B-26 MARAUDER at War
Prix régulier 55,00 € TTC 6%
Characteristics
| ISBN-13 | 978-0711008236 |
| ISBN-10 | 0711008234 |
| Book cover finish(es) | Hardcover ( rounded spine binding ) |
| Special Features | Dust jacket |
| Condition | Dust Jacket lightly used on corners |
| Author(s) | Roger A. Freeman |
| Publisher | Ian Allan Ltd |
| Number of pages | 192 |
| Published date | 20 february 1979 |
| Language(s) | English |
| Collection / Series | at War |
| Size | 22 x 30 x 1.8 cm |
| Categorie(s) | • AVIATION MILITAIRE • APPAREILS - CONSTRUCTEURS • SECONDE GUERRE MONDIALE |
Description
The story of the B-26 Martin Marauder is one of the most extraordinary of any warplane. When introduced in 1940 it was the most advanced medium bomber in the world, embodying technical firsts in components and engineering which required skilled handling which it did not receive from many of the hastily trained pilots and crew members. When failure were added to the problems as the accident rate soared bringing the Marauder a reputation of being too dangerous to fly, plus derogatory terms such as 'Widowmaker' and 'Martin Murderer'.
Early combat operations were marked by one disaster after another, culminating in the May 1943 operation from England when a whole B-26 force raiding Holland was lost. The decision was taken to terminate production and the Marauder seemed about to be written off as a dismal failure. Then a change of tactics and the determination of Marauder crews in North Africa and Europe brought an extraordinary reversal of fortune. In a matter of months Marauders had the lowest loss rate per sortie of any Allied bombers operating over Europe and began to achieve a remarkable bombing efficiency that placed them among the most effective forces operating in the theatre.
The type became a legend and the most outstanding record of any individual Allied bomber was that of a Marauder which completed 202 operational sorties — in the course of which it was holed by bullets and shell fragments in over 900 places! There were over 1,000 B-26s in Europe by the end of 1944, making the type the most numerous of Allied medium bombers.
