taxiing 1944
B-26C 41-34683 PN-V of the 322nd BG, 449th Bomb Squadron Mission St. Omer fort Rouge, 9 August 1943
B-26C 41-34959 322nd Bomb Group, 451st Bomb Squadron
B-26C 99 in flight MTO
B-26F-1-MA Marauder 42-96231
B-26G 43-34552 H9-E of the 586th BS, 394th Bomb Group
B-26G Marauder of the 323rd Bomb Group 454th Bomb Squadron 43-34348
B-26G serial 43-34130
B-26G-15-MA Marauder 44-67835 H9-U of the 586th BS, 394th Bomb Group
Bombardierr examines a hole in the tail of his plane "Idiot s Delight II" 1943
Bomber in flight heading to target
Bombs fall from B-26 42-95857 FW-K of 556th BS, 387th Bomb Group
British B 26 Marauder RAF +M
British B-26F-2 Marauder Mk III, March 1944
British Marauder Mk I FK138
British Marauder Mk IA FK375 of 14 Sqn RAF in flight
Capt Ralph Michaelis in 22nd BG B-26 "Calamity Charlie" New Guinea October 1942
Crashed B-26 AN-R from 386th Bomb Group 28 July 1944
Crew in flak armour by B-26C 41-34692 "Mr. Fala" of 454th BS, 323rd Bomb Group
Crew loading ammunition belts on 9th AF Marauder 44
Damaged "Earthquake McGoon" 41-17747 of the 17th BG, 37th BS. 23 March 1943 North Africa
early B-26 Marauder bomber
Flak riddled B-26 "Truman Committee" of the 322nd Bomb Group
Free French Martin B-26 Marauder 1944
Free French Martin B-26 Marauder Over Bologne 1944
French bomber returns to Sardinia Base after raid 1944
French Marauder B-26C #04
Ground crewman loading bomb racks of B-26 for raid on Sicily 1943
Inspection of Flak damage to 320th BG, 441st Bomb Squadron B-26B 41-17776 "Most Likely"
Marauder "Bucket of Bolts" of the 319th BG North Africa 1943
Marauder 40-1415 "Fury" of the 19th Bomb Squadron, 22nd Bomb Group
Marauder 41-18319 tail gunner
Marauder 41-35000 "Swamp Chicken" with engine blown off April 1944
Marauder 41-35177 of the 17 Bomb Group 34th BS, Italy 1943
Marauder 41-35358 "Sexy Betsy" YA-V of the 386th Bomb Group 555th BS 9th Air Force. D-Day stripes.
Marauder attacking German defenses at Dunkirk 1944
Marauder Mk I FK375 "Dominion Revenge" of No. 14 Squadron RAF, Africa 1942/43
Marauder of the 319th BG "Bucket of Bolts" North Africa 1943
Marauders attacking target along Seine River France
Marauders from 386th Bomb Group, at Bassingbourne on November 9, 1943
Marauders of French Groupe de Bombardement 1/22 1e Escadre Armee de l’Air 1944
Marauders of the 444th BS, 320th Bomb Group at Tunisia Air Base
Martin B-26 in flight July 1941
Martin B-26 Marauder
Martin B-26 Marauder "Crew 13" nose art
Martin B-26 Marauder "U.S.O." 9AF England
Martin B-26 Marauder 1941
Martin B-26 Marauder 40-1373 of 77th Bomb Squadron Adak Island in the Aleutians November 1942
Martin B-26 Marauder bomber in flight
Martin B-26 Marauder bombers formation
Martin B-26 Marauder bombers formation in flight
Martin B-26 Marauder bombers in flight
Martin B-26 Marauder bombing
Martin B-26 Marauder code 60
Martin B-26 Marauder Crashed In Normandy June 1944, 387th Bomb Group 557th Bomb Squadron
Martin B-26 Marauder crew
Martin B-26 Marauder crew 2
Martin B-26 Marauder in flight
Martin B-26 Marauder in France
Martin B-26 Marauder over Europe
Martin B-26B 75 41-17704 in flight 1942
Martin B-26B Marauder 41-17704 75
Martin B-26B Marauder 41-17876 August 1942
Martin B-26B Marauder 97 of the 320th BG Take Ooff Dole France. Shark mouth nose art.
Martin B-26B Marauder near Corsica
Martin B-26B Marauder, Pacific 41-17569
Martin B-26B-10-MA Marauder 41-18186 #37 of the 320th BG 442nd BS
Martin B-26B-15-MA Marauder code AN-U s/n 41-31600 crew "Mad Russian" nose art. 386th Bomb Group 553rd Bomb Squadron 9th Air Force England January 1944.
Martin B-26B-2 Marauder s/n 41-17858 "Coughin' Coffin" of the 17th BG 34th BS. Crew by Battle Record Nose Art
Martin B-26C front view
Martin B-26C Marauder Bombs Amsterdam Holland November 1943
Martin B-26G 43-34580 of French AF 1945
Martin B-26G-1-MA 43-34130 May 1944
Martin B-26G-10-MA Marauder 43-34396 in flight
Martin B-26G-20-MA Marauder code 4T+B of the 394th Bomb Group 585th BS, and P-47 Fighters 9th AF
Martin B-26G-25-MA Marauder Bomber 44-68154 Crashed
Martin JM-1 BuNo 66722 23 December 1943
Martin JM-1 of the VJ-4
Martin Marauder "TS Ticket", 391th BG 572nd BS 42-95797
Martin XB-26 Marauder 1940
NAS Moffett Field JM Marauders target tugs and ASW blimps 1944
Ordnance unit in Italy replaces nose of B-26 "Eunice from Tunis" 1944
Tail gunner position in a B-26
TB-26 trainer LW4
The cockpit interior of a B-26 Marauder bomber
The cockpit interior of B-26C: control column and instrument panels
US Navy Martin B-26 JM-1
XB-26H
XB-26H 44-68221, 1947
Martin B-26 Marauder had a somewhat chequered career: in its early days “Widow Maker” was one of the least unpleasant names bestowed on it, and its continued production was in jeopardy at least four times. It had its faults, but in the hands of an experienced pilot was, as it later proved successfully, an excellent weapon, and by the end of the war in Europe Marauders had a lower attrition rate than any other U.S. aircraft. Designed in the early part of 1939, the Marauder was rewarded by an order for 1100 “off the drawing board” in September of that year. There was, consequently, no XB-26, the first flight being made on 25th November 1940, by the first of 201 B-26 Marauders, powered by two 1850 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp engines. Most of the 139 B-26A which followed had later model—though similar horsepower engines, but by Pearl Harbour only one USAAF unit was equipped with the type. Three Marauders were sent at this time to the RAF for evaluation, and these were the predecessors of 52 Marauder Mk I (B-26A), 19 Mk IA (B-26B), 100 Mk II (B-26C) and 350 Mk III (B-26F and G) eventually supplied to the RAF and the South African Air Force (SAAF), and which were operational from 1943 onwards. Several variations of engine, bomb load, armament and other equipment were found among the 1883 B-26B Marauders completed, and tail defence was improved by a twin-gun turret; some of the later B-26B series, with twelve 12,7 mm MG, were almost as heavily armed as the B-17 Fortress, and other were completed as B-26C, of which model 1235 were built. The US Navy took on some Marauders for tar get towing and reconnaissance as the JM-1 and JM-IP; their later JM-2 were a few of the 57 TB-26Gs produced for the same role in the USAAF. Some early B-26 bombers were also converted as AT-23 trainers.
General Specifications
- Type: Twin-engined medium bomber.
Wings
- Configuration: Cantilever shoulder-wing monoplane with equal taper, rounded tips, and a flat upper surface.
- Structure: Four sections—two inner sections forming the center-section and two outer sections with detachable tips. The structure is all-metal with a two-spar corrugated-box-type structure covered with flush-riveted stressed skin.
- Ailerons: Located on the outer wing sections, featuring metal frames and fabric covering.
- Flaps: Slotted flaps on the inner sections, divided by extensions of the engine nacelles.
Fuselage
- Structure: Circular section all-metal monocoque, constructed in three sections bolted together.
Tail Unit
- Configuration: Cantilever monoplane type with a dihedral tailplane.
- Materials: Metal framework with metal-covered fixed surfaces and fabric-covered rudder and elevators. Trimming-tabs in control surfaces.
Landing Gear
- Type: Retractable tricycle type with fully retractable wheels.
- Mechanism: Main wheels retract into engine nacelles via a parallel linkage system with hydraulic retraction. A gravity drop system ensures gear deployment in case of hydraulic failure. The nose wheel retracts aft into a fuselage well.
Power Plant
- Engines: Two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 eighteen-cylinder double-row radial air-cooled engines on welded steel-tube mountings.
- Propellers: Four-bladed hollow-steel Curtiss Electric constant-speed full-feathering airscrews, with a diameter of 13 ft. 6 in. (4.12 m).
- Fuel Tanks: Located in the wings with main tanks inboard of engine nacelles and auxiliary tanks outboard. Long-range ferry tanks can be installed in the bomb-bay.
Accommodation
- Crew: Normal crew of seven, including positions for bombardier, pilot, co-pilot, navigator-radio-operator, waist-gunner, upper turret gunner, or tail gunner. All positions and vital parts are protected with armor plating.
- Emergency Equipment: Includes a life raft stowed in the roof of the fuselage aft of the pilot’s compartment and escape hatches.
Armament
- Machine Guns: Total of eleven 50 cal. machine guns:
- One flexible in the nose.
- Four "package" guns in pairs on each side of the fuselage forward of the wings.
- Two in a Martin electrically-operated turret on top of the fuselage aft of the wings.
- Two in waist positions, one on each side of the fuselage aft of the turret.
- Two in a Bell tail turret with remote-feed ammunition racks from mid-fuselage.
- Bomb Capacity: Internal bomb-bay can accommodate up to two 2,000 lbs or four 1,000 lbs bombs, arranged in pairs on each side of a central catwalk. The bomb-bay has hydraulically-operated doors.
Dimensions
- Span: 71 ft. (21.65 m)
- Length: 56 ft. 6 in. (17.23 m)
- Height: 21 ft. 2 in. (6.45 m)
- Wing Area: 658 sq. ft. (61.1 sq. m)