Sounds an odd question but how many bomb bays does a B26 have (thats B26 Marauder not invader) is it one or two? As theres none in the Uk and I cant find a picture of one with its doors open I’m a bit puzzled.
Any chance of the IWM getting one of the Ex Talichet noses or better fuselages that are stored in america? And is the B24 nose likely to go to Lambeth?
By: tomroyal - 20th February 2002 at 19:48
RE: B26 query
Thank you for the compliments.
Kermit’s Marauder is currently the only airworthy one out there.
Flak Bait is at NASM, as we discussed earlier, and I know there is one at the Air Force Museum in Dayton, OH. Naturally these planes will not be flying.
The Military Aircraft and Preservation Society in Ohio is restoring a B-26, The Empire State Aerosciences Museum in New York is also restoring one and the Musée de l’Air et de l’Espace in France is restoring one as well. I’m not sure if these are being restored to flying status or not however.
So I guess that makes 6 Marauders in all.
I’m attaching another pic from this weekend. Enjoy!
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By: SADSACK - 20th February 2002 at 18:50
RE: B26 query
How many are left, especially possible flyers?
By: Arabella-Cox - 20th February 2002 at 18:35
RE: B26 query
Nice shots Tom. I’ve always thought the B26 was a very nice looking aeroplane…
By: SADSACK - 20th February 2002 at 15:29
RE: B26 query
Thanks, its a great help.
By: tomroyal - 20th February 2002 at 14:37
RE: B26 query
Looks like I remembered correctly. I didn’t have my flash packed with me so I wasn’t able to get any good detail shots of the interior of the bomb bay, but it is indeed one bomb bay. I took a couple of shots of the open doors for reference.
Feel free to email me with any questions.
Tom Royal
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By: SADSACK - 16th February 2002 at 15:43
RE: B26 query
Cheers, look forward to it!
By: tomroyal - 15th February 2002 at 14:34
RE: B26 query
When I saw Flak Bait at NASM a couple of years ago it was just the nose section they had displayed. They were planning on restoring the entire aircraft however, but I’m not sure whether or not that restoration has begun.
As luck would have it, I’m heading out to Fantasy of Flight tomorrow, so I’ll take a look at Kermit’s B-26 and report back.
If I remember correctly, the B-26 has one bomb bay, with 2 bi-fold type doors, so when the doors are closed, it does appear to have 4 individual doors. The doors fold outward.
With any luck the doors will be open tomorrow, and I’ll try to take some detail photos.
By: neilly - 14th February 2002 at 09:32
RE: B26 query
‘Flakbait’ is on display at the Smithonian Museum, USA. Perhaps if you had a look on their web site you might find some pictures of it. A point of interest, they list it as having completed an Allied record number of sorties – 203. This is incorrect. The record is held by a Mosquito – LR 503 (there’s a picture I posted recently of the nose artwork of this Mossie), 213 operational sorties!
Have fun,
Neilly
By: EHVB - 14th February 2002 at 08:49
RE: B26 query
I remenbered that I had somewhere a 1/48 scale model (Monogram) of B26 “Flakbait”. It took me some time to find but the model, which is extremely detailed, has only ONE bombbay, te be closed by a pair of double folding bombdoors. Just behind this bombbay is another, much smaller, set of doors. In these doors are windows where 2 additional gunposts can be installed. However, these two doors are (at least not in the large scale model)not connected to the bombbay. When I looked to a slide I took of the “Le Bourget” Marauder, it is clearly visible that only the large bombdoors are opened over the entire length of the bombbay. Maybe the smaller doors are some doors to (re) move the upper turret, as these is exactly positioned over it.
By: SADSACK - 13th February 2002 at 20:24
RE: B26 query
Yeah, I’m pretty puzzled, I know about the 2 sets of doors. Anyone seen the French example?
By: GZYL - 13th February 2002 at 20:10
RE: B26 query
It has two different sets of bomb doors I know that… I think it has one bomb bay though… I’m not certain, because it seems strange top have two sets of bomb doors for the same bay.
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February 13, 2002 at 7:49 pm