In Box Review of Monogram 1/48th Scale U.S. Martin B-26 "Marauder"
Kit no. 5501
By Ray Mehlberger
My kit is out of production. It has a copyright date of 1978. The 2010 re-release of the kit is available from a fellow in Germany on the net for 25.00 eur.
By Ray Mehlberger
My kit is out of production. It has a copyright date of 1978. The 2010 re-release of the kit is available from a fellow in Germany on the net for 25.00 eur.
HISTORY:
The Martin B-26 Marauder was an American World War II twin-engined medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company from 1941 to 1945. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe.
After entering service with the US Army, the aircraft received the reputation of a "Widowmaker" due to the early models' high accident rate during takeoffs and landings. The Marauder had to be flown at exact air speeds, particularly on final runway approach and when one engine was out. The 150 mph (241 km/h) speed on short final runway approach was intimidating to pilots who were used to much slower speeds, and whenever they slowed down to speeds below what the manual stated, the aircraft would stall and crash.
The B-26 became a safer aircraft once crews were re-trained, 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).
After aerodynamic and design changes, the aircraft distinguished itself as "the chief bombardment weapon on the Western Front" according to a United States Army Air Forces dispatch from 1946.[citation needed] The Marauder ended World War II with the lowest loss rate of any USAAF bomber.
A total of 5,288 were produced between February 1941 and March 1945; 522 of these were flown by the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force. By the time the United States Air Force was created as an independent service separate from the Army in 1947, all Martin B-26s had been retired from US service.
The Douglas A-26 Invader then assumed the B-26 designation — before officially returning to the earlier "A for Attack" designation in May 1966.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Medium bomber
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Glenn L. Martin Company
First flight: 25 November 1940
Introduction to service: 1941
Status: Retired
Primary users: U.S. Army Air Forces, Free French Air Force, Royal Air Force, South African Air Force
Produced : 1941–1945
Number built: 5,288
Unit cost: $102,659.33/B-26A
Developed into: XB-33 Super Marauder (Unbuilt)
The Martin B-26 Marauder was an American World War II twin-engined medium bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company from 1941 to 1945. First used in the Pacific Theater in early 1942, it was also used in the Mediterranean Theater and in Western Europe.
After entering service with the US Army, the aircraft received the reputation of a "Widowmaker" due to the early models' high accident rate during takeoffs and landings. The Marauder had to be flown at exact air speeds, particularly on final runway approach and when one engine was out. The 150 mph (241 km/h) speed on short final runway approach was intimidating to pilots who were used to much slower speeds, and whenever they slowed down to speeds below what the manual stated, the aircraft would stall and crash.
The B-26 became a safer aircraft once crews were re-trained, 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).
After aerodynamic and design changes, the aircraft distinguished itself as "the chief bombardment weapon on the Western Front" according to a United States Army Air Forces dispatch from 1946.[citation needed] The Marauder ended World War II with the lowest loss rate of any USAAF bomber.
A total of 5,288 were produced between February 1941 and March 1945; 522 of these were flown by the Royal Air Force and the South African Air Force. By the time the United States Air Force was created as an independent service separate from the Army in 1947, all Martin B-26s had been retired from US service.
The Douglas A-26 Invader then assumed the B-26 designation — before officially returning to the earlier "A for Attack" designation in May 1966.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Role: Medium bomber
National origin: United States
Manufacturer: Glenn L. Martin Company
First flight: 25 November 1940
Introduction to service: 1941
Status: Retired
Primary users: U.S. Army Air Forces, Free French Air Force, Royal Air Force, South African Air Force
Produced : 1941–1945
Number built: 5,288
Unit cost: $102,659.33/B-26A
Developed into: XB-33 Super Marauder (Unbuilt)
THE KIT:
Monogram is a old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, IL. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. In recent years they have become associated with Revell.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color photo of the model made up and sitting on a runway.
It is overall olive-drab with a light-gray undercarraige.
It has the white fuselage code PN star O and yellow serial no. 131773 on the rudder sides. The nose art says "Flak Bait" with hundreds of bombing mission marks.
There is a crewman standing beside it.
The box art says that the kit is molded in olive-drab and has instructions in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish included in it.
One side panel of the box has a small color repeat of the the box art and 3 color walk-around type photos of it.
The other side panel has a small color photo of the model made up in profile, over Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL, the copyright date of 1978 and MADE AND PRINTED IN THE USA, followed by the history of the B-26 in the 6 languages.
Monogram is a old prolific model company based in Morton Grove, IL. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales. In recent years they have become associated with Revell.
This kit came in a large shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The box art shows a color photo of the model made up and sitting on a runway.
It is overall olive-drab with a light-gray undercarraige.
It has the white fuselage code PN star O and yellow serial no. 131773 on the rudder sides. The nose art says "Flak Bait" with hundreds of bombing mission marks.
There is a crewman standing beside it.
The box art says that the kit is molded in olive-drab and has instructions in English, Dutch, French, German, Italian and Spanish included in it.
One side panel of the box has a small color repeat of the the box art and 3 color walk-around type photos of it.
The other side panel has a small color photo of the model made up in profile, over Monogram's address in Morton Grove, IL, the copyright date of 1978 and MADE AND PRINTED IN THE USA, followed by the history of the B-26 in the 6 languages.
WHAT'S IN THE BOX:
The kit contains 4 olive-drab trees (not in cello bags), a clear tree in a cello bag, decal sheet and instructions.
The instructions consist of a single large sheet in 22" x 17" format, printed on both sides and folded several times to fit the box.
It has the history of the B-26, international assembly symbol explanations and 32 assembly steps on it.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. However, they do have part number tabs next to the parts on them. This means a lot of searching of the trees to find the right parts for each assembly. Bad move Monogram !
Trees are large and fit the box tight.
The 1st large olive-drab tree holds: propellers, cowlings, guns, a fuselage half, landing gear struts, turret basket etc. (33 parts)
The kit contains 4 olive-drab trees (not in cello bags), a clear tree in a cello bag, decal sheet and instructions.
The instructions consist of a single large sheet in 22" x 17" format, printed on both sides and folded several times to fit the box.
It has the history of the B-26, international assembly symbol explanations and 32 assembly steps on it.
Trees are not alphabetized or illustrated in the instructions. However, they do have part number tabs next to the parts on them. This means a lot of searching of the trees to find the right parts for each assembly. Bad move Monogram !
Trees are large and fit the box tight.
The 1st large olive-drab tree holds: propellers, cowlings, guns, a fuselage half, landing gear struts, turret basket etc. (33 parts)
The 2nd large olive-drab tree holds: the other fuselage half, elevator halves, bombs, 3 crew figures, engines, tail cones, main wheels etc. (26 parts)
The 3rd large olive-drab tree holds: lower wing halves, cowlings, ladder, fire walls etc. (10 parts)
The 4th large olive-drab tree holds: upper wing halves, gear and bomb-bay doors, gun pods, cockpit floor, joy sticks, air intakes etc. (22 parts)
The clear tree holds: canopy, turret and fuselage windows in a sealed cello bag (14 parts)
The decal sheet completes the kit.
Nice detail with raised panel lines.
Highly recommended.