Martin Maryland Request

[RyanShort1]

Does anyone know what units, aircraft, etc... were involved in the recon that found the Bismarck? I'm doing a project on the Maryland right now and would really like to find some information on the crews, units, and markings.
Any of our Commonwealth friends have information?

Ryan

Last edited by RyanShort1 on Fri Feb 29, 2008 8:51 am, edited 1 time in total.

[JDK]

Hi Ryan,
I'm not sure, and it's not my area, but I think the Maryland involvement was a 1969* myth, as other sources give the aircraft that brought back the photos a PR Spitfire, more likely in 1941 than a Maryland operating for PR from Britain; AFAIK, Marylands were not used for dedicated PR from the UK.

Adrian Warberton's career from Malta is the Maryland PR highlight. A bit of googling brings up most of the data.

Suggest you ask on Flypast forum.

Cheers

* Munson, Kenneth. Fighters and Bombers of World War II: 1939-45. London: Blandford Press Ltd, 1969. ISBN 0-96371-104-0.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Maryland#_note-4

[RyanShort1]

JDK,

What do you think of this link?

http://newbernpilates.com/Biographies/1 ... /Burch.htm

Ryan

[RyanShort1]

Here's one other page:

http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/Aircraft/Maryland.htm

Ryan

[JDK]

Hi Ryan,
Good refs. Looks like I'm flat wrong! I did say though:

I'm not sure, and it's not my area,...

So I was right that far. More seriously, I was thinking of RAF PR units, rather than RN - good catch.

Do they answer your question to your satisfaction? If not, again I'd recommend Flypast and the Air Warfare Forum...

http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/forumdisplay.php?f=4

http://www.airwarfareforum.com/

Regards,

[RyanShort1]

JDK,

No problem there. I signed up for the Flypast Forum (Yikes - after I've heard so much over here) and am waiting for approval.
I did find this other bit of information on the Hyperscale forum, but don't have any way of verifying the data.

The information I have is that Maryland I, AR720, based at Hatston (HMS Sparrowhawk) flew to Bergen in search of Prinz Eugen on 22 May 194, but did not find it as it had already departed.

Other than the serial, I don't know of any special markings. The aircraft would have been in the US equivalent of Dark Green and Dark Earth with perhaps a Sky Grey underside. Unlike the Marylands delivered to France in NMF, the RAF lot were painted in the US and shipped to the UK via Canada.

Thanks for the tips!

Ryan

[JDK]

No problem there. I signed up for the Flypast Forum (Yikes - after I've heard so much over here) and am waiting for approval.

Thanks for the tips!

Glad to help, even if wrong... As to Flypast, there's about the same number of timewasters and idiots and off topic chaff there as here, I'm afraid. You go to a board for the useful people and stuff, not those making up the numbers, either end, so focus on the good stuff! There's some very knowledgeable people there (and AWF) who don't post here.

Keep us posted, it's an interesting item.