{"id":570,"date":"2013-09-18T15:37:45","date_gmt":"2013-09-18T19:37:45","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.fantasyofflight.com\/collection\/?page_id=570"},"modified":"2021-08-09T08:11:07","modified_gmt":"2021-08-09T12:11:07","slug":"1940-martin-b-26-marauder","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.fantasyofflight.com\/collection\/aircraft\/currently-not-showing-in-museum\/wwii\/1940-martin-b-26-marauder\/","title":{"rendered":"1940 Martin B-26 Marauder"},"content":{"rendered":"

Martin\u2019s proposal was considered to be so far in advance of other proposals that the company was awarded an \u201coff the drawing board\u201d contract for 201 aircraft in 1939, and the first production B-26 flew by year\u2019s end.<\/p>\n

Testing confirmed that performance expectations had been achieved but at the expense of low-speed handling characteristics. Training accidents multiplied, and an investigation was set up to consider whether or not to stop production. It was decided to introduce modifications that would improve its slow-speed handling qualities.<\/p>\n

Later aircraft were built with longer wings, a lengthened fuselage, and larger vertical fin and rudder. B-26s saw combat in the South Pacific as well as in North Africa. Over 5,000 Marauders were built, and it went on to have the lowest combat attrition rate of any American aircraft in the 9th Air Force.<\/p>\n

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