Martin B-26 getting her wings!

PinecastleAAF · **Joined:** Fri May 25, 2007 4:50 pm **Posts:** 1028

As rare as Marauders are maybe it should be known as the Multi Million Dollar Valley now. I would love to see one fly, never got to see the F of F example in the air.

JohnH · **Posted:** Wed Jul 11, 2012 7:02 pm

Today's an anniversary, Kermit's Marauder seen above, B-26 1464 N4297J was accepted by the Army Air Force on July 11, 1941. Tallichet and co-pilot Roscoe Diehl made the first post restoration flight on April 18, 1992, the one day I decided not to go and hang out at Chino.

Chappie · **Joined:** Wed Dec 19, 2007 9:40 am **Posts:** 987

vlado wrote:

Could this airframe be returned to flight status?...........

Just curious.
Thx,
VL

That's always my first question as well. These aircraft should fly whenever possible.

Chappie

hang the expense · **Posted:** Fri Aug 10, 2012 4:08 pm

JohnH wrote:

Today's an anniversary, Kermit's Marauder seen above, B-26 1464 N4297J was accepted by the Army Air Force on July 11, 1941. Tallichet and co-pilot Roscoe Diehl made the first post restoration flight on April 18, 1992, the one day I decided not to go and hang out at Chino.

Hey John,IIRC The test flight was conducted by Carl and Tony of aerotrader back in the day.Check with them to be sure.They said that thing would go like the dickens and it just wouldnt climb for nothin.What a absolutely georgous airplane.We worked on that thing for years and I enjoyed every minute of it.

The Inspector · **Posted:** Sat Aug 11, 2012 1:36 pm

pontiac58 wrote:

Ive searched, googled, and everything else i can think of. Whats the history on this bird? 70 years of not being on her gear thats a story.

1459 is l/n 100 in B-26 production

JohnH · **Posted:** Sat Aug 11, 2012 3:21 pm

hang the expense wrote:

JohnH wrote:

Today's an anniversary, Kermit's Marauder seen above, B-26 1464 N4297J was accepted by the Army Air Force on July 11, 1941. Tallichet and co-pilot Roscoe Diehl made the first post restoration flight on April 18, 1992, the one day I decided not to go and hang out at Chino.

Hey John,IIRC The test flight was conducted by Carl and Tony of aerotrader back in the day.Check with them to be sure.They said that thing would go like the dickens and it just wouldnt climb for nothin.What a absolutely georgous airplane.We worked on that thing for years and I enjoyed every minute of it.

Tony and Carl did their own flight after their rebuild but you are thinking of the Post Tallichet era. It was flown a couple of times by Dave and Ross and once with Ross and George Rivera for a photo flight with me on August 5 1993. Dave and Ross flew it on April 18, 1992 to March Field, where it stayed for about a year then they got it back to Chino. I don't think it made much more than the three flights mentioned here before it's sale to Weeks in June/ July 94. It took about three years of re working, before Tony and Carl got it back up again. I have video and pics of the first flight from people who were there. It just killed me that i missed it, but it was made up for later getting to take air to air. These were published a few weeks later in Pacific Flyer and Flypast. I just don't like to post them on the net. I guess I would need to come up with a water mark. Once this stuff is posted its viral and gone for good. I was the first to take air to air if it , and that was a just dumb luck coincidence. My buddy said hey let's go to Chino tomorrow and I didn't want to go. Ross Diehl knew me and was having lunch at Flos where we ( thank god!!!! ) decided to eat. He decided we needed some pics, arranged a photo plane and away we went . They had some mechanical issues and cut the flight short but we got our pics and video. One of the most thrilling days of my life-others got air to air years later but I'm the first to do it. Also on May 2, 1991, Tallichet tried to do a public first flight with tons of invited guests and tv media, and guest Howard Smiley, who was the Ww2 pilot and they sadly had mechanical issues so couldn't.

Pilots of 1464 in order of appearance:

William Dancer

Howard Smiley

David Tallichet

Ross Diehl

George Rivera

Carl Scholl

Tony Ritzman

Kermit Weeks

Sorry I don't know who helped Kermit fly it home or during its brief run of shows after.

Oh and since this flys with the nose of B-26 1501, Glenn Doolittle should be listed as well, don't have his co pilots name on hand.

gary1954 · **Posted:** Thu Nov 15, 2012 3:47 pm

this is all cool and stuff, but I sure would like to have one actually flying

bombadier29 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 272

Too bad they had to scratch build flaps for their B-26. I've heard there is a complete set of original ones along with a lot of other Marauder parts in a CAF storage building in Midland.

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Tue Nov 20, 2012 3:10 pm

TriangleP wrote:

For Facebook folks, there's a photo on MAPS Facebook of the the port main having its wheel attached here http://www.facebook.com/groups/29850301 ... =1&theater

It's always suprising to me that nobody at MAPS or in Ohio has taken the initiative to faithfully document the reconstruction of this rare bomber. Maybe its a situation where the old guys are doing the work, but no young ones to take the pics to post on the internet. There's only been occasional photos like this one. I appreciate these a lot as they are relatively rare, but it seems to be only hit or miss...anybody in Ohio interested in photographing and posting the work thats been done so far?

TriangleP, I will try to get over that way within the next week or two. If I'm not mistaken there are other WIX members who are a lot closer than I am, don't know if any of them would be able to stop in and see whats new! I really am curious as to the status of their A-26 too!!!

cooper9411 · **Posted:** Wed Nov 21, 2012 12:28 am

Will do what I can. :drink3:

gary1954 · **Posted:** Sun Nov 25, 2012 7:58 am

bombadier29 wrote:

Too bad they had to scratch build flaps for their B-26. I've heard there is a complete set of original ones along with a lot of other Marauder parts in a CAF storage building in Midland.

if that is true.......imagine that :axe:

C VEICH · **Joined:** Sun Nov 15, 2009 12:40 pm **Posts:** 1471

gary1954 wrote:

bombadier29 wrote:

Too bad they had to scratch build flaps for their B-26. I've heard there is a complete set of original ones along with a lot of other Marauder parts in a CAF storage building in Midland.

if that is true.......imagine that :axe:

The CAF Marauder was a long winged B-26C variant though, which I imagine is the version they would have collected parts for. Are the flaps the same on the long and short winged Marauders?

Rocketeer · **Joined:** Wed Jan 26, 2011 6:16 pm **Posts:** 195

Unfortunately the Marauder was one of the most unappreciated war birds, even though it is a great airplane. I'm sad to hear work has stopped on the Marauder at Pima, but congratulations to MAPS for making progress on this Marauder.

I believe this aircraft would still be a great candidate to make airworthy - I hope nothing is done to prevent it from flying again.

How does the interior look so far? I always liked the design of the B-26, and that unlike the B-25, one can actually walk through the bomb bay to the aft section of the fuselage.

bombadier29 · **Joined:** Sun Jan 29, 2012 9:17 pm **Posts:** 272

I understand that the Collings Foundation has purchased this B-26 and will make it fly.

Rocketeer · **Joined:** Wed Jan 26, 2011 6:16 pm **Posts:** 195

bombadier29 wrote:

I understand that the Collings Foundation has purchased this B-26 and will make it fly.

Really? WOW!!!

That is a dream come true! I would absolutely love to see the Marauder fly next to the Collings B-17 and B-24!

Warbird Information Exchange

Martin B-26 getting her wings!

Who is online