Plane ID?
Posted by Euphoric-War5361@reddit | aviation | View on Reddit | 47 comments
Was driving home and passed this hangar holding what I think is a WWII bomber?? Only because the hatch under the wing looks like it droops a payload and there is also a bubble sight glass just in front of it although I don’t think you could see the ground? Looks to be a private hangar too and being “restored” but not sure. Also seems to be mostly one “set” of tools, if you can call the volume that, plus one area of work so possibly a (rich) enthusiast?
teastain@reddit
I thought it was a B-26 Invader!
strat-fan89@reddit
No, that's the Douglas A-26! Only one letter off, but not a very different plane!
Ringtur5@reddit
Crazy fing the best I've seen is a 747Sp
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Drove by not knowing anything about it, looked cool and old so I had to double back and hop out. Looked like a bomber like I said so figured I’d ask here! Got so much more information than I expected to all for my first spot lol
Inspi@reddit
Pretty sure that's Fred.
WizardMelcar@reddit
Are you sure it’s not George?
Inspi@reddit
Could be. They all look the same. ^^I'm ^^going ^^to ^^hell.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
I see your from Florida, have any relation to MacDill back in the day??
DoomsdayToast@reddit
B-26 Marauder
SnooSongs8218@reddit
Yep, ole one a day, into Fort Lauderdale bay... It was a very high performance aircraft with unforgiving tendencies to careless pilots. Pilots either loved it or hated it. Though plenty were lost in training accidents, it had one of the highest survival rates in combat, probably because it was faster than most other bombers at the time, thus less time to intercept by Luftwaffe fighters.
kingtacticool@reddit
I'm sure the high learning curve had something to do with it too.
SnooSongs8218@reddit
United States, At the beginning of the war in 1942, flight training lasted nine months, with 65 hours of primary training and 75 hours of basic and advanced training. That's your basic, night, instrument, single engine, multiple engine, all weather complex aircraft instruction rolled into less than 150 hours total time. 15,000 US pilots were lost in training accidents in WW2, while only 22,948 pilots were lost in combat.
kingtacticool@reddit
Trial by fire. Sink or swim.
I understand the philosophy. We were playing catch-up in skill and number to both the Japanese and the Germans. Couldn't afford the airframes on people who shouldn't be in the cockpit in the first place.
And yes, I am fully aware of how ridiculous that sounds from some idiot armchair general 80 years from when the shit went down.
It worked tho, didn't it?
SnooSongs8218@reddit
It worked, but for the record, I have 873 hours total time, mostly in taildraggers, split between J-3 Cub and Stinson 108-3. I know that I don't have the skills myself to fly a fast complex aircraft. I personally knew many world war 2 pilots and have nothing but the deepest respect for them. I had the privilege to take care of them at one point or another during my health care career, so much of my love of WW2 aviation has come from second hand accounts from these old pilots, all of the ones I've met are now gone. I have been a member of the Experimental Aircraft Association since 1976. The first year I attended the annual airshow with my Father at Oshkosh Wisconsin, which is considered Mecca by many pilots. I spend time now on Reddit to kill time because I have too much of it with my own failing health, so forgive my ramblings. To those who serve and have served, My thanks to you all.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Wow, thank you! Never seen any WW planes till this, very cool
Super206@reddit
Only 6 or so of the B-26 still exist, and only 1 of them flies. Extremely rare bird.
OCFlier@reddit
The circular fuselage tells you that it’s a B26. Very few of them around anymore 😕
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Hopefully this one makes it through restoration then!
OCFlier@reddit
Indeed! I was based at CNO when they restored the one that ultimately went to Kermit Weeks and was lost in an accident. Now that I’m based at CCB, I’m going to fly over and see this one in progress. Dad was a B/N in these, based in Europe.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Peeling back many layers of history and involvement here after reading yours and all the other comments. I haven’t heard anything about an accident with Week’s? Was the plane damaged beyond repair? Very cool that you were there at the same time though! Your dad is a legend!
I’m hoping to get in touch with “Pat Rodger’s” too if I can because I live very close to the airport and would love to get involved with the restoration after learning so much already.
OCFlier@reddit
https://387bg.com/Aircraft/B-26%20Carolyn%20-%20NTSB%20report.htm
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Read the whole thing, sounds like the pilot stalled it above 5500 and maybe couldn’t get the engine(s) started again which is why they pinged it below altitude and witnesses heard sputtering, trying to get it started again. Odd that there was no distress call put out by them though. And a hard right before impact seems off. Even with the extended wings, it didn’t maneuver well at low speeds, the pilot and co had to know this so maybe they were aiming for a better landing zone? I guess we’ll never know. RIP to the five on board. Would love to see this 26 airborne now for them but maybe just one last voyage before going on display.
AWildAndWoolyWastrel@reddit
Just to confuse OP more, it's the B-26 Marauder as u/DoomsdayToast posted - there was also the Douglas B-26 Invader, originally designated the A-26.
InitiativePale859@reddit
Wasn't it the b-26 the one that called the Widowmaker
aether_42@reddit
I think you might be thinking about the P-61 Black Widow. The aircraft referred to by media as the Widowmaker is typically the F-104 Starfighter(specifically in West German service, where it was also called the ground nail). This particular aircraft is a B-26 Marauder.
muuurikuuuh@reddit
B-26 was definitely known as the Widowmaker, especially in its early years. More famous "Widowmaker" than the F-104
SnooSongs8218@reddit
Yep, B-26 used the NACA 0017-64 airfoil of 168" chord at the root tapering to a NACA 0010-64 airfoil of 56" chord at the wingtips, which was considered a god airfoil for speed but led to the recommendation for the pilots to fly the approach at 130 mph all the way to touchdown, because VMC, or speed of minimal single engine controllability was a fair bit above the stall speed, and multiple aircraft were lost when aircraft rolled instantly into the dead engine on powerloss. Flight testing revealed that 130 mph allowed enough margin for safety. There an old flight training video on YouTube that shows the steep approach Recommended, with the aircraft being flown with power all the way to a near flareless landing.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Wow, cool to know
aether_42@reddit
Interesting! I never knew about this one, I'm mostly familiar with the Starfighter.
Comfortable-Dish1236@reddit
The B-26 was also referred to as The Widowmaker.
“After entering service with the United States Army aviation units, the aircraft quickly received the reputation of a “widowmaker” due to the early models’ high accident rate during takeoffs and landings. This was because the Marauder had to be flown at precise airspeeds, particularly on final runway approach or when one engine was out. The unusually high 150 mph (241 km/h) speed on short final runway approach was intimidating to many pilots who were used to much slower approach speeds, and when they slowed to speeds below those stipulated in the manual, the aircraft would often stall and crash.
The B-26 became a safer aircraft once crews were retrained, and after aerodynamics modifications (an increase of wingspan and wing angle-of-incidence to give better takeoff performance, and a larger vertical stabilizer and rudder). The Marauder ended World War II with the lowest loss rate of any U.S. Army Air Forces bomber.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Woah, sad for those who died when they were first introduced. And their “widows”
ElephantSure4319@reddit
Yes. Smaller wing surface meant higher speed landings. Read somewhere that Doolittle had some WASP's do a flight demo for some student pilots as they were reluctant to fly it due to its reputation. Actually, it's a good plane, but I still prefer the B-25.
kingtacticool@reddit
That's badass.
"These clowns are skered. Call the chicks in. They'll show em how it's done."
2015Eh8@reddit
I believe the P-61 might have been too?
THXHVAC@reddit
Got B26 vibes
StellaSlayer2020@reddit
My next door neighbor was an FBI agent and former pilot of B-26 in the European Theater.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Awesome! Wonder what he does for them
StellaSlayer2020@reddit
Well, he’s passed on. Never knew what he did for the Bureau. His son retired as an agent himself. He was able to get us both on Beale AFB back in the early 70s. We were able to watch personally air crews suit up and then take off in an SR-71 and a U2 on the same day. It was only later did I fully realize how lucky I was to witness such a sight.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Super cool! Pretty jealous, note to the wise, get to know your neighbors
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Thank you to everyone who commented! I’m going to try and get in contact with the team restoring it!
Wingnut150@reddit
B-26. Had no idea someone was trying to put one back together.
They were known by a few names and monikers. My favorite was "One a day in Tampa bay". They trained in Tampa during the war and splash ins were frequent
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Yes apparently the Navy had their work cutout for them on the home front as well picking up downed airmen off the coast lol
Odd_Low_7301@reddit
Martin B-26 Marauder. As was said during the war years: “One a day in Tampa Bay!” Look it up.
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Super interesting read about MacDill and the planes shaky start. Had to get the engineers out on the tarmac lol super cool that they brought in WASP’s to shame the men too
rhit06@reddit
Specifically this looks like a bit of a "franken-plane" under restoration in Murrieta California. This site has some details on some of the airframes being used: https://vintageaviationnews.com/aviation-museum-news/martin-marauder-at-french-valley-airport-bound-for-pima.html
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Thank you so much!! I want to study aerospace engineer and this article was just the lead I was looking for
Euphoric-War5361@reddit (OP)
Sorry if I used the wrong tag, first time here although I do like planes