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Martin B-26A Marauder
Hello everybody. I’d like to suggest the B-26A Marauder for the US aviation tree in War Thunder. The B-26A was the first improved production variant of the Marauder, incorporating additional armor protection and standardized armament.
History
After 201 of the initial B-26-MA aircraft had been delivered by early 1941, the US Army ordered a follow-up batch that would include several design changes based on experience with the early aircraft. These became the B-26A-MA. Beginning with the 202nd airframe, the B-26A introduced fittings for an auxiliary fuel tank in the aft bomb bay, giving the Marauder greater range for long overwater missions. Its defensive armament was also upgraded, with the nose and tail positions finally standardizing on Browning .50 caliber machine guns instead of the earlier .30 caliber weapons. Additional armor plating for the crew was fitted, and provisions were added for carrying a Bliss-Leavitt Mark XIII torpedo on a centerline rack. The first B-26As were delivered in October 1941, with only 30 produced in this initial block. These were still powered by the same Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 engines as the earlier production batch.
The next and final production block of the B-26A was designated B-26A-1-MA. Due to shortages of the original engines, these aircraft were instead fitted with the Pratt & Whitney R-2800-39, which offered identical power ratings. In all other respects, the A-1s were the same as the standard B-26A. A total of 109 were completed, with all deliveries finished by April 1942.
Altogether, 139 aircraft of the B-26A and B-26A-1 production blocks were completed for the US Army Air Forces. Of these, 49 B-26As and 19 B-26A-1s were sent to the Royal Air Force beginning in October 1941 under Lend-Lease, where they were designated Marauder I and Marauder IA. These aircraft gave the Marauder its formal name in operational service.
Unlike the later B-26B/C series, the American-operated B-26A and A-1s never saw combat, being primarily used for training duties within the United States. However, they represent an important early step in the Marauder’s development, bridging the initial production B-26-MA with the later, much-improved combat variants that became critical for their service in Europe.
Specifications
Martin B-26A Marauder
Number Built: 139
General Characteristics
Crew: 5 (Pilot, copilot, bombardier, navigator/radio operator, and gunner)
Dimensions:
Length: 58 ft 3 in (17.75 m)
Height: 19 ft 10 in (6.05 m)
Wingspan: 65 ft (19.81 m)
Wing Area: 602 sq ft (55.93 sq m)
Propeller:
Type: 2 x 4-bladed Curtiss Electric constant-speed, full-feathering
Diameter: 13 ft 6 in (4.11 m)
Powerplant:
Type: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 or -39 Double Wasp 18-cylinder air-cooled radial engines
Power Output: 1,850 hp (1,380 kW) each @ takeoff (3,700 hp / 2,759 kW total)
Fuel Capacity:
Main tanks in wings: 2 x 360 US gal (1,363 L)
Auxiliary tanks in wings: 2 x 121 US gal (458 L)
Total: 962 US gal (3,642 L)
Weight:
Basic: 23,300 lb (10,569 kg)
Combat: 35,000 lb (15,876 kg)
Max. Takeoff: 36,500 lb (16,556 kg)
Flight Performance
Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.11 hp/lb (0.18 kW/kg)
Max Speed:
Sea Level: 284 mph (457 km/h)
5,000 ft (1,524 m): 300 mph (483 km/h)
10,000 ft (3,048 m): 297 mph (478 km/h)
15,000 ft (4,572 m): 306 mph (492 km/h)
20,000 ft (6,096 m): 280 mph (451 km/h)
Wing Loading: 58 lb/sq ft (283 kg/sq m)
Climb Performance:
Rate of Climb: 1,500 ft/min (7.62 m/s)
Time to Altitude: 14 minutes to 15,000 ft (4,572 m)
Service Ceiling: 25,000 ft (7,620 m)
Range: 1,250 miles (2,011 km)
Armament
Turrets:
Nose: 1 x 0.50-in (12.7 mm) Browning M2 MGs (500 rpg)
Upper: 2 x 0.50-in (12.7 mm) MGs (400 rpg; 800 rds total)
Waist Positions: 1 x 0.50-in (12.7 mm) MGs (500 rpg; 1,000 rds total)
Tail Position: 1 x 0.50-in (12.7 mm) MG (400 rds)
Bombs:
2 x 2,000-lb
4 x 1,000-lb
8 x 500-lb
16 x 250-lb
30 x 100-lb
Torpedo:
Related Suggestions
Marauder Family:
Sources
EE-393 Wartime Tactical Planning Characteristics & Performance Charts (31 December 1943)
B-26 Marauder in Action - Aircraft No. 050 (1982)
Warbird Tech Vol. 29 - Martin B-26 Marauder (2000)
B-26 Marauder in Action - Aircraft No. 210 (2008)
Osprey Air Vanguard 4 - Martin B-26 Marauder (2013)
Martin B-26 Marauder - Wikipedia Martin B-26A Marauder
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃
