The incidents occurred during low-speed taxiing, takeoffs and landings, and occasionally the strut unlocked. Later, the Martin electric dorsal turret was retrofitted to some of the first B-26s. Martin also began testing a taller vertical stabilizer and revised tail gunner's position in 1941.

It was the first medium bomber in which the tail gunner could sit in an upright position. Original armament included a flexible .30-caliber gun in the tail position, but this was later replaced (in the B models) with twin flexible .50s, and later (in March 1943) by an electric-hydraulic Martin-Bell turret still containing twin .50s.

B26.COM is dedicated to Martin B-26 Marauder Men who fought in World War II. Personal accounts, photos of crews and planes, and related information. The first Martin B-26 Marauder mission flown was by the 22nd Bomb Group on April 5, 1942.

Normal bombing practice was to bomb by formations of 18 or 36 aircraft. A flight of 18 x B-26's was called a box formation and this constituted of 3 flights of six planes. Only the Box Lead/Deputy Box Lead, Flight Lead and Deputy Flight Lead normally carried a …

Starting with the B-26B-20-MA and B-26C-20-MO, the tail gun assembly was redesigned. The hand held "twin-fifties" were replaced by a power-operated twin .50 caliber electro-mechanical Bell Type M-6 turret. The now blunt, rounded-off installation visibly changed the Marauder's tail profile.

Of all the better-known Allied aircraft of World War II, the most controversial was Martin’s B-26 Marauder, a twin-engine cigar-shaped medium bomber that was loved by some and hated by many.

The B-26 Marauder Historical Society (B-26 MHS) is the largest organization dedicated to preserving the memory of the B-26 Martin Marauder, the nearly 300,000 service personnel who were associated with the aircraft during World War II, and their joint contributions to the greatest military victories in human history.

Jul 29, 2016 · The major change on the early B-26B was a redesigned tail section that incorporated a fully enclosed and armored tail gunner position with a pair of .50 caliber MGs. Standard ammo load was 1000-1500 rpg.

Oct 27, 2009 · It's obvious how the pilot fits in the plane, but I wonder about the tail gunner. Where exactly did he sit - behind a bulkhead wall with his head directly below the tail fin? Was he on his knees or did he actually sit in a seat?

B26.COM: Guest Book: Pages & Links: Richard Waidelich, looking up into the plane through trapdoor, entrance and exit. ... Radio Room, door in back leads to bomb bay. Radio Room. Radio Room. Waist gunner position, windows left and right; …