eBay: Martin B-26 Marauder

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F. Harper pictures part 2. There are many photos, so I will send them in parts. They are loose, so there are in the order that I scanned them. Not in chronological order. Some have writing on the back side, so I will include these also. If you are interested in the logbooks, Pilot Yearbook or documentation of his career, let me know and I can include them also.

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F. Harper Pictures Part 3.

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F. Harper Pictures Part 4.

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F. Harper Pictures Part 5.

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F. Harper Pictures Part 6

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F, Harper Pictures Part 7

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F. Harper Part 8

Jimbob · Jul 18, 2020

Robert F. Harper. I have posted all the personal photos I have from this collection. I apologize if I have duplicated any. There are dupes that came with the grouping. I have posted pictures of his wings, patches and flight computers that came with the pictures in this post. I have much more of his paperwork and log books if anyone is interested. I also have many, many, many original photo albums and individual photos form most of the WW2 major combatants that I can post also. That's it for tonight. I hope you like these as much as I do.

Maty12 · Jul 18, 2020

A lot of great pictures, thank you for posting!

Greg Boeser · Jul 19, 2020

You might want to start your own thread. Looks like a great collection!

Gnomey · Jul 24, 2020

Nice shots!

Jimbob · Jul 24, 2020

I will start another post soon with his logbooks and paperwork.

Greg Boeser · Jul 30, 2020

Greg Boeser said:
Operationally, the first fixed forward gun was installed on a B-26 of the 22nd BG in May of 1942. A single .50 cal, mounted on the floor in the nose compartment of B-26 MA #40-1421, "YEAH!". Interestingly, it was not copied by other 22nd BG aircraft.
The 69th Bomb Squadron based in New Caledonia, modified all their B-26B MAs with this installation in late 1942.
In September 1942 an AAF directive ordered all B-26B, B-26B-1 and B-26C to be fitted with a single fixed forward .50 cal, and four removable fuselage mounted .50 caliber "package" guns.
The 70th BS, in Fiji, retrofitted their B-26B MA with the package guns in October-November 1942, but did not install the fixed nose gun. They found that the recoil was too much for the skin of the aircraft, and reduced the armament to two package guns by January 1943.
In Alaska, after losing two aircraft to AA attacking shipping around Kiska in October 1942, at least one 73rd BS was modified with two .50s and two 20mm mounted in the nose. (Some sources mention several so modified, but I have only seen pictures of one.)
B-26B, B-26B-2, B-26B-3 and B-26B-4 assigned to the 17th, 319th 320th and 322nd BGs were retrofitted with the single fixed nose gun prior to deployment overseas, though most lacked the four package guns.
B-26C and B-26B-10 and later blocks were fitted with the fixed nose gun and the package guns as standard equipment.
There were some experimental fittings of other armament, including a pannier with four 20mm guns fitted under the bomb bay, but these never got past the test stages.

Further research turns up evidence that the Alaska based Marauders were undergoing conversion to strafer versions in August and September 1942. The guns were installed in the nose in place of the bombardier's position. The installation consisted of two 20mm cannon and two .50 caliber guns fired by the pilot, and hydraulically charged. I have not located info on type of gunsight used, nor ammo carried. But I'll keep looking. The 77th Bomb Squadron had several and at least these two made it out to Adak with the 73rd.
View attachment 590203Cpt John Pletcher and crew in front of Martin B-26 MA #40-1506, Adak, AK, 28 Oct, 1942View attachment 590204B-26 MA #40-1558 on the ramp at Adak, AK, early November, 1942
photo credit: National Park Service, John Pletcher Collection