Martin B-26 getting her wings!

[RickH]

Like I said, hide and watch!

Director of Operations for The Collings Foundation

Really dude ? What part of this don't you get ?

[Rocketeer]

On a technical path - the Martin B-26 Marauder and the Douglas A-26 Invader are both powered by Pratt & Whitney R-2800s, and both aircraft were built for a similar purpose - why is it that the Marauder had four-bladed propellers, and the Invader had three-bladed propellers? Usually it seems as technology and efficiency increases, propeller blades are added, not taken away. Did this have something to do with Martin having access to Curtiss Electric propellers, and Douglas using a different company's (Hamilton Standard?) ?

[bdk]

Engines and props were usually government furnished equipment, as were radios. My guess is that it was a matter of allocation of resources. Also, if an aircraft is tested with one set of props, you generally don't switch due to the expense of redoing much of the flight test. A switch in the number of blades can have an effect on stability.

[RickH]

Both aircraft used R-2800s but not the same dash number. Different gear ratios abounded with in the R2800 family.

[jmkendall]

I agree with a whole heart that we need to keep this civilized.

I only point out two things.

The first is that kmiles first post has a lot of qualifiers; the main one being "finalized". Anyone that has completed,even, basic interviewing techniques will tell you; is that the innocent, almost always, make an affirmative statement.

Meaning that they say "I didn't do it". It is always a cue when someone uses qualifiers. It doesn't mean they did not do it. It just means they probably did do it. Note the use of probably.

Just playing Devil's Advocate; while noting that either way someone's credibility will approach zero with time.

[SaxMan]

Am I the only one who is duly impressed that Collings' Director of Operations is on our Forum? Welcome!

As far as the "Bated" or "baited" argument...I figured "Baited Breath" was a reference to the most famous B-26 of all "Flak Bait"

[Jerry O'Neill]

Well......just hide and watch.

I guess I could hide and watch, or I could come to work every day as the Director of Operations for The Collings Foundation and get my knowledge first hand and not count on 2nd or 3rd hand rumors or an online forum for my information.

Ken, you're awesome!
Jerry

[JimH]

so as "chief pilot" I asked Ken to confirm or deny this rumor...he said that there have been conversations with the Tallichet family...which I knew...BUT nothing has been agreed upon, therefore it sits in Akron awaiting a buyer. Ken works in our office with both Rob and Bob Collings, and in this organizaation there is no grey area whether pr not the aquisition has taken place.

Jim

[Taigh Ramey]

Jim,

Please put me on the schedule for the Martin B-26. I'm available until October 2037 with an option for longer. I want to be the Mac of the Marauder!

First dibs!!

[DH82EH]

Yeah Jim,
If you've read any of Taighs' restoration thread on the Lockheed, you can tell that he's a guy that has nothin' to do
Between casting parts out of aluminum and finding radios and racks out of unobtainium he must be bored out of his tree
The one thing without question regarding Taighs' thread is that he gets stuff done!
We are all waiting with "Flak baited" breath on this one. Best of luck Taigh!


Andy Scott

[kalamazookid]

so as "chief pilot" I asked Ken to confirm or deny this rumor...he said that there have been conversations with the Tallichet family...which I knew...BUT nothing has been agreed upon, therefore it sits in Akron awaiting a buyer. Ken works in our office with both Rob and Bob Collings, and in this organizaation there is no grey area whether pr not the aquisition has taken place.

Jim

Is the aircraft for sale? Or is the Tallichet family simply willing to entertain offers for the aircraft?

[Steve Nelson]

..and just what are the terms under which MAPS has custody of the aircraft? As much as I'd love to see a flying Marauder, it'd be a pity for the gang in Akron to have done all that work over the past couple of decades only to have the project sold out from under them.

SN

[Mark Allen M]

This thread has been quite interesting and I certainly wish nothing but the best for whatever direction the B-26 in question takes. Whether it becomes a flyer with the Collings group or whether it stays where it is. As long as it's cared for I'm happy either way. As for rumors about possibly where it will go and why, the responsible approach is to wait and see what happens. I read the quote below this morning and find it to be appropriate for this site (as well as all internet forums) and fit my personality for a while until I wizened up.

"I recently heard three words: "Just shut up." "Maybe it's being older; maybe that's just a tiny tag of wisdom, that you've got to think about something before you say something. I once thought that somehow, with internet forums, also comes the inherent right to say whatever the f*ck I want regardless of whether I'm right or wrong or think that anybody needs to hear it or should hear it." "it's just as bad and feels just as foolish to type nonsense as it does to say nonsense"

The recently awol JDK once PM'd me to state the same three words. With my ego I would rarely take anyone's advice , but as with the statement above 'age and wisdom' usually go hand in hand. (usually) This site is a valuable place for warbird minded people to share and learn, as well as enjoy, and trust me, even though many 'heavy hitters' in the warbird world no longer post here on WIX for whatever reasons that are theirs alone, I'm confident they still lurk consistently (how could they not with all the photos I post ... )

Some of these Collings folks are still an active part of WIX and it's nice that we get to share our passion with them, let's try not to push them away as well. Respect their thoughts on matters that involve their organization. They seem to be quite good at sharing the happenings of what they are up to with us here on WIX. Who knows I still may be able to see a VF-11 painted Hellcat some day

[C VEICH]

Who knows I still may be able to see a VF-11 painted Hellcat some day

A bit of a thread derailment but isn't the Palm Springs Hellcat done up in VF-11 colors? (Even if not particularly accurate ones!)

[DH82EH]

Very well put Mark!
I've heard it phrased, and even taken advantage of, "never pass up an opportunity to keep your mouth shut!"
There is a lot of wisdom in that.
A big thanks to the Collings foundation for sharing what they do with us
Time will tell, and if we don't "P" them off, they'll probably share.

Andy Scott