Martin Maulers ... (reloaded)

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Starting to restore some of my old threads ...

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.

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. 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. Two prototypes were ordered from Martin on 31 May 1944.
A Naval Air Reserve AM-1Q.

The first XBTM-1 flew on 26 August 1944, piloted by O.E. "Pat" Tibbs, Martin's Chief Test Pilot. 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.
Photos & Text source, Duggy at Axis & Allied paintworks

Part 1

Martin Mauler AM-1's in Building V-60 of Overhaul and Repair at Naval Air Station NAS Norfolk

Martin Mauler cutaway

Martin Mauler XBTM

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 2

Martin Mauler AM-1 of Attack Squadron Seventeen A-VA-17A

Martin Mauler AM-1 of Attack Squadron One Hundred Seventy-Four VA-174

Martin Mauler AM-1 dive brakes

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 3

Martin-Mauler-AM-1Q of US Naval Reserve at Naval Air Reserve Station NAS Glenview

Martin-Mauler-AM-1 of Attack Squadron Eighty Four VA-84 in flight out of Jacksonville. The pilot is CDR R P Kline

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 4

Martin-Mauler-AM-1s on the ground at Naval Air Reserve Station NAS Dallas

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 5

Martin Mauler payload display

2 US Navy Attack Aircraft Martin Mauler AM-1 in flight

Navy AM-1 Martin Maulers, BuNo's 122397 & 122393

Martin-Mauler AM-1 pictured carrying a payload of more than 9000 pounds Three full-size torpedoes 12 rockets and four 20MM aerial cannons

AM-1 Mauler pictured carrying a payload of more than 9,000 pounds that includes three torpedoes, 12 rockets and four 20mm cannon 1949

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 6

Martin-Mauler-AM-1Qs of US Naval Reserve at Naval Air Reserve Station NAS Glenview

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 7

Martin-Mauler-XBTM-AM

DH82EH · **Posted:** Sun May 25, 2014 1:46 pm

Quite the brute!

Thanks for posting.

Andy

Snake45 · **Joined:** Sat Apr 05, 2014 5:49 pm **Posts:** 864

That is just a hella-cool looking airplane. Easily as cool as Skyraider. Only needs a little taller fin to be perfect.

What a shame they didn't build enough of them to last long enough to make it to the VN war. They would have looked SO cool in VN warpaint of various kinds!

sandiego89 · **Joined:** Mon May 21, 2012 12:28 pm **Posts:** 1200

Very neat. The dive brakes/flaps are quite clever.

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Neat stuff.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DodkWm19fW0

slinky · **Posted:** Fri May 30, 2014 9:44 pm

Excellent pix!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 8

Martin-Mauler AM-1 pictured carrying a payload of more than 9000 pounds Three full-size torpedoes 12 rockets and four 20 MM aerial cannons

Mark Allen M · **Joined:** Fri Feb 03, 2012 1:48 pm **Posts:** 7826

Part 9

Martin-Mauler-AM-1 of Naval Air Training Command NATC on the ground at Naval Air Station Patuxent River

Martin-Mauler-AM-1 of Naval Air Training Command NATC

seabee1526 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 26, 2008 6:18 pm **Posts:** 459

These are great...

...I'd love to see post war Privateers if you have them.

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Martin Maulers ... (reloaded)

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