eBay: Martin B-26 Marauder

[Gnomey]

Good shots!

 

[Snautzer01]

Martin B26 Marauder

 

[Snautzer01]

*WWII photo- B 26 Marauder Bomber plane w/ Nose Art IN FLIGHT- CHECKERED TAIL* | eBay

 

[Wurger]

 

[Greg Boeser]

Martin B26 Marauder

View attachment 598551

13th Marauder built. Served in Alaska and Aleutians with 28th Composite Group. Possibly 73rd or 77th Bomb Squadron. Returned to States in early 1943 and served out the war in a training unit.

 

[Gnomey]

Nice shots!

 

[RagTag]

Great Pix! The Aleutians one is a fave with a predatory look to it. The eBay one's back of photo note says "Italy 1944" best I can tell. Note the dorsal turret is removed. Can't read the nose art. What is an unarmed, modified, maybe short tail Marauder with hi-viz markings doing in a 1944 war zone?

 

[nuuumannn]

The eBay one's back of photo note says "Italy 1944" best I can tell. Note the dorsal turret is removed. Can't read the nose art. What is an unarmed, modified, maybe short tail Marauder with hi-viz markings doing in a 1944 war zone?

Yeah, it's certainly intriguing. It has no armament by the looks of things and it looks like there are two small windows (?) forward of the fuselage star 'n bar, so a fast transport perhaps for some VIP? Note the markings on the nacelles as well, a further nod to a non combat role. The nose art looks like an edelwiess, but hard to tell. Would like to know more.

 

[Greg Boeser]

The two small windows were the scanning windows for the waist gunner. Many war weary a/c were turned into "fat cats", essentially unarmed fast transports. The checkertail suggests a hack for the 325th FG?

 

[RagTag]

The landing lights look like they are gone or the covers removed. The nose art does look like an edelweiss and seems to read "F-----N I LOVE", but might be subject to another interpretation. 325th was MTO. Might be right.

 

[fubar57]

Photo is also here, in better shape...Warbird Information Exchange • View topic - B-26 of the 325th FG ...

 

[Capt. Vick]

Some different painting on the nacelles

 

[RagTag]

How much speed do you think they gained by stripping out all the guns and turret, and maybe other incidentals like bombsight?

 

[Greg Boeser]

Dunno. AT-23s gained 20 MPH over a standard B-26B/C

 

[Snautzer01]

ORIGINAL Photo Lot of 2 WWII era B-26 Marauder Large Format Pictures 8" x 9 3/4" | eBay

 

[Wurger]

 

[fubar57]

Two more shots of 40-1372 here...Pacific Wrecks

 

[Greg Boeser]

These are taken in 1943 after she returned from the Aleutians.
A few things to note:
1. The engines have been replaced and propellers lack spinners.
2. the large ID number on the fuselage and the small US star to the rear of the waist window. The original marking was a 56" star directly below the top turret.
3. The scoreboard below the cockpit window represents ship claims of the Aleutian based Marauders. One cruiser, two destroyers and three merchant ships.
40-1372 and 40-1369, after returning from the Aleutians were refurbished and then flown on a publicity tour to mark the exploits of the Pacific based Marauders. They were piloted by veteran crews including Captain Kenneth Dempster, an Aleutian veteran, and Major Gerald Crosson, a veteran of the Southwest Pacific.
Following these tours the aircraft were used for training.

 

[Snautzer01]

Org. Photo: B-26 Bombers (#42-43313) Ready for Take-Off on Airfield!!! | eBay

Baugher: Martin B-26B-40-MA

 

[Snautzer01]

Org. Photo: Pair of B-26 Bombers (#42-107541 & #42-43313) on Airfield!!! | eBay

Baugher: Martin B-26C-45-MO 42-107541
42-107541 | American Air Museum in Britain: Assigned to 444BS, 320BG, 12AF USAAF. 67 x missions.