Beau:

Doolittle loved the B-25. Then he got a ride in the Martin B-26. And ever after that he fought for its retention in production, going against Harry Truman and his Senate committee's recommendation to stop production.

But it was still a bear to fly. You have to note that Doolittle was one whale of a fine pilot.

During the second world war B-17s and B-24s were commanded by lieutenants with a total of 100 hours time. Put a 100 hour pilot in a B-26 you'd probably lose him, the airplane, and the rest of the crew.

Just as the P-38 had a bad reputation until Tony LeVier started going to the various training bases, showing what the plane really could do, Doolittle showed the Martin in a very good light.

I have that Doolittle book. John Glenn thinks he's the greatest, (just ask the arrogant ass) but Glenn wouldn't make the proverbial pimple on Doolittle's twat.

Bill.

Bill

I agree with that! My students have close to 100 hrs when done with T-37s. Most just have a hard time keeping up with the jet, let alone 2 huge radials and a crew to worry about.

Now I'm going to have to go out and buy that book.

Beau

Beau:

From your reference to Doolittle's "I could never be so lucky again" I thought you had the book.

To help you find it, it's Bantam, ISBN 0-553-58464-2. This is the paperback. www.bantamdell.com or Amazon. You don't have to go out to buy it, just whip out the plastic and the keyboard.

And I went into it, he doesn't say a lot about the B-26, but he does mention feathering one engine while on the take off roll at the Florida base. Not after he was already in the air.

Then later, in North Africa, he took Paul Tibbets for a ride, and even did a loop with one engine out. That was the same Paul Tibbets who gave the Japs their first lesson about nuclear power in 1945.

Bill.

Bill,

I guess my memory was a little fuzzy on the exact details. But it sure sounded good! Thanks for the correction.

I read the book when I was in college, 5 or 6 years ago. Actually borrowed it from the library. I think it was even autographed by Doolittle himself (USAFA library).

Beau

Believe the plans on top are for an A-20 Havoc.

Cessna26:
I have a couple of friends that have both built the Bates B-26 (about 106" span). I dont recall the exact weights but they are in the high 20 or low 30 lb. range. They have Glennis wheels and brakes and G-38's for power. In talking to them it seems that they really enjoy fling the models but the landing approach appears to be very much like the full scale (ie steep and fast). The models seem to be on rails but appear to be quite a challenge shoudl you have any engine problems. If you are interested in contacting them, send me a PM and I will provide e-mail addresses.

Bill:
One of my uncles (on my dad's side of the family) flew the B-26 C in WW II. One of my cousins got to read a lot of his letters he sent to his family while he was in training and after he went overseas. He entered pilot training in Feb 1942 and graduated in late Sept. 1942 and got checked out in the B-26C on Oct 9, 1943. At the time he graduated from flight school he had a total of 214 hours (60 hrs in the PT 17 (soloed after 8.4hours of dual), 79 hrs in the BT-13, 75 hrs split between the AT-10 and the AT-17 (bamboo bomber). Time in the B-26 was: 142 hrs as co-pilot, 138 hrs as pilot in command and 47 hrs in the Link trainer. Of the B-26 time he had 68 hrs of night flight and 42 hours instrument training. He departed the US for Europe in April 1943. He flew his first combat mission in July 1943 and was flying his 37 th mission on Jan. 21, 1944 when he was lost over Orvieto Italy. They launched 18 B-26's and of these they lost four and 11 others sustained moderate to severe damage. My uncle was the flight leader for the first flight and was flying the right wing for the group leader. When the group leader sustained major flack damage and began to descend to the left, my uncle was in the process of moving into the lead position as the group leader when the plane sustained a direct hit (flack) on the #1 engine. This hit apparently killed my uncle (pilot), the navigator, co-pilot, bombadier and the engineer and only two of the crew escaped (the tail gunner and the waist gunner). Just thought some of you might find this accont of interest. My uncle always told his sisters that if he didn't come back, he died doing what he loved, flying.
Because my uncle flew the B-26, I am kind of partial to the plane. I have a set of Bates plans and my plan is to build it and paint like my uncle's.
Ed

Ed:

Didn't you point me to a web site wtih an account of that last flight by one of the survivors? It was very interesting, you might want to post it again here.

Bill.

Bil:

I don't recall a web site but if someone else did, I would love to have them post it so I could check it out.

Ed

Hey Cesna,

I just found a ARF kit for the A-26 at this place,

Link to ARF A-26

Ed:

FINALLY I found the site for that B-26 shoot down.

http://www.flightjournal.com/articles/b-26/b-26_1.asp

Graphic. Hope it pleases you.

Bill.

found some great scale pics of a A26 from don smith plans

looks to be the model of the real one on a picture by William Robison posted in this thread

by the way the real A26 is registered in my country (Belgium)
but stationed in the Netherlands and appears at airshows
regulary

merlinII

and another one

Seeing pictures of the Martin B-26, I never thought much of it - kind of a funny looking flying cigar shaped plane.

Then, I happened to be at Kermit Week's Museum in Kissimee when he landed in the only flying B-26. Wow. Picures just do not show how sleek this plane is. What a sportscar! Reminds me of a cross between an F7F and a Mosquito ( without the plywood)

BTW - THose were also the smoothest running radials I've ever heard.

-Also saw the first & last flight of a scale model of a B-26. It was at the Winter Giants in Deland, FL. Andy Kane was flying a plane about 100" span with custom 4 blade propellers. For some reason, - maybe the trim was way out - the takeoff was quite steep and slow up to an altitude of 100 feet or so. I know I would have wanted more airspeed. Anyway, in those conditions, when one of the 4-blade props came apart there wasn't much question as to the outcome.

Johng:

I've always had the R-2800 as my favorite of favorites, it was also used in more different WW 2 military planes than any other engine, and if was not the most produced radial of all time it was close. Just a good all-round "Round" engine.

But for you and me the R-985 is a lot more practical. Last time i was involved in one, about 15 years ago now, I got a major on a 985 for $30K, that money wouldn't get you a top overhaul on a 2800.

And yes, the R-2800 was just a sweet engine. In all its variants.

MerlinII:

That is a good looking model you posted. The only things that don't look just right are the thickness of the canopy frame, and the engines look more like R-1830s. And of course the pilot needs to be out of the picture.

Bill.

I found the best prices on the A-26 at www.quantummodels.com all warbird arf's are actually low..... check it out

Bill:

Thanks for the web site. The plane they are talking about is not the one my uncle was flying. I have been a suscriber to Flight Journal since the first issue and I think that I will post a request for info on my uncles B-26. See what responses I get.

Thanks again for the info.

Ed

Ed:

When I found it again I knew it wasn't the one you wanted, wrong location and wrong engine hit.

But I thought you might be interested anyway.

Bill.