Martin Marauder Mk.I - Pirates of the Mediterranean (i)

Suggestions Aircraft
1
Would you like to see the Marauder Mk.I in game?
  • Yes, as a tech tree vehicle
  • Yes, as a premium vehicle
  • Yes, as an event vehicle
  • Yes, as a squadron vehicle
  • No, I would not like to see the Marauder Mk.I in game.
0 voters

🇬🇧 Marauder Mk.I 🇬🇧

Given caption: “Marauder Mark I, FK111, of the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment, on a test flight from Boscombe Down, Wiltshire. After a period with No. 301 Ferry Training Unit, this aircraft saw operational service as a torpedo-bomber with No. 14 Squadron RAF in North Africa and Italy.” (source)

TL;DR

  • The first of the B-26 variants taken into RAF service
  • Advanced fast medium bomber/torpedo bomber of the Second World War
  • Weaker engines, armor and defensive armament than its successors
  • Along with its siblings, fit to carry British torpedoes

Why it should be in the game: Besides historical significance, I think the Marauder Mk.I would fit nicely as a bridge between the late Wellingtons and Halifax at a BR of 3.7 or 4.0. While not as speedy as the existing B-26 variants in game, and not as well defended, the Marauder Mk.I is nothing to sneeze at and would be a unique addition (as of the time of writing). It also provides naval enjoyers with something a little more flexible than the Firebrand which can carry more conventional payloads as the mission requires.


History

Given caption: "Marauder Mark I, FK138, at Prestwick, Ayrshire, shortly after arriving from the USA. This aircraft subsequently served with No. 14 Squadron RAF in the Mediterranean theatre." (source)

(For a more detailed history of the Marauder’s design I recommend checking out @Nostalgistic’s B-26-MA and B-26A suggestions.)

      The B-26 was first drawn up by Martin engineers in 1939 to satisfy a USAAC requirement for a medium bomber which could fly at speeds in excess of 300 miles per hour. This impressive speed was achievable by Martin’s design, so the Air Corps immediately placed an order for 201 Martin Model 179 aircraft before it had even left the drawing board. Unsurprisingly, this rush for production ended up with various teething issues for the aircraft, and it gained a negative reputation as a dangerous aircraft. Despite this, British officials, who already had a vested interest in American aircraft to supplement their own fleet, seemed to have been impressed by the new type as it was provisionally designated the Martin Marauder sometime in 1941. Unsurprisingly there was some room for improvement with the original B-26, so the B-26A version was made with beefed up armor, electronics, and improved defensive armament. This variant would be acquired by the RAF starting in 1942 as the Marauder Mk.I.

1/72 scale Marauder Mk.I by user diamant on Britmodeller Forums. This model represents FK158, which was apparently wearing this paint scheme in Miami in July 1942.

      The first (and only for most of the war) squadron to receive Marauders was 14 Squadron, who were operating the Blenheim Mk.IV previously. Needless to say, switching from an obsolescent light bomber to one of the most capable medium bombers of the war was a marked improvement, if not an arduous one. While originally being used as day bombers and minelayers in North Africa, the Marauders found themselves pressed into more appropriate roles for the Mediterranean Campaign. This included using torpedoes. Compared to USAAF experiences in the Pacific, the RAF did find success using the Marauders as torpedo bombers, and by December 1942 torpedo bombing was the squadron’s primary role. It’s not entirely clear when 14 Squadron introduced the Mk.Ia to the mix, but Mk.Is were still in use in about a 2:1 ratio compared to Mk.Ias by early 1943 when the squadron carried out a raid against supply ships at the harbor on the Greek island of Milos. Of the three flights of three Marauders, ‘B’ flight suffered the worst anti-aircraft fire with only Mk.I FK121 surviving the attack. The two Marauders lost in ‘B’ flight came at a price for the German occupiers, with a supply ship successfully having been hit by a torpedo by ‘A’ flight and ‘C’ flight striking various facilities on the shore. Torpedo bombing operations with the Marauder as a whole ended after this raid despite its success, and it seems that Marauder Mk.I operations had ended by October 1944, when 14 Squadron returned to Britain and converted to Wellingtons.


Specifications

Marauder Mk.I

Dimensions:

  • Length: 56 ft 0 in (17.07 m)
  • Span: 65 ft 0 in (19.81 m)
  • Height: 19 ft 10 in (6.05 m)

Weight:

  • 23,375 lb (10,603 kg) empty
  • 32,000 lb (14,515 kg) loaded
  • 34,000 lb (15,422 kg) maximum

Propulsion: 2 x Pratt & Whitney R-2800-5 Double Wasp

  • 1,850 hp each; 3,700 hp total (takeoff)

Maximum speed:

  • 315 mph (507 km/h) @ 15,000 ft (4,572 m)

Armament:

  • Guns:
    • 1 x 1 .30 caliber AN/M2 Browning machine gun in a flexible nose mount (600 rounds)
    • 1 x 1 .30 caliber AN/M2 Browning machine gun in a flexible ventral mount (600 rounds)
    • 1 x 1 .50 caliber AN/M2 Browning machine gun in a flexible tail mount (400 rounds)
    • 1 x 2 .50 caliber AN/M2 Browning machine gun in powered dorsal turret (400 rds./gun; 800 total)
  • Bombs:
    • Up to 2 x 2,000 lb American bomb
    • Up to 4 x 1,000 lb American bomb
    • Up to 8 x 500 lb American bomb
    • Up to 16 x 300 lb American bomb
    • Up to 30 x 100 lb American bomb
  • Torpedoes:1
    • Up to 1 x Mk XII 2,000 lb torpedo
    • Up to 1 x Mk XV 2,000 lb torpedo
  • Fuel:
    • Up to 2 x 250 gallon fuel tank in the aft bomb bay

Crew: 7 (pilot, copilot, bombardier, radio operator/navigator, upper turret gunner/camera operator, ventral gunner, tail gunner)

Additional equipment:

  • Bomb sight
  • EFS

Notes:

  1. I can’t personally identify British torpedoes by looking at them, and I don’t know if a different mounting would be required for the Mk XV. The Marauder most likely only used the Mk XII. I’m listing the Mk XV because I feel like it’s probably possible, but consider it unconfirmed.

Sources

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