- Martin AM Mauler
-
AM (BTM) Mauler An AM-1 of the U.S. Naval Test Center Role Attack aircraft National origin United States Manufacturer Glenn L. Martin Company First flight 26 August 1944 Introduction March 1948 Retired 1953 Primary user United States Navy Number built 151 The Martin AM Mauler (originally BTM) was a shipboard attack aircraft of the United States Navy. Designed during World War II, the Mauler encountered production delays and did not enter service until March 1948. A total of 151 aircraft were built, remaining in front line service only until 1950, when the Navy standardized on the smaller and simpler Douglas AD Skyraider. Maulers remained in reserve squadrons until 1953. In service the Mauler earned the nickname "Able Mable" because of its remarkable load carrying ability, once lifting a 14,179 lb useful load, including 10,689 lbs of ordnance, easily the heaviest load ever carried by a single-engine piston-powered aircraft.[1]
Contents
Design and development
In the 1930s and early 1940s, the Navy differentiated between two types of carrier-borne bomber: the torpedo bomber and the dive bomber. In 1943, this distinction was abandoned, and the US Navy invited proposals for a new multi-purpose bomber. In 1944, four new designs were offered as shipborne attack aircraft: the Curtiss XBTC-1/2, Douglas XBT2D-1, Kaiser-Fleetwings XBTK-1 and the Martin XBTM-1. Martin was tasked to provide a back-up to the Curtiss design which had been selected as a replacement to their SB2C Helldiver.[2] Due to the US Navy's concern that the Curtiss design was overly complex and that the company's production record was particularly suspect in the Helldiver development phase, Martin was instructed to create an "unexperimental" design that would be a reliable platform for the Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major that powered both aircraft.[3] Two prototypes were ordered from Martin on 31 May 1944.[4]
The first XBTM-1 flew on 26 August 1944, piloted by O.E. "Pat" Tibbs, Martin's Chief Test Pilot.[5] The second prototype soon joined the fight test unit, followed up by 16 pre-production BTM Maulers. In 1946, the aircraft designation was changed to AM-1.[5]
The AM-1Q was developed for electronic countermeasures (ECM) duties. The fuselage fuel tank was removed to make room for the ECM operator and his equipment. Twelve aircraft were built on the main production line.[6]
Operational history
Delivery of Maulers began in July 1947, but problems with the tail hooks damaging the rear fuselage delayed service entry another year, and the Mauler did not enter service until March 1948, when Maulers began operating with VA-17A in the Atlantic Fleet.[4] Maulers quickly gained a reputation as remarkable load lifters; on one occasion a Martin test pilot flew one hauling three 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) torpedoes, 12 500 lb (230 kg) bombs, guns, and a full load of ammunition — a total of 10,689 pounds (4,848 kg) of ordnance, and a 14,179 pounds (6,431 kg) useful load, a record at the time for a single-engine aircraft. Gross weight for that flight was 29,332 pounds (13,305 kg). Bomb loads in carrier service were smaller, and the aircraft gained a mostly-deserved reputation for being hard to land on carrier decks, leading to the nickname of "Awful Monsters". Pilots more favorably impressed by the bombload interpreted AM as "Able Mable".[7]
With the prospect of flying both the similar AD-1 Skyraider and AM-1 in carrier operations, the US Navy assigned the Maulers to Atlantic Fleet squadrons. Although the Skyraider was a third smaller and carried a third less bombload, it proved much more reliable in service and easier to fly and land, and Navy pilots preferred it. In 1950, the decision was made to use the Mauler only from shore-based units and, later that year, all but Naval Reserve units abandoned the type. The aircraft continued to operate with reserve squadrons until 1953.[8]
Variants
- XBTM-1
- Two prototypes built.[8]
- BTM-1/AM-1
- A total of 132 production aircraft, another 651 aircraft were cancelled.[9]
- AM-1Q
- A radar contermeasures variant, 17 aircraft built[9]
Operators
Survivors
A number of survivors exist; the AM Mauler that set the payload record is preserved at the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida, while a number of less complete examples also survive.
- AM-1 BuNo 22257 - National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola, Florida.[12]
- AM-1 Glen L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum, Maryland. This aircraft formerly belonged to the Commemorative Air Force (formerly the Confederate Air Force), and was kept in flying condition until the 1980s.[13]
- AM-1 Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, Oregon[14]
- AM-1 BuNo 122403 - Partial airframe in very bad shape at Planes of Fame museum at Chino, CA.[15]
Specifications (AM-1 Mauler)
Data from American Combat Aircraft, Third Edition[16]
General characteristics
- Crew: 1 (2 in AM-1Q)
- Length: 41 ft 2 in (12.55 m)
- Wingspan: 50 ft 0 in (15.24 m)
- Height: 16 ft 10 in (5.13 m)
- Wing area: 496 ft² (46.1 m²)
- Empty weight: 15,257 lb (6,935 kg)
- Loaded weight: 22,323 lb (10,146.8 kg)
- Max takeoff weight: 25,737 lb (11,698.6)
- Powerplant: 1 × Pratt & Whitney R-4360-4 Wasp Major radial engine, 2,975 hp (2,219 kW)
Performance
- Maximum speed: 367 mph (323 knots, 618.57 km/h)
- Cruise speed: 188 mph (165 knots, 302.6 km/h)
- Range: 1,437 mi (1,260 nmi, 2,334 km)
- Service ceiling: 27,000 ft (8,320 m)
- Rate of climb: 2,780 ft/min (14.1 m/s)
Armament
See also
- Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
- A-1 Skyraider
- Blackburn Firebrand
- Curtiss XBTC
- Kaiser-Fleetwings XBTK
- TB2D Skypirate
- Blackburn Firecrest
- Related lists
References
- Notes
- Footnotes
- ^ Wagner 1982, p. 368
- ^ Andrews and Boyne 1974, p. 8.
- ^ Andrews and Boyne 1974, p. 9.
- ^ a b Swanborough and Bowers 1990, p. 358.
- ^ a b Andrews and Boyne 1974, p. 12.
- ^ Kowalski 1995, p. 60.
- ^ O'Rourke, G.G., CAPT USN. "Of Hosenoses, Stoofs, and Lefthanded Spads". United States Naval Institute Proceedings, July 1968.
- ^ a b Swanborough and Bowers 1990, p. 359.
- ^ a b Andrade 1979, p. 182
- ^ Kowalski 1995, pp. 47–60.
- ^ Kowalski 1995, pp. 61–71.
- ^ "Martin AM-1 'Mauler': Aeroweb Mauler S/Ns" aero-web.org Aviation Enthusiast Corner, 2009. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.
- ^ "The Mauler." Glen L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.
- ^ "Aircraft List." Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.
- ^ Leeuw, Ruud. "Picture of tail section." ruudleeuw.com, 2008. Retrieved: 5 November 2011.
- ^ Wagner 1982, p. 368.
- Bibliography
- Andrade, John. U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909, Midland Counties Publications, 1979, ISBN 0 904597 22 9
- Andrews, Hal and Walter Boyne. The Fable of Able Mable: Flying Fifteen Tons of Midnight Blue Beastie." Airpower, Vol. 4, Issue 4, July 1974.
- Green, William and Gerald Pollinger. The Aircraft of the World. London: Macdonald, 1955.
- Kowalski, Bob. Martin AM-1/1-Q Mauler. Simi Valley, CA: Ginter Books, 1995. ISBN 0-942612-24-8.
- Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. United States Navy Aircraft since 1911. London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, Third edition 1990. ISBN 0-85177-838-0.
- Wagner, Ray (1982). American Combat Planes, Third Edition. USA: Doubleday & Company. ISBN 0-385-13120-8.
- Wilson, Stewart. Combat Aircraft Since 1945. Fyshwick, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd., 2000. ISBN 1-875671-50-1.
External links
- Mauler (AM)
- AirToAirCombat.Com: Martin AM-1 Mauler
- GLM Maryland Aviation Museum - Mauler History
- "Firepower Under the Wings" Popular Science, April 1949
- AM-1 Mauler ACP - 1 March 1947 (Missing Page)
Glenn L. Martin Company and Martin Marietta aircraft Model numbers Airliners Attack aircraft Bombers Maritime patrol Military transports Military trainers Scout/Torpedo bombers Martin Marietta USN/USMC attack aircraft designations 1946-1962 Douglas Grumman McDonnell Douglas North American Martin Vought USN/USMC bomber designations 1931-1962 Bomber Great LakesBN
Bomber Drone BDRBomber Fighter Bomber Torpedo Kaiser-FleetwingsBTK
Lists relating to aviation General Aircraft (manufacturers) · Aircraft engines (manufacturers) · Airlines (defunct) · Airports · Civil authorities · Museums · Registration prefixes · Rotorcraft (manufacturers) · TimelineMilitary Accidents/incidents Records Categories:- United States bomber aircraft 1940–1949
- Martin aircraft
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.