Martin Model 179

1939 WORLD WAR 2 X-PLANE

• 1 History of the Martin 179
• 2 Martin Model 179 Specification
  • 2.1 Basic
  • 2.2 Production
  • 2.3 Roles
  • 2.4 Dimensions
  • 2.5 Weight
  • 2.6 Performance
  • 2.7 Performance
  • 2.8 Armor
  • 2.9 Changes

History of the Martin 179

In early 1939, the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) developed plans for a new generation of medium bomber types, only recently embodied in the Douglas B-18 "Bolo" and B-23 "Dragon" types (the Dragon is essentially the Bolo's evolution). The March 1939 specification called for the twin-engine form to be able to fly at 300 miles per hour and 2,000 miles of range, while carrying a bomb load of up to 3,000 pounds.

Two more classic designs from WWII finally fulfilled this requirement - the North American B-25 Mitchell (NA-62) and the Martin B-26 Marauder (Type 179). Both have performed well in their respective roles, and the designs have been significantly changed from their original products to meet wartime requirements.

However, before the Type 179 became the premier B-26, it went through a period of constant change. Back in July 1939, the plane was a stately-looking twin-engine design with a deep, rounded fuselage.

The nose cover of the fuselage is fully glazed and the cockpit (which also has a heavy frame) is stepped (in line with the final B-26 still in service). The aircraft was fitted with a dual rudder tail, located slightly forward of the tapered end of the fuselage. The main-wing aircraft are shoulder-mounted on the fuselage, each with a suspended engine nacelle that drives a four-bladed propeller unit with oversized spinners.

The landing gear is a fairly modern tricycle formation with the main legs retracted into the engine nacelle and the front legs retracted under the forward fuselage. A crew of five will provide the required operators for various onboard systems, including pilots, flight engineers, bombardiers and gunners.

As recommended, the Type 179 has an overall length of 57.4 feet, a wingspan of 65 feet, and a height of 14.8 feet. The value of the MTOW is just over ?29,000.

Power comes from 2 x Pratt & Whitney (PW) R-2800-5 1,850hp radial piston air-cooled engines or 2 x 1,700hp Wright R-2600 radial engines. This arrangement was designed to provide the medium bomber with a top speed of up to 325 mph, a range of 3,000 miles and an altitude of up to 26,500 feet - all above USAAC's original requirements.

The war load reaches 2,000 lbs and can be pushed up to 2,400 lbs.

Martin's design was submitted for consideration on July 5, 1939, and was accepted by other supplying competitors. This led to a production order for 201 aircraft, in-service as the "B-26," and another production order for 930 bombers to USAAC before the actual aircraft took off.

At this point, the twin tail configuration was abandoned in favor of a single vertical tail with a pair of horizontal planes, and the overall design of the aircraft was noticeably more streamlined. In about 24 months, the "paper plane" was completed and flown into war service as the "Predator" (described in detail elsewhere on this page) - and into the history of U.S. military aviation.

Martin Model 179 Specification

Basic

Production

Roles

Dimensions

Weight

Performance

Performance

Armor

Changes