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Aviation History
1942
1942 - 2563.PDF
DECEMBER IOTH, 1942 IEIR CHARACTERISTICS MARTIN MARYLAND THE Martin Maryland, which has given wonderful ser vice with the R.A.F. in the Middle East, was origin ally built to a U.S. Army specification, and is known to them as the Martin 167. Some 200 of them were ordered by the French Government early in the war, and a few reached the squadrons before the capitulation, the remainder of the order being taken over by Great Britain. Incidentally, this created a first-class "spotter's head ache" during the operations in Syria, for a number of Martin 167s were being used by the Vichy French and, apart from their markings, were identical in external appearances with the R.A.F.'s Marylands, so that fighter pilots, air-gunners and A.A. crews could never be certain until the last moment (and not always then) if the approaching aircraft were friend or foe ; an understandable tendency to shoot first and argue afterwards must, on occa sions, have produced unfortunate results! In the Western Desert the Maryland proved to be a most valuable aircraft, fulfilling the roles of medium bomber, attack-bomber and reconnaissance-bomber with great effi ciency and unfailing reliability. Though not perfect, it was so good that it formed the basis, after due experience in the exacting conditions of desert action, for an improved R.A.F. specification which resulted in the production of its successor, the Martin 187, duly named the Baltimore, md which closely resembles it in many respects. DIMENSIONS OF MARYLAND Span 61ft. 4in. Length 46ft. 8in. Height lOft.Oin. Wing area 538.5 sq. ft. Although officially described as a low-wing type, the Maryland should be classified for recognition purposes as a low mid-wing, since the underside of the forward part of the fuselage projects a little below the centre-section of the wings. There is a lower gun position aft of the trailing- edge beyond which the section is reduced, while the top line of the fuselage is stepped up at the rear to the high- set tailplane. A dorsal turret and four fixed wing-guns complete its defensive armament. Maximum bomb load is 1,250 lb. in internal bomb bay. Alternatively, an auxiliary fuel tank can be housed in the bomb cell for long-range reconnaissance duties. Constructionally, the Maryland employs a semi- monocoque fuselage and wings built up on two metal box spars ; external covering is flush-riveted stressed skin except for the usual fabric covering to control surfaces. Wings and fuselage are both built in three sections, and slotted flaps are fitted. Two Pratt and Whitney 1,050 h.p. Twin Wasp radial air-cooled engines supply the power, and give a top speed of just over 300 m.p.h. at 13,000ft., a service ceiling of 29,500ft., and a cruising range of 1,300 miles at 250 m.p.h. at 11,500ft. Alternatively, two Wright Cyclone nine- cylinder i.ioo h.p. engines may be fitted, when the per formance is somewhat lower, top speed then being 288 m.p.h. at 18,500ft.
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