In Air Transport Canada there is a very interesting photo of a B-26 Marauder at Dorval, Canada. The Marauder is pollished natural metal with either a solid or painted over nose. It has the writting “Heelzapoppin” on the nose. Because the photo only shows the first 1/3 of the aircraft it doesn’t give any more details…but it appears to be carrying a RAF roundel on the top of the wing. After some research, it appears that the aircraft was used as a transport by 45 Group Communications Flight (later 231 Squadron) at Dorval. At least one source lists the serial as FK105. Sadly this isn’t a Marauder serial, but a Stearman. So I’ve been trying to track down Marauder II serials. On option is FB405, but there is conflict on if this is a valid Marauder II serial. Some sources say the RAF got 123 Marauder IIs and some say only 100. Most of these aircraft went to the SAAF for use with the Desert Air Force. Can anyone confirm just how many RAF Marauder IIs there were, what the serial range was, and/or what the serial was of the 45 Group Marauder or for that matter any more information on this airplane?
Thank you very much
Jim
By: Arabella-Cox - 23rd May 2008 at 16:18
SAAF Maurauder
My father flew in Marauders, SAAF 24 Squadron, in North Africa in 1943. He had a quite exciting raid on the 24th February, attacked by Me109’s and having the aircraft shot-up badly. The landing back at base was spectacular and the crew was lucky to walk away from the wreckage. My father drew a sketch of the aircraft.
By: Arabella-Cox - 19th February 2008 at 22:25
RAF Marauder II
My Father was in 45 Group RAF (Dorval) and did a couple of Maurader deliveries with the RAF.
He was a member of the RAAF (Flt Lt Philip McQuellin)and trained in Canada as part of the BCATP and in his log book it details these deliveries with F/O Large and the aircraft serials.
2 deliveries
1. Date 24-05-1944 B26 HD 525 arriving 30-05-1944
2. Date 08-06-1944 B 26 HD 577 arriving 24-06-1944
The flights commenced in Nassau with the destinations being Accra (Ghana).
Via Borinquin (Puerto Rico) ,Atkinson (Atkinson Field, Guyana),Belem (Northern Brazil),Natal in North Eastern Brazil, Ascension(Island) to Accra with flight times of 33.30mins
The Log book does not detail what the Mauraders were doing after their deliveries to Ghana.
The crews were returned by the USA ATC in C 87’s or RAF B 24
Hope this helps Chris.
By: DaveF68 - 17th February 2008 at 17:16
Jim
Might it be FK115, a Marauder 1 that one source says served with 45 Group Communications Flight?
This aircraft was delivered to the RAF in June 1942 and struck off charge in July 1945.
Paul
As the person who gave Jim the original FK105 serial (From Air Britains original RAF Support units book), I’ve done a little more research:
FK105 is a typo in the AB book, other sources give it as FK115 – A Maurader 1 (or 1A – sources differ at present) – Bauger* lists it as a B-26A-1, serial 43-7391. It is listed as being with 45 Gp Comms Squadron from July 42 until it became 231 Sqn in Sept 44, then with that unit until July 45 (which also matches with it’s disposal date on the)
As for Jim’s belief it was a II, some mk Is (and certainly the MKIAs) seem to have been fitted with the enlarged intakes
By: Paulbarry - 12th February 2008 at 08:11
Jim
Might it be FK115, a Marauder 1 that one source says served with 45 Group Communications Flight?
This aircraft was delivered to the RAF in June 1942 and struck off charge in July 1945.
Paul
By: wieesso - 11th February 2008 at 19:36
‘A ship in trouble was always glad to see the Channel … better to ditch there than bail out over enemy territory … short hop across then on to home base… The one with a smoking engine is “Hellzapoppin 2 of 555th Sqn” has to sweat out making the crossover. If they had to bail out over water… the chances of a rescue by the Sea Rescue service was excellent.’
http://vancell.pages.web.com/id11.html
By: contrailjj - 11th February 2008 at 19:26
Jim,
spotted that same photo of Hellsapoppin you described (same book on my shelf). There’s also 2 camouflaged examples depicted in another Dorval photo from 1942 in Canada’s Air Force at War and Peace (Vol 1) pages 156-157 – the nearer of the 2 appears to wear USAAC-style Green over Grey scheme with wavy demarcation – the distant aircraft appears to have a tarpaulin wrapped around the cockpit/nose area.
James
By: wieesso - 11th February 2008 at 19:08
Jim,
‘The RAF received 123 B-26C-30-MOs under the designation Marauder II. Serials were FB400 through FB522. 100 of them (FB418 through FB517) were delivered to the South African Air Force, and formed the initial equipment of Nos 12, 21, 24, 25, and 30 Squadrons. As part of the Desert Air Force, they supported the Allied force in the invasion of Italy.’
http://home.att.net/~jbaugher2/b26_8.html
‘The RAF designation for 123 aircraft of the B-26C, delivered under the Lend-Lease Act.’
http://www.xs4all.nl/~fbonne/warbirds/ww2htmls/martb26.html#martb26verstab
‘The RAF used the B-26 Marauder exclusively in the Mediterranean theater, using none in the European theater except the first three, (FK109-FK111). The original RAF 52 B-26s were Marauder l’s (serials FK109-FK160). By the end of 1943, 45 of these had arrived in Cairo ferried by No. 45 Group RAFFC, 113 Wing. 19 B-26A- l’s (FK362-FK379) were delivered as Marauder IA’s. By late summer 1944 Marauder III’s were being delivered. 100 were B-26F-2’s (HD402-HD501). 75 were B26G-1 I’s (1-11) 602-1-113676). 75 were B-26G-2 I’s (HD 677-HD 751). The 521 ordered by the RAF were built to
British specifications.’
http://www.b-26marauderarchive.org/NL/Thunder/V10/V10N1.pdf
Found only a P-38, a B-24D and a Curtiss P-40K with “Hellzapoppin” noseart … and a B-17 with “Hellsapoppin”
Martin
By: Deryck - 11th February 2008 at 17:09
An RCAF friend of mine, now long since dead, was a navigator on B-26, Marauders, he spent his war service ferrying them across the South Atlantic to Africa.
He was based in the Caribean someplace.
Sorry, I cant be of any further help.
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February 11, 2008 at 2:20 pm