B-26
 

Does anyone know of a kit or any plans to a B-26. Price is not a factor. I would like a kit better because i am an intermediate builder.

B-26
 

Cessna26:

Which B-26?

The "Real" Martin Marauder B-26, or the Douglas A-26 that was also designated B-26 (for a while, then back to A-26)?

And also, how big?

Quuite a few kits and plans for the Douglas A/B-26 in a good variety of sizes, but for the Martin pickings are slim.

Bill.

B-26
 

I do not care what model really but the b-26B (i think the b is for berkley i do not remember) but i was thinking under 100" wingspand.

B-26
 

Jerry Bates has a nice set of plans for a Martin B-26 at about 101"

B-26
 

I just looked at those plans. Do you know anyone that could cut the balsa and other stuff form me. I do no have any tools to do it or i would do it myself.

Which B-26
 

Cessna26:

The "B" model would still be a Martin, the first "Short wing" version, 65' span. The B-26C was the first 71' airplane.

And if you really don't care which one you might as well get an AeroCommander. They are all high wing planes with wing mounted engines, but otherthan being conventional airplanes they look entirely different.

Picture of the Martin plane attached. I'll try to find a Douglas picture and post that also. You can decide which you want after that.

Bill.

B-26
 

Heres a link to all the info, including kit cutters;
http://www.scaleaero.com/jerrybates.htm
The B-26 is under Group IV.
I have seen two that were built from "Precision Cut Kits", and they are both very nice.
http://www.precisioncutkits.com/

B-26
 

Bill the Martin was the one i was looking at. Do you know of any plans for that?

Douglas version
 

The caption on the picture says A-26A, but before they were sent to Thailand they were the B-26K.

In the early days of the Viet Nam war Thailand didn't want any bombers based there, so the USAF changed the B(omber)-26K to the A(ttack)-26A. If you're a politician it makes sense, to a sane human being it's ridiculous.

Bill.

B-26
 

Cessna26:

Just checked "Precision Cut Kits," they have these two "In stock,"
quick shipment upon your order:

B-26 MARAUDER J. BATES 106.5" span
B-26 B. MARAUDER PALMER 71" span

These probably are "Short" kits, meaning just the cut wood parts. You will have to supply all the stock wood sheets and blocks, hardware, etc. And the plans also have to be purchased separately.

Usually either the kit cutter or the plans supplier will have fiberglass cowlings, the clear plastic for the canopies, so forth available. And for the popular ones you can count on Robart to have (expensive) retracts for sale.

You would be well advised to make a complete listing of everything you'll need, these things get expensive in a hurry. It's easy to spend $10K before you know it.

And please, figure a twin trainer in your cost. A plane like this is WAY too hard to fly to have it as your first twin. The maiden flight could easily last no more than a few seconds, and end with a multi-thousand dollar pile of trash at the end.

But it's your time and your money, bear in mind the value of free advice. Haw.

Bill.

B-26
 

MARTIN

the USAAS designations of the production varients of this aircraft were:

B-26

B-26A

B-26C

B-26F

B-26G

AT-23 Training varient

TB-26 Target tow varient

There was a wide variety of experimental versions including one modified B-26G known as the "Middle River Stump Jumper' with tandem bicycle main gear for a failed Martin project (XB-51). The technology which ended up being used by Boeing for the B-47 and B-52.


DOUGLAS

The USAAF/USAF designations of the production varients of this aircraft are:

A-26B

A-26C

FA-26A

In 1948 with the changeover to the USAF and redesignation, with the martin airplanes no longer in service the still in service A versions became:

B-26B

B-26C

In 1962 a much modified attack version by On Mark engineering
was designated:

A-26A and later a COIN version became the:

B-26K

Like the Martin aircraft there were many one off experimentals and the most interesting here was the XA-26F with a General Electric J-31 turbojet in the fuselage that reached 413 mph with a payload. Wouldn,t this make an interesting scale project.

John

B-26
 

Here's a pic of the model of the one Bill postsed a picture of. Personally, I'm partial to the B-26K/A-26A version by On Mark. There were only 40 of those made. On Mark Engineeering converted them from original B-26 airframes.
Randy

B-26
 

Randy:

Pretty airplane.

I also think the Douglas plane is the prettier of the two, so long as it's the "Glass" nose version. The "K" model just looked like a bulldog, and while well suited to the purpose, they're not terribly good looking.

I have a picture of a beautiful Douglas glass nose, I'll try to compress it to the point of being able to post it, then come back and do it.

Bill.

B-26
 

JohnBuckner:

I think there were also a very few Martin B-26B models, the last ones with the 65' wing. The Martin "C" had the 71' wing.

And didn't we have a conversation a while back about these planes?

Bill.

Glass Nose A/B-26
 

Here's a nice nose on a Douglas.

Bill.

B-26
 

Definitely a nice set of noses---er, yea, nice nose!
Years ago, Denny Lynch would have one of his B-26 fire bombers stationed here at the airport for fighting forest fires. I liked to go up there when they were working a fire and just hear the sound and take in the smells of those R-2800's when they came in for a turn around. Brought back lots of memories. Nothin' like em.
Randy

"If God had intended for airplane engines to be flat, Pratt & Whitney would have made them that way."

B-26
 

Yup I inadventanty skipped that one on the list. And according to 'Janes' the B-26B (Martin) was the most produced varient of the line.

The first ten B-26B's were the short wing and the remainder were the new wing.

It would be so niffty for a scale entrant to do either the Martin Middle River Stump Jumper with the bicycle gear or the Douglas XA-26F with the turbojet just to mess with the judges heads :cool:


John

B-26
 

rrymam what is the wingspand on your bomber picture you posted.

B-26
 

John:

Thought the type designator was changed along with the wing - all the 71' planes were "C" and later. Oh well.

Clyde (Cessna):

Randy's looks like the Palmer plan, one inch to the foot, 71" span.

Bill.

B-26
 

For some reason, the few R/C Marauders I have been fortunate to see didn't survive more than a handful of flights, apparently it's a b**** to fly when there is a problem. The A-26 seems to be a lot better to fly as a model, they seem to be a little more forgiving when an engine quits. I would love to have a B-26 (have the Wing Manufacturing A-26), but it's a lot of work and too pretty for the few flights it may have. Hopefully you will get some R/C B-26 fliers (or X-flyers) to give you some advice to build and fly one succesfully, we need to see more of them in the hobby.

B-26
 

Ok here is a nice set up for ya.


A Palmer A-26B 81" plane that uses .40's


http://www.mag-web.com/rc-modeler/palmer/media/plan.jpg

Link to palmer plans

As far as kit cutters Laser Lizard has great prices but it's just for the cut parnts not for all the wood you need.

Laser Lizard

Then there is ALL American Kit Cutters. They have Palmer kits in stock and ready to go.

ALL AMERICAN KIT CUTTERS

B-26
 

Cessna,
The A-26 had a 96" span. (note the "had"). It was built from plans by
M.C. Bealeiu, not sure I got that last name right. Anyway, I bought the plans for it from him in 1983, and collected the canopies, fiberglass cowls, tail cones, nose, etc from other places. Took me until about 1999 to get started on it. It was basically modelled after the two remaining A-26's of it's type, one of which is at the AF Museum in Dayton, #676, and #666 is on display at Hurlburt Field.
I have the privilege of having worked on both of them in the mid-sixties when they were flying out of Thailand.
This was my first effort at building from plans. It turned out weighing 20# with 880 sq. in. of wing. Despite that, and the fact that on the two flights I got out of it I never really got the engine thrust/trim issues resolved completely, it flew surprisingly well for the wing loading. Lost it last Memorial day when the "critical engine" thing caught up with me. The left engine abruptly quit with about 6' of altitude right after lift off. It was in the ground before I even realized the engine had quit. Fuse is still in one piece, wing in 3 pieces. I at least have video of the first two flights.
Short comings of it was a one piece wing, and balsa spars on the outboard sections.
I'm considering one of the Don Smith Plans now. The major problem I've seen with any other A-26 is that the wing is so out of proportion from the full size ones, that it just doesn't look right.
Randy

B-26
 

Bash-Ace:

When a full size airplane is a bear to fly, a scale model is usually even more so.

The Marauder was known as the "Widow-Maker," the "Baltimore W***e," "No visible means of support," that last goes with the Baltimore W...

At the primary crew trining base in Florida they said "One a day in Tampa Bay."

As people became more familiar with the plane, and really learned how to fly it, the loss rate went way down. In fact, the Martin B-26 ended WW-2 with the lowest operational loss rate of ANY allied airplane.

But it took a long time to learn how to fly it safely. That same problem is most likely why models of the plane don't survive - no one has had one long enough to really learn the plane.

Here's another picture of the Martin.

Bill.

B-26
 

I manufacturer the Cowls for the Jerry bates B-26, and am currently making the tooling for a set of fiberglass nacelles to go along with the fiberglass cowls. Out of all of Jerry's designs, I believe I make more B-26 cowls than any other design. This must mean that this is a pretty good design. He sent me the plans in order the make the nacelle plugs, and they are very complete and well laid out. I had no problem with the nacelle. The nacelle should be available, from Jerry, not me, in about a month. Again, contact Jerry, not Bob Sealy.

B-26
 

Bill....

I remember a good story about the Marauder in Jimmy Doolittle's autobiography "I could never be so lucky again". He stated that the USAAF brass sent him down to Florida to help the crews learn how to fly the beast. Well, on his 1st flight he killed one engine just after takeoff and flew 3 or 4 patterns all single-engine. After landing he said that it was one of the best planes he had ever flown. Loss rates started to improve after this.

Truly a great pilot and leader.

Beau