Farrell, who adapted the nickname of a family dog, flea bait. Resurrecting flakbait, a martin b26 marauder a true. Though bullets and shell fragments riddled the aircraft, ground crews repeatedly put the b26 back in the air. It was the marauder model that was built in large numbers. Monogram b26 marauder by by tolga ulgar hyperscale. This lure paste bait also has an anti drying agent to keep it effective. The martin b26b and c marauder, ray wagner, aircraft in profile, doubleday, 1965. The national air and space museum is embarking on the preservation of one of its signature artifacts, the martin b 26b 25ma marauder flak bait. Manufactured in baltimore, maryland as a b26b25ma, by martin, it was completed in april 1943 and christened flakbait by its first assigned pilot, james j.
The martin b26 marauder was and american seven crew twinengined medium bomber operated during world war 2. B26b marauder flak bait undergoing restoration at the mary baker engen restoration hangar, steven f. As told by jerry scutts in his book b26 marauder units of the eighth. Mild and bitter, flak bait and the other eto 100mission b26. Buy flying the b26 marauder over europe by carl h moore online at alibris. Mastercraft collection martin b26b c marauder flak bait model scale. As the curator for the museums martin b26b marauder, ive become. The first allied bomber to carry out 200 combat missions was a 9th air force b 26b christened flak bait.
Flakbait is a martin b26 marauder aircraft that holds the record within the united states army air forces for the number of bombing missions survived during. The remainder of the aircraft is in storage locally, and could be married to the front end sometime in the future. The marauder above is the most famous of the surviving b26s of world war ii. Jun 19, 2014 the museums martin b26b25ma marauder flakbait and its crews survived 207 operational missions over europe, more than any other american aircraft during world war ii. Airplanesalliesfrance04bombersb26marauderb26b10marauder. Construction lasted quite long due to some problems encountered in the construction like fitting problems on the cowlings, clear parts and rear. Flak bait is a b26 marauder from the 449th bombardment squadron, 322d bombardment group. The first allied bomber to carry out 200 combat missions was a 9th air force b26b christened flak bait. Sir ernie hamilton boyette some of the artwork below is by other artist.
Flak bait flew with the 322 nd bombardment group of the 9 th air force. The martin b 26b was the most numerous version of the marauder. This is the toys and models b26bc marauder flak bait handcrafted display model in 1. The b26b a new tail defense distinguished the b26b, the model used in the greatest quantity. The martin b26 marauder was a world war ii twinengine medium bomber built by the glenn l. B26b25ma serial number 41773 was completed off of the assembly line in late april 1943. B26 42107566 06 shot down by flak during an attack on. Previous marauder models had cruised with a slight nosehigh attitude. Veteran marauder flak bait of the 322nd bomb group, was returned to the usa after completing more than 200 missions, and the cockpit section is displayed at the smithsonian museum in washington dc. B26 42107609 h9r of the 394th bomb group, 586th bs. By ve day, flakbait had racked up more missions than any other u. Flak bait is going to be a museum display and not flyable, as i understand it. The medium bomber and its crews flew more missions than any other american aircraft during world war ii. Jul 19, 2014 as stated earlier, here are the pictured of my build of the old 148 scale monogram b 26b marauder kit, flak bait.
Army air forces saved it from destruction after the war. Flakbait is a martin b26 marauder aircraft that holds the record within the united states army air forces for the number of bombing missions survived during world war ii. With flakbait front fuselage, conservation team members from left, jeremy kinney, lauren horelick, pat robinson and chris moore. This medium bomber and its crews flew more missions than any other american aircraft during world war ii. The martin b26 marauder flakbait survived two years of the most intense aerial combat of world war ii, taking every punch german gunners and fighter pilots. Manufactured in baltimore, maryland as a b 26b 25ma, by martin, it was completed in april 1943 and christened flak bait by its first assigned pilot, james j. The smithsonian has uploaded a couple videos to youtube covering the restoration process. The 322nd bombardment squadron medium was activated on 19jun1942 at macdill field, florida with b26b marauder aircraft. In this case they are restoring or preserving it a lot like a priceless oilpainting, saving all original parts and paint and wear where possible. This painting shows the b26 flak bait pulling up and away after making an attack run on a german v1 launching site. This bomber bait company press release and accompanying letter from one of the founders is a neat breadcrumb that i came across in sizable pile of research docs, catalogs, and salesman brochures i had amassed over time. First used in the pacific theater of world war ii in early 1942, it was also used in the mediterranean theater and in western europe. Team leader pat robinson, museum specialist chris moore, and conservators lauren horelick and malcolm collum are analyzing paint composition, stabilizing.
Ix bomber completed 2 missions but this aircraft was destroyed in a crash at calgary airport in canada, two days after ve day, see nasm d. However, the increased angle of incidence resulted in a reduction of maximum speed to 277 mph, and the b26f did not handle quite as well as previous versions. The baltimore plant was located at middle river, maryland just east of baltimore from 1941 to 1945. The alltime b26 mission record went to flak bait with no less than. Usaf serial number search results b26b marauder 41773 31773 msn 3487, 322nd bg, 449th bs was flak bait, the first allied bomber in the eto to complete 200 sorties. The martin b26b marauder flakbait during ww2 youtube. The national air and space museum is embarking on the preservation of one of its signature artifacts, the martin b26b25ma marauder flakbait. At first it differed from earlier versions in having more powerful engines and increased armament, but starting with the 642nd aircraft it was also given longer wings and larger tail fin in an attempt to make it easier for inexperienced pilots to fly. The project team is reaching out to individuals and groups who may have personal stories, photographs, records, and artifacts that would further document this iconic artifact and the men and women who. However, in its early days the marauder acquired a reputation as a widow maker that it never managed to quite live down. Mild and bitter, flak bait and the other eto 100mission b. Pacific wrecks b26b25ma flak bait serial number 41. Udvarhazy center, national air and space museum b26 marauder units of the eighth and ninth air forces is published by osprey publishing and is available to order here. The martin b26b marauder flak bait has the distinction of having flown more missions 202 than any other allied aircraft of world war two.
Flak bait flew no less than 202 combat missions and is now on display in the national air and space museum in washington d. This record is even more enviable if one considers that it was achieved by an aircraft that in the initial stages of its career, was not liked by its crews, because its excellent performance made it difficult to fly. B26 42107566 06 shot down by flak during an attack on rail bridge at marzabotto, italy jul 10, 1944. One of those aircraft survived more missions and dropped more bombs than any other.
Martin marauder b 26b and b26c aircraft profile publications information manual. Air force transferred it to the smithsonian in 1949 and the b26 joined the. B26c marauder 148 flak bait mahogany display model, 1. The project team is reaching out to individuals and groups that may have personal stories, photographs, records. We answer questions and will provide many detailed photos.
The difference between the b26b from the earlier versions of the marauder aircrafts is the two. In europe the first low level raid was successful, but the second raid was wiped out by flak and it was decided that the b26 was not suitable for low level operations. Jun 25, 20 the martin b26 marauder was and american seven crew twinengined medium bomber operated during world war 2. Airplanesalliesfrance04bombersb26marauderb 26b 10marauder. Monogram 148 b26b marauder flak bait finescale modeler. Forces of valor martin b26b marauder diecast model. The martin b26 marauder was an american twinengined medium bomber that saw extensive service during world war ii. The royal air force and the south african air force used 522 of them. At first it differed from earlier versions in having more powerful engines and increased armament, but starting with the 642nd aircraft it was also given longer wings and larger tail fin in an attempt to. With flak bait front fuselage, conservation team members from left, jeremy kinney, lauren horelick, pat robinson and chris moore. Sherman best, 322nd bg, 449th sq, flakbait martin b26. Conservator sharon norquest works on the martin b26b25ma marauder flakbait in the mary baker engen restoration hangar. As stated earlier, here are the pictured of my build of the old 148 scale monogram b26b marauder kit, flak bait. Jan 04, 2018 during wwii, b26s dropped thousands of bombs.
Martin b26b25ma marauder flakbait national air and. Restoring the iconic b26 flak bait war history online. Buy our executive series hand crafted mahogany desktop models collection, and many more collectibles available at aikens airplanes. As promised here are some more pics of my recent build of hasegawas 172nd scale b26c marauder finished to represent flak bait a big thank you to everyone who helped me out answering my many qustions with which i would not have been able to get this labor of love off the bench and on the dispay table. I was just thinking yesterday, the world could use more ab26s. B26 story the martin b26 was rushed in its development from concept to. Team leader pat robinson, museum specialist chris moore. Nasm was reported to have the rest of the airframe in storage at silver hill facility. The remainder of the aircraft is in storage locally, and could be married to. As promised here are some more pics of my recent build of hasegawas 172nd scale b26c marauder finished to represent flak bait a big thank you to everyone who helped me out answering my many qustions with which i would not have been able to. The nasm b26b25ma nicknamed flakbait aaf serial number 41773 survived 206 operational missions over europe, more than any other american.
Usaf serial number search results b 26b marauder 41773 31773 msn 3487, 322nd bg, 449th bs was flak bait, the first allied bomber in the eto to complete 200 sorties. The museums martin b26b25ma marauder flakbait and its crews survived 207 operational missions over europe, more than any other american aircraft during world war ii. Probably no other aircraft type in the inventory of the united states army air force usaaf can rival the reputation of the martin b26 marauder. Jim farrell, marauder man, 1st flakbait pilot, 322nd bomb. The signatures on the aircraft were written when flak bait was awaiting shipment home. The story of the b 26 bombers and the men who flew them in world war ii 9780892010448. The airplane was a celebrity, and gis and civilians alike had their pictures taken with it, signing their names on its battleweary frame. The marauder had the lowest loss rate of any bomber, less than. The martin b26 marauder flakbait survived two years of the most intense aerial combat of world war ii, taking every punch german gunners and fighter pilots threw at it. The b26, nicknamed flak bait, was the only us bomber to accomplish more than 200 missions during wwii.
The western location was part of the expansion of government owned, inland. This squirrel and rodent paste bait can be used in live traps, snap traps or glue traps to attract nuisance. The martin b26 marauder flak bait survived two years of the most intense aerial combat of world war ii, taking every punch german gunners and fighter pilots threw at it. Usaf retired in the early days of 1945 there was a particularly frightening crisis in the 9th air force that only a few people were aware of, and to this day still have no knowledge of how it was solved. Thats the challenge staff at the smithsonians national air and space museum now face while resurrecting flakbait, a martin b26 marauder in the mary baker engen restoration hanger at the steven f. The martin b26 marauder was an american twinengined medium bomber. Flak bait is a martin b26 marauder aircraft that holds the record within the united states army air forces for the number of bombing missions survived during world war ii. Martin b 26b marauder flakbait patrick robinson, mary baker engen restoration hangar staff member, and aeronautics curator jeremy kinney prepare the nose of the martin b 26b marauder flakbait for its move to the national air and space museum s steven. Mar 24, 2015 this riveted patch, from the left side of the center fuselage section, shows the size of the holes found on flak bait. B 26b 25ma serial number 41773 was completed off of the assembly line in late april 1943. The aircraft was sonamed because of the more than 2,000 flak hits received during its mission lifetime. The martin b26b was the most numerous version of the marauder. Brown second from left in back row watches from the wing with other members of his crew as mechanics tune up one of 2,000 horsepower engines on flak bait. Hasegawa b26c marauder flak bait props arc discussion.
Flying the b26 marauder over europe by carl h moore alibris. Baltimore, maryland, and omaha, nebraska, by the glenn l. Mar 06, 2016 during wwii, b26s dropped thousands of bombs. Today, the artifact still bears the patched holes from combat damage, chipped paint, dents, and the wear and tear of a true survivor of the air. Martin b26b25ma marauder flakbait national air and space. The project team is reaching out to individuals and groups that may have personal stories, photographs, records, and artifacts that would further. Devon francis 1948 classic book flak bait captures the story of the. Museum specialists prepare the martin b26b marauder flakbaits forward fuselage for removal from the world war ii gallery in the museum in washington, dc.
This riveted patch, from the left side of the center fuselage section, shows the size of the holes found on flakbait. This is monograms 148 b26 marauder finished with the markings of 42107541 ann 444th bs, 320th bg france. The signatures on the aircraft were written when flakbait was awaiting shipment home. The martin b 26b and c marauder, ray wagner, aircraft in profile, doubleday, 1965. With flakbait front fuselage, conservation team members from left, jeremy kinney, lauren horelick, pat robinson and thats the challenge staff at the smithsonians national air and space museum now face while resurrecting flakbait, a martin b26 marauder in the mary baker engen restoration hanger at the steven f. Mastercraft collection martin b26bc marauder flak bait. Martin b 26b 25ma marauder flakbait in the mary baker engen restoration hangar, march 2015. Flak riddled b26 truman committee of the 322nd bomb group. She was flown across the atlantic and assigned to the 8th bomber command in england, 322nd bomb group in late may 1943. It holds holds the record for having flown more missions in the european theatre than any other american aircraft with a total of 202 possibly 207 missions. The martin marauder was not built in as large numbers as the mitchell, because it proved more expensive to produce and maintain, and had a higher accident rate. The difference between the b 26b from the earlier versions of the marauder aircrafts is the two. Curator jeremy kinney shares the history of the martin b 26b 25ma marauder flak bait. Flak bait was damaged in battle over times while flying an amazing 202 combat missions.
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