Martin B-26 Marauder
 Martin B-26 Marauder. Photo: Photo by: Charles E. Brown. The original uploader was Bzuk at English , Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Martin |
|---|---|
| Model | Martin B-26 Marauder |
| Type | Medium bomber |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | 25 November 1940 |
| Built | 1941–1945 |
| Status | Retired |
| Number built | 5,288 |
| Registered in the US | 1 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | Seven (consisting of two pilots, bombardier/radio operator, navigator/radio operator, and three gunners) |
| Engine | 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 Double Wasp, 2,000-2,200 hp |
| Cruise speed | 216 mph (B-26G) |
| Service ceiling | 21,000 ft (B-26G) |
| Max weight | 37,000 lb (B-26G)
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The Martin B-26 Marauder is an American twin-engine medium bomber of World War II, built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in Baltimore and Omaha.[1] In all, 5,288 were built between February 1941 and March 1945.[1] In the U.S. there is 1 with a valid registration.[2]
History
Martin's Model 179 answered a 1939 Army Air Corps call for a new twin-engine bomber. It brought several firsts for the service, including power-operated turrets, self-sealing fuel tanks and an all-plastic nose.[1] It won, and by September 1940 almost 1,000 had been ordered. The first B-26 flew on November 25, 1940.[1]
The "Widowmaker"
Early B-26s had a high accident rate on takeoff and landing, which earned it the nickname "widowmaker". It had to be flown at exact speeds, especially on final approach or with one engine out, and its 150 mph approach speed unnerved many pilots.[1] It first fought in the Pacific in early 1942, but most served in Europe and the Mediterranean, supporting Allied troops after D-Day. The Royal Air Force and South African Air Force flew 522.[1]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 1 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| B-26 | 1 |
Specifications (B-26G)
| Item | B-26G |
|---|---|
| Crew | Seven (consisting of two pilots, bombardier/radio operator, navigator/radio operator, and three gunners) |
| Length | 58 ft 3 in |
| Wingspan | 71 ft |
| Height | 21 ft 6 in |
| Wing area | 658 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 24,000 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 37,000 lb |
| Engine | 2 × Pratt & Whitney R-2800-43 Double Wasp, 2,000-2,200 hp (18-cylinder radial piston engines) |
| Propeller | constant-speed feathering propellers |
| Maximum speed | 287 mph |
| Cruise speed | 216 mph |
| Service ceiling | 21,000 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,200 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Martin B-26 Marauder on display at Le Bourget. Photo: User:PpPachy, CC BY-SA 2.5 -
Martin B-26 Marauder. Photo: see the file page on Commons, Public domain -
Martin B-26 Marauder. Photo: U.S. Air Force, Public domain -
Dayton, Ohio: A Martin B-26G Marauder at the National Museum of the United States Air Force. Photo: date unknown, Public domain -
A B-26B bomber in flight. Photo: US Air Force photo, Public domain -
A low-angle view of the XB-26H Marauder and its experimental "bicycle" landing gear. Photo: US Army Air Forces, Public domain -
Martin B-26C Marauder N5546N of the Confederate Air Force at Harlingen Texas in 1975. Photo: RuthAS, CC BY 3.0 -
Martin B-26 Marauder. Photo: Martin Čížek, CC BY-SA 4.0
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Martin B-26 Marauder
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Wikipedia, "Martin B-26 Marauder", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.