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From: jfb@usgp1.ih.att.com (Joe Baugher)
Subject: Bomber Series--Martin B-26 Marauder (6 of 18)
Message-ID: <D5vDBp.64z@ssbunews.ih.att.com>
Summary: B-26C
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Date: Thu, 23 Mar 1995 01:26:13 GMT
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The B-26C was the designation given to a version of the B-26B 
manufactured at a new factory built by the government for Martin at 
Omaha, Nebraska.  Even before Pearl Harbor, the US government had 
sensed the coming of war, and began a massive expansion of the 
American aircraft industry.  As part of this program, the government 
built a whole series of new aircraft plants which were to be be leased 
to aircraft manufacturers for the purpose of fulfilling military 
contracts.  Most of these plants were in the Midwest or Western 
states, well out of range, it was hoped, from German raiders.  The plant 
in Omaha was leased to Martin for the manufacture of the B-26 
Marauder.  

The B-26C had been initially ordered on June 28, 1941.  The B-26C was 
essentially identical to the Baltimore-built B-26B, and followed more 
or less the same evolution during its production lifetime.  However, 
all B-26Cs were built with the new larger wing--the B-26C was in fact 
the first Marauder to appear with the new larger wing, the larger wing 
having been introduced on the Omaha line before it appeared on the 
Baltimore line.  

The first three B-26Cs were accepted in August of 1942, and 86 
B-26C-5-MO aircraft were accepted by the end of 1942.  

The B-26C-5-MO introduced the Bell-designed power turret in the tail 
which replaced the hand-held setup previously used.  Its guns were 
positioned below the gunner and afforded a wider field of fire.  The 
guns were operated by a remotely-controlled linkage, but gunners 
usually preferred swinging the guns manually.  

The B-26C-15-MO had twelve 0.50-inch machine guns.  One flexible and 
one fixed gun in the nose, four fixed package guns on the side, two in 
the top turret, two in the lower waist, and two in the tail.  Except 
for the place of manufacture, the B-26C-15-MO and B-26B-10-MA were 
identical.  

Provisions for the external torpedo rack and the rear bomb bay were 
deleted from the B-26C-30-MO and later production blocks.  

The C-45 model incorporated a thicker grip on the control wheels, 
improvements in the hydraulic and electrical systems, and additional 
emergency systems.  

350 B-26C were manufactured as target tugs and were redesignated 
AT-23B.  These AT-23Bs were later redesignated TB-26C.  225 AT-23Bs 
were transferred to the US Navy as JM-1s.  The JM-1 was used by the 
Navy for target towing and other general utility duties.  It was never 
used in combat.  Many JM-1s were painted with a bright orange-yellow 
finish, but the USAAF AT-23Bs retained their natural metal finish.  

A total of 1210 B-26Cs and 275 AT-23B target tugs were built at Omaha.  
The last B-26C (a B-26C-45-M0) was delivered in April of 1944.  After 
that, Martin-Omaha switched over to the manufacture of the B-29 
Superfortress.  

Serials of B-26C Marauder:

41-34673/34847		Martin B-26C-5-MO Marauder
41-34848/34907		Martin B-26C-10-MO Marauder
41-34908/34997		Martin B-26C-15-MO Marauder
41-34998/35172		Martin B-26C-20-MO Marauder
				35071 sold on commercial market in 1945.
				Restored to flying status by CAF.
41-35173/35370		Martin B-26C-25-MO Marauder
41-35371		Martin AT-23B
41-35372		Martin B-26C-25-MO Marauder
41-35373		Martin AT-23B
41-35374/35515		Martin B-26C-30-MO Marauder
41-35516		Martin AT-23B - Given to USN as JM-1
41-35517/35538		Martin B-26C-30-MO Marauder
41-35539		Martin AT-23B - Given to USN as JM-1
41-35540		Martin B-26C-30-MO Marauder
41-35541/35547		Martin AT-23B - Given to USN as JM-1
41-35548/35551		Martin B-26C-30-MO Marauder
41-35552		Martin AT-23B - Given to USN as JM-1
41-35553/35560		Martin B-26C-30-MO Marauder
41-35561/35872		Martin AT-23B - 189 transferred to USN as JM-1
				unarmed target tug version of Marauder
42-107471/107496	Martin AT-23B
42-107497/107830	Martin B-26C-45-MO Marauder
42-107831/107855	Martin AT-23B


Sources:

   Famous Bombers of the Second World War, William Green,
   Doubleday, 1959.

   The Martin B-26 Marauder, J. K. Havener, TAB Aero, 1988.

   Me & My Gal--The Stormy Combat Romance Between a WW II Bomber
   Pilot and His Martin B-26, Charles O'Mahony, Wings, 
   December 1994.

   The Martin B-26B and C Marauder, Ray Wagner, Aircraft in
   Profile, Doubleday, 1965.

   Jane's American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th Century,
   Michael J.H. Taylor, Mallard Press.

   American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner,
   Doubleday, 1982.


Joe Baugher			  **************************************
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