MIflyer
1st Lieutenant
B-26F of 497BS
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The flying prostitute- wings so stubby, she has no visible means of support.Nice shot of a 397 BG B-26 at airfield A-72, Jan 1945 By the way, the other engine is named "groan."
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In fact rather a myth... losses of B-26 were lower than in "beloved" B-25...The flying prostitute- wings so stubby, she has no visible means of support.
Interesting, is that a comparison of total lost or per hour of operation vs loss? There were almost 2 times the number of B-25s built than B-26s. So, if it's a flat comparison of total number lost, it seems there would be more B-25s lost.In fact rather a myth... losses of B-26 were lower than in "beloved" B-25...
Lol.No B-19s were lost to interception or AAA.
A fact often overlooked.No B-19s were lost to interception or AAA.
Lies, damn lies, and statistics.Interesting, is that a comparison of total lost or per hour of operation vs loss? There were almost 2 times the number of B-25s built than B-26s. So, if it's a flat comparison of total number lost, it seems there would be more B-25s lost.
I also seem to recall that the B-26 had many training accidents. It would be worthwhile to find the Vmc for both airplanes. That along with wing loading would shed some light on the respective aircraft performances and handling characteristics.
Yes, IMHO, the VMC seems to be a childrenhood Marauder problem. But when pilots learned how to fly B-26, it turned out to be a good, durable plane.Interesting, is that a comparison of total lost or per hour of operation vs loss? There were almost 2 times the number of B-25s built than B-26s. So, if it's a flat comparison of total number lost, it seems there would be more B-25s lost.
I also seem to recall that the B-26 had many training accidents. It would be worthwhile to find the Vmc for both airplanes. That along with wing loading would shed some light on the respective aircraft performances and handling characteristics.
Yes, IMHO, the VMC seems to be a childrenhood Marauder problem. But when pilots learned how to fly B-26, it turned out to be a good, durable plane.
Losses counted just by number of crashes, without calculating number of machines produced-? It seems mindless, but I don't have
With such an amazing combat record like that, it's a shame it never went into production.No B-19s were lost to interception or AAA.
Not even the Fighting Red Tails can make that claim.USAAF Air Training Command also had a notable combat record. George Goble said no Japanese fighter ever got past Oklahoma where he was stationed.
Of course most B-26 combat was in the ETO. And in the book "Flying the B-26 Over Europe" the author, a navigator, explains why. They went to the RAF and asked for advice. The RAF told them that it took something like 5 min for the Germans to figure out the speed and direction of a flight of aircraft and lay an ambush box barrage. So if you are flying around Europe in daylight, you should change direction less than every 5 min and thus throw off the Germans' AAA targeting. USAAF Heavies could not do that and such ambushes were less effective against them anyway since they were 1 or 2 miles higher and larger guns were needed compared to the B-26's at 15,000 ft.In fact rather a myth... losses of B-26 were lower than in "beloved" B-25...