1:144 B-26 Marauders

A machine that first had to prove its reputation

The Martin B-26 entered service with the label of a dangerous aircraft, because its small wing area called for high speeds on the approach. Once the crews got used to that, the opposite turned out to be true: over Western Europe it ended with the lowest loss rate of all the American bomber types.

The subjects are four particular machines from the groups operating from English bases:

• 42-96205 Hamilton Hey Maker II - codes KX-N, 558th Squadron of the 387th Group, Chipping Ongar 1944
• 42-95808 Idiots Delight - codes O8-C, 575th Squadron of the 391st Group
• 42-96099 Slow Starter - codes 4T-L, 585th Squadron of the 394th Group
• 42-96026 Victory Read - codes K5-B, 584th Squadron of the 394th Group

The last three machines come from groups that in 1944 supported the Normandy landings with attacks on bridges and transport junctions. The dates and the bases are given directly for the first aircraft, and for the others they follow from the unit they belonged to.

For a modeler who collects subjects by base, the sheet is attractive also because three of the four machines flew from southern English field airfields built in a hurry for operations over the Channel. Their codes therefore come up again and again in period photographs and in unit records.

Before applying them, clear-coating the surface with a gloss layer is recommended. Separate the marking from the paper with a short soak; a moistened brush will manage the transfer better than tweezers. In this scale the code letters are barely a few millimeters, so settle them one at a time and keep checking that they are parallel to the panel line of the fuselage.