Mark Halstead
Mark Halstead
Ms. O’Brien
English, Period 6
12 May 2006
Annotated Bibliography
Baugher, Joe. Martin B-26 Marauder- Service of B-26 Marauder with USAAF: European Theatre. 29 May 1998. 18 April 2006. http://www.csd.uwo.ca/~pettypi/elevon/baugher_us/b026-18e.html .
- It was to be in the European theatre where the Marauder was to achieve its greatest success. In the United Kingdom, the Marauder formed the basis of the medium bomber forces of the Eighth Air Force. The first B-26s arrived in the United Kingdom in February of 1943.
- They were to be used in low-level missions against German military targets on the Continent. These B-26s carried a modified N-6 gun sight mounted in the cockpit for the co-pilot to use in releasing the bombs. The first operational raid took place on May 14, 1943. Flying through heavy flak at altitudes of 100 to 300 feet, Marauders from the 322nd Bombardment Group dropped a group 500-pound delayed-fuse bombs on the Velsen generating station at Ijmuiden in the Netherlands.
Green, Daniel H. Martin B-26 Marauder. 17 April 2006. 18 April 2006. http://www.ww2guide.com/b26.shtml.
- The B-26 Marauder got off to a shaky start with numerous accidents and much controversy over its high landing speed and relatively short wings. Fortunately the plane was allowed to evolve and turned into one of the best medium bombers of the war. The Marauder served primarily in Europe but also saw action in the Pacific and Mediterranean. Fast and capable of carrying a large bomb load the B-26s made an important contribution to the pre-invasion attacks on rail and road communications in occupied Europe. Numerous missions were also flown to neutralize enemy airfields sometimes at great cost. About 5,000 B-26 Marauders were built.
Users were France, South Africa, UK (RAF), US (AAF, Navy). 
Group, Doublestar. Martin B-26 Marauder. 17 April 2006. 18 April 2006. http://www.warbirdalley.com/b26.htm.
- Responding to the US Army Air Corps’ need for a high speed medium bomber, the Martin Company submitted an unusual design; a cantilever shoulder wing monoplane carrying five (later seven) crewmen. While the plane met or exceeded all performance requirements, with a wing optimized for high speed cruising, it was found to be unstable at low speeds during take-offs and landings. After a number of training accidents, modifications were made and the Marauder went on to record the lowest attrition rate of any American aircraft serving with the Air Corps' 9th Air Force in Europe, a remarkable feat considering the plane's undeserved nickname of "Widow-maker".
- The B-26 carried a normal bomb load of 3,000 pounds, though another 1,000 pounds could be added when fitted with special wing hardpoints. Armament included eleven 12.7-mm machine guns in fixed, forward-firing, nose and waist mounts, and in powered dorsal- and tail-turrets.
- The B-26 maintained the lowest loss record of any combat aircraft during World War II.
Wikipedia.org. European Theatre of WWII. 18 April 2006. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/European_Theatre_of_World_War_II.
- The European Theatre was an area of heavy fighting from 1942 1945 during World War II in Europe for the United States of America.
- B-26 Fighters had a crew of 5, 6, or 7.
Kerr, Grady. The B-26 Marauder. 17 April 2006. http://www.harmonize.com/swdroundup/B26a.htm
- There were two bomb bays, fore and aft. The bomb bay doors were unusual in being split in tandem, the forward pair folding in half when opened and the aft set being hinged normally to open outward. Two 2000-lb bombs could be carried in the main bomb bay, but up to 4800 pounds of smaller bombs could be carried if the aft bay was used as well.
- After the war in Europe was over, most of the Marauder-equipped units were quickly disbanded and their planes were scrapped. In the late fall of 1945, all of some 500 Marauders operating in the ETO were ferried to a disposal site near Landsberg, Germany where they were all scrapped.
- It was the first combat bomber to employ an all-electrical bomb release mechanism.