| Revision as of 02:59, 11 March 2011 editSturmvogel 66 (talk | contribs)Autopatrolled, Extended confirmed users, Page movers, New page reviewers, Pending changes reviewers, Rollbackers131,588 edits →Operators: typo← Previous edit | Revision as of 20:49, 14 April 2011 edit undoKen keisel (talk | contribs)2,987 edits updated entryNext edit → | ||
| Line 22: | Line 22: | ||
| |} | |} | ||
| The '''Martin AM Mauler''' (originally '''BTM''') was a shipboard attack aircraft of the ]. Designed during ], the aircraft did not enter production until well after the war after a number of problems. A total of 151 aircraft were built, but they did not remain long in Navy service; the smaller and simpler ] ] proved to be a superior aircraft. Active duty squadrons abandoned the Mauler in 1950, and it lasted through 1953 in reserve units. | The '''Martin AM Mauler''' (originally '''BTM''') was a shipboard attack aircraft of the ]. Designed during ], the aircraft did not enter production until well after the war after a number of problems. A total of 151 aircraft were built, but they did not remain long in Navy service; the smaller and simpler ] ] proved to be a superior aircraft. Active duty squadrons abandoned the Mauler in 1950, and it lasted through 1953 in reserve units. With an empty weight in excess of 15,000 lbs., the Mauler is perhaps best remembered as the heaviest single-engine piston powered aircraft ever produced. | ||
| ==Design and development== | ==Design and development== | ||
| Line 54: | Line 54: | ||
| ==Survivors== | ==Survivors== | ||
| ].]] | ].]] | ||
| A number of survivors exist; the AM Mauler that set the payload record is preserved at the ] in ], while a number of less complete examples also survive. |
A number of survivors exist; the AM Mauler that set the payload record is preserved at the ] in ], while a number of less complete examples also survive. | ||
| * AM-1 BuNo 22257 - ], ]<ref name= "AM Mauler"> ''aero-web.org ''Aviation Enthusiast Corner, 2009. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.</ref> | * AM-1 BuNo 22257 - ], ]. This aircraft formerly belonged to the ] (formerly the ''Confederate Air Force''), and was kept in flying condition until the 1980s.<ref name= "AM Mauler"> ''aero-web.org ''Aviation Enthusiast Corner, 2009. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.</ref> | ||
| * AM-1 ], ] <ref> ''Glen L. Martin Maryland Museum'', 2009. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.</ref> | * AM-1 ], ] <ref> ''Glen L. Martin Maryland Museum'', 2009. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.</ref> | ||
| * AM-1 ], ],<ref> ''Tillamook Air Museum''. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.</ref> | * AM-1 ], ],<ref> ''Tillamook Air Museum''. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.</ref> | ||
Revision as of 20:49, 14 April 2011
| AM (BTM) Mauler | |
|---|---|
| |
| An AM-1 of the U.S. Naval Test Center | |
| Role | Attack aircraftType of aircraft |
| National origin | United States |
| Manufacturer | Glenn L. Martin Company |
| First flight | 26 August 1944 |
| Introduction | 1947 |
| Retired | 1953 |
| Primary user | United States Navy |
| Number built | 151 (including conversions) |
The Martin AM Mauler (originally BTM) was a shipboard attack aircraft of the United States Navy. Designed during World War II, the aircraft did not enter production until well after the war after a number of problems. A total of 151 aircraft were built, but they did not remain long in Navy service; the smaller and simpler Douglas AD Skyraider proved to be a superior aircraft. Active duty squadrons abandoned the Mauler in 1950, and it lasted through 1953 in reserve units. With an empty weight in excess of 15,000 lbs., the Mauler is perhaps best remembered as the heaviest single-engine piston powered aircraft ever produced.
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.
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.
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.
Operational history
Problems with the tail hooks damaging the rear fuselage delayed service entry another year, and it was not until 1948 that they saw operational service. Attack Squadron 17 A was the first to receive AM-1s, taking first delivery on 1 March 1948. They could carry enormous bombloads; a Martin test pilot flew one hauling three 2,200 lb (1,000 kg) torpedoes, 12 500 lb (230 kg) bombs, and a full load of ammunition — a total payload of 12,648 lb (5,737 kg), a record at the time for a single-engine aircraft. Bomb loads in carrier service were smaller, though, 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".
With the prospect of flying both the similar AD-1 Skyraider and AM-1 in carrier operations, the US Navy assigned the type to Atlantic Fleet squadrons. Although the Skyraider was smaller and could not carry as much of a 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 while reservists flew them until 1953.
Variants
- XBTM-1
- Two prototypes built.
- BTM-1/AM-1
- A total of 135 production aircraft, reduced from the original 750 aircraft on order.
- AM-1Q
- A total of 12 aircraft were built.
Operators
- United States Navy
- VA-44, VA-45, VA-84, VA-85, VA-174, VC-4.
- Reserve attack squadrons at NAS Grosse Isle, NAS St. Louis, NAS Glenview, NAS Dallas, NAS Columbus, NAS Atlanta
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. This aircraft formerly belonged to the Commemorative Air Force (formerly the Confederate Air Force), and was kept in flying condition until the 1980s.
- AM-1 Glen L Martin Maryland Museum, Maryland
- AM-1 Tillamook Air Museum, Tillamook, Oregon,
Specifications (AM Mauler)
Data from United States Navy Aircraft since 1911
General characteristics
- Crew: 1
Performance
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
- Totals derived from serial numbers in Kowalski, deducting the AM-1Q aircraft.
- Footnotes
- Andrews and Boyne 1974, p. 8.
- Andrews and Boyne 1974, p. 9.
- ^ Swanborough and Bowers 1990, p. 358.
- ^ 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.
- ^ Swanborough and Bowers 1990, p. 359.
- Kowalski 1995, p. 2.
- 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 Museum, 2009. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.
- "Aircraft List." Tillamook Air Museum. Retrieved: 19 July 2009.
- Bibliography
- 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.
- Wilson, Stewart. Combat Aircraft Since 1945. Fyshwick, Australia: Aerospace Publications Pty Ltd., 2000. ISBN 1-875671-50-1.
External links
| Martin and Martin Marietta aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Model numbers | |
| Airliners | |
| Attack aircraft | |
| Bombers | |
| Maritime patrol | |
| Military transports | |
| Military trainers | |
| Scout/Torpedo bombers | |
| Reconnaissance aircraft | |
| Observation aircraft | |
| Martin Marietta | |
| USN/USMC attack aircraft designations 1946–1962 by manufacturer | |
|---|---|
| Douglas | |
| Grumman | |
| McDonnell Douglas | |
| North American | |
| Martin | |
| Vought | |
| USN/USMC bomber designations 1931–1962 | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bomber |
| ||||||||||||||
| Bomber Drone |
| ||||||||||||||
| Bomber Fighter |
| ||||||||||||||
| Bomber Torpedo |
| ||||||||||||||
| Aviation lists | |
|---|---|
| General | |
| Military | |
| Accidents / incidents | |
| Records | |