Flak-Bait: The Most Resilient Aircraft of World War 2

The Martin B-26 Marauder was one of the most successful bombers operated by the U.S. Army Air Forces during World War II. It was also one of the most disliked.

The B-26’s relatively small wings demanded high takeoff and landing speeds to generate enough lift, that was intimidating to many pilots except the most seasoned ones. The aircraft also suffered from frequent engine and propeller malfunctions. Regular crashes by inexperienced crews during training earned the bomber a host of grim nicknames, including “Widowmaker,” “Martin Murderer,” and “Flying Coffin.” Yet by the end of the war, the B-26 had achieved the lowest combat loss rate of any U.S. aircraft. Among the thousands of Marauders that flew over Europe, one in particular—nicknamed Flak-Bait—emerged as a legend.

Two B-26 Marauders in flight over France on bombing mission to Germany. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

The Martin B-26 Marauder was designed in response to a set of precise specifications requested by the United States Army Air Corps in 1939. According to those specifications, the aircraft was to be a twin-engine medium bomber with a maximum speed of 350 mph (560 km/h), a range of 3,000 mi (4,800 km), and a bomb load of 2,000 lb (910 kg). Many aircraft manufacturers submitted designs, but the blueprints from the Glenn L. Martin Company were deemed superior, and a contract was awarded for 201 aircraft. Another design that received approval was the North American B-25 Mitchell, which went on to become the most-produced American medium bomber and the third-most-produced American bomber overall.

With war in full swing, the pressing demand for airplanes led the Air Corps to forgo the prototype testing stage. Both bombers went from the drawing board straight into production, with deadly consequences for those who flew the Martin aircraft.

The B-26 had wings of low aspect ratio and relatively small surface area for an aircraft of its weight—a condition known as high wing loading. Smaller wings produced less drag, allowing the aircraft to fly faster, but the reduced wing area also meant less lift. As a result, the bomber had to fly faster to remain airborne. This made takeoff and landing more difficult, requiring longer runways and greater precision. The B-26’s approach speeds ranged from 120 to 135 mph, much higher than those of comparable bombers, making it a particularly challenging aircraft for inexperienced pilots.

A B-26 Marauder fitted with an experimental "bicycle" landing gear. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Accidents were common throughout the B-26’s four-year operational history. Although there were only two fatal crashes in the aircraft’s first year of service (1941), the numbers rose dramatically as the U.S. Army Air Forces expanded rapidly after America’s entry into World War II. As novice flight crews struggled to learn the aircraft, losses continued with 15 aircraft crashing at McDill Field in one 30-day period.

Because of these losses, the B-26 quickly earned grim nicknames such as “Widowmaker,” “Martin Murderer,” “B-Dash-Crash,” “Flying Prostitute,” and “Baltimore Whore.” Many flight crews even tried to avoid assignment to Marauder-equipped units. With accidents mounting, the bomber came under investigation by Senator Harry Truman’s Senate Special Committee to Investigate the National Defense Program. When Truman asked aviation pioneer and company founder Glenn L. Martin why the B-26 was having so many problems, Martin bluntly admitted that the wings were too short. Truman then asked why they had not been redesigned. Martin replied that the design was too far along, and his company already had the production contract. When Truman threatened to have the contract cancelled, Martin introduced a series of improvements, including a greater wingspan, uprated engines, more armour, and heavier guns.

Throughout the war, Martin continued to refine the aircraft to make it easier to handle, but its landing and stall speeds remained high, and the Marauder always demanded a higher level of training than other bombers.

The “Flak-Bait” at Andrews Field, England, 1944. Credit: Wikimedia Commons

Despite its poor reputation among many pilots, the B-26 built a record of successes that more than compensated for its early shortcomings. Initially, Marauders were employed in low-level attacks against heavily defended targets, suffering heavy losses and failed missions. After an ill-fated strike on a power station at IJmuiden, the Netherlands, in May 1943, in which the entire attacking force of 11 Marauders was lost, B-26 operations over Northwest Europe shifted to medium-altitude bombing. It was at these altitudes that the B-26 shined.

Flying at 10,000 to 15,000 feet, the Marauder attacked a wide range of targets in the months leading up to the Normandy invasion. Once Allied bases were established in France, B-26 units crossed the Channel and continued their offensive against German positions. Operating from medium altitude, the Marauder proved to be a highly accurate bomber, with the U.S. Ninth Air Force rating it the most accurate bomber available during the final month of the war in Europe. Loss rates dropped sharply, and by the end of the conflict, the B-26 recorded the lowest loss rate of any U.S. bomber in the European Theater—less than one-half of one percent.

Of the more than 5,200 Marauders produced, one became especially renowned: a B-26B-25-MA, serial number 41-31773, christened Flak-Bait by its pilot, Captain James J. Farrell of the 449th Bomb Squadron, 322nd Bomb Group. The name was grimly appropriate, as the bomber attracted an astonishing amount of enemy fire and yet returned from every mission.

Nose art on “Flak-Bait”. Credit: National Air and Space Museum

Flak-Bait flew its first combat sortie in August 1943. Over the course of the war, it completed 207 operational missions against German targets—more than any other American bomber in the European Theatre. This figure included missions on D-Day and during the Battle of the Bulge, when the Marauder was heavily employed to disrupt German logistics.

The plane’s record is all the more remarkable given the intense dangers faced by medium bombers. Flying at altitudes lower than the heavy bombers, Marauders were especially vulnerable to German anti-aircraft fire. True to its name, Flak-Bait suffered damage on nearly every mission. Its skin was riddled with hundreds of patches, evidence of the deadly gauntlet it survived time and again. During one particular mission, Flak-Bait took 700 hits from flak fragments. Radio operator McDonal Darnell Jr., remembered, “Everybody was afraid of the damn thing, but she always got back for us.”

Crews rotated through the aircraft, and though Flak-Bait was frequently brought back scarred, it never failed to return. It returned twice on one engine and once with an engine on fire, suffered complete electrical failure twice and lost the hydraulic system on one mission.

In recognition of its extraordinary career, the aircraft’s side was painted by a series of red-coloured bombs, each representing an individual mission. White tails painted on the bombs represented every fifth mission. There is one black-coloured bomb which represents a night mission. In addition to the bombs, there are also six red ducks painted on the aircraft representing decoy missions. There is also a detailed Nazi swastika painted above a bomb to represent Flak-Bait's only confirmed kill against a German aircraft

After Germany surrendered, Flak-Bait was returned to the United States, and because of the aircraft’s unique history, the U.S. Army Air Forces transferred the B-26 to museum status. When the National Air and Space Museum opened in Washington, D.C., in 1976, the nose section of Flak-Bait was placed on display there, with the remainder of the aircraft in storage. The aircraft is currently undergoing restoration.

Inside the cockpit of the Flak-Bait. Credit: National Air and Space Museum

References:
# Martin B-26B-25-MA Marauder "Flak-Bait", National Air And Space Museum
# World War II: Martin B-26 Marauder, Thought.Co
# Flak-Bait: The Ultimate Survivor, HistoryNet