Martin Maryland

US-build light bomber Martin Maryland and Baltimore of the RAF and French Air Force.
History, development, service, specifications, pictures and 3d model.

Martin 167 Maryland and Martin 187 Baltimore

Martin 167 Maryland, Martin 187 Baltimore.
Type: Light bomber or reconnaissance bomber.

The Martin 167 Maryland and Martin 187 Baltimore were both American medium bombers used during World War II, developed by the Glenn L. Martin Company.

Overview

Martin 167 Maryland

Role: Light bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.
First Flight: 1939.
Key Features:
– Twin-engine configuration.
– Crew of three.
– Used by the French Air Force, and later by the Royal Air Force (RAF) after the fall of France.
– Equipped with two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines.
– Armament typically included machine guns and a bomb load of up to 2,000 pounds.
– Known for its speed and agility, but lacked any heavy defensive armament.

Martin 187 Baltimore

Role: Light attack bomber.
First Flight: 1941.
Key Features:
– Improved design based on the Martin Maryland.
– Twin-engine configuration.
– Crew of four.
– Primarily used by the RAF and other Allied air forces.
– Equipped with two Wright R-2600 Twin Cyclone radial engines.
– Armament included multiple machine guns and a bomb load of up to 2,000 pounds.
– Enhanced defensive armament compared to the Maryland, making it more effective in combat roles.

Both aircraft played significant roles in various theaters of the war, with the Baltimore seeing extensive use in the Mediterranean and North African campaigns. Despite their contributions, they were eventually overshadowed by more advanced bombers as the war progressed.

History

Designed as the US Army XA-22 attack bomber, the Martin 167 was not adopted but immediately attracted a big French order for the Armee de l’Air as the 167F, with Armee de l’Air designation 167A-3. Of 215 purchased, about 75 reached France before the June 1940 capitulation, squadrons GB 1/62 and 1/63 completing conversion and, despite being chosen for dangerous missions, suffering only 8 per cent casualties (the lowest of any French bomber type).

Some survivors and undelivered aircraft went to the RAF, while most surviving French aircraft served the Vichy Air Force and operated against the Allies over Gibraltar, North Africa and Syria. The RAF accepted 75 ex-French machines and bought a further 150 with two-stage supercharged engines as the Maryland II, using all 225 as reconnaissance bombers in Cyrenaica, Malta and other Middle East areas.

A few went to the Fleet Air Arm (one gave first warning of the departure of Bismarck) and four squadrons served with the South African Air Force. In basic arrangement rather like Luftwaffe bombers, the Maryland was quite fast, nice to fly, but cramped and inadequately armed.

Martin received an RAF order in May 1940 for 400 improved Maryland bombers with deeper fuselages to allow intercommunication between crew members. In the course of design the more powerful R-2600 engine was adopted and the final aircraft, named Martin 187 Baltimore, marked an appreciable all-round improvement. The 400 were made up of 50 Mk I, 100 Mk II and 250 Mk III differing mainly in mid-upper armament.

To facilitate lend-lease contracts, under which additional machines were ordered, the Model 187 was given the US Army designation A-30, but none were supplied for American use. After 281 Mk IIIA, identical to the III but on US lend-lease account and 294 Mk IV, production completed with 600 Mk V (A-30A), the total being 1,575 all for the RAF.

Many were passed on to the South African AF, and a few to the Royal Navy, all being worked very hard in Cyrenaica, Tunisia, Sicily and Italy in bombing and close-support missions. In 1944 units of the co-belligerent Italian forces received ex-RAF machines and formed the Stormo Baltimore which was active over Yugoslavia and the Balkans.

Users: Australia, France, Italy (co-belligerent), South Africa, Turkey, RAF (UK).

Pictures Martin Maryland and Baltimore

The first Martin Maryland supplied to the RAF. Built to US standards, with single-stage Twin Wasps, this batch was ordered by France.

Martin Maryland I of No 69 Squadron RAF.

One of the first Baltimore Mk I of the RAF. As it was pictured here it had been updated to Mk II standard with twin dorsal guns. The subsequent aircraft featured Boulton-Paul power-operated four-gun turrets as the Baltimore Mk III.

Specifications Martin 167 Maryland II

Specifications:

Armament:

Service statistics:

3D Model Martin Maryland of 24th squadron South African Air Force in 1941

References and literature

Luftkrieg (Piekalkiewicz)
Combat Aircraft of World War II (Bill Gunston)
World Aircraft World War II (Enzo Angelucci, Paolo Matricardi)