(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Air Force Museum: Interwar years bombers (photo diary) [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.', 'Backgroundurl Avatar_Large', 'Nickname', 'Joined', 'Created_At', 'Story Count', 'N_Stories', 'Comment Count', 'N_Comments', 'Popular Tags'] Date: 2023-01-27 Martin MB-2 (NBS-1) According to the Museum: The Martin MB-2 was the first U.S.-designed bomber produced in large numbers. First ordered in June 1920, it replaced the handful of British Handley-Page O-400 and Italian Caproni bombers produced in the United States under license during World War I. Derived from the MB-1 (or GMB) and designed as a night bomber, the MB-2 sacrificed speed and maneuverability to carry a heavy bomb load. Although more capable than the aircraft it replaced, the MB-2s design reflected conventional features of the time, such as an internal wood structure and fabric covering. It also used the same Liberty engines as previous U.S. Army Air Service bombers. While the Glenn L. Martin Co. designed the aircraft, it built only the first 20 MB-2s. Under its contracting system, the Army Air Service purchased the design and assigned production to the lowest bidders, which were Curtiss (50 aircraft); Lowe, Willard and Fowler (35); and Aeromarine (25). At the same time, the Army Air Service changed the Martin designation to NBS-1 for Night Bomber Short range. The MB-2 became the Air Service's primary multi-engine bomber until replaced by the Keystone bombers of the late 1920s. This aircraft had a crew of four, a top speed of 99 mph, and a range of 558 miles. It was armed with five .30 caliber machine guns and carried up to 3,000 pounds of bombs. No original MB-2 exists and the plane on display is a reproduction. With regard to the wings, the Museum reports: The Martin MB-2 designers incorporated an interesting element -- folding wings. Since its large wingspan would have made it difficult to store in a hangar, the aircraft had hinges and notches cut out to allow the wings to be swung from just outside of the engine nacelles. Martin B-10 According to the Museum: The B-10, the first "modern" all-metal monoplane bomber produced in quantity, featured such innovations as retractable landing gear, a rotating gun turret and enclosed cockpits. Powered by two 775-hp Wright R-1820 Cyclone engines, Martin's advanced design made the B-10 50 percent faster than contemporary biplane bombers and as fast as most of the fighters. This capability convinced many U.S. Army Air Corps planners that bombers could successfully attack strategic targets without long-range fighter escort. In the largest procurement of bomber aircraft since World War I, the Air Corps ordered 121 B-10s from 1933-1936. The Air Corps also ordered an additional 32 of these aircraft with 700-hp with Pratt & Whitney R-1690 Hornet engines and designated them B-12s. Gen. Henry H. "Hap" Arnold, who called the B-10 "the air power wonder of its day," led 10 B-10s on a 8,290-mile flight from Washington, D.C., to Fairbanks, Alaska, and back in 1934. By the late 1930s, B-17s and B-18s had replaced the Air Corps' B-10s and B-12s, but the Chinese and Dutch air forces flew export versions in combat against Japan at the start of World War II. This aircraft has a top speed of 215 mph, a cruising speed of 183 mph, a range of 1,370 miles, and a ceiling of 24,000 feet. It carries a crew of four and 2,200 pounds of bombs. More airplane photo tours Planes of Fame: The Flying Fortress (Photo Diary) Yanks Air Museum: World War II Bombers (Photo Diary) Museum of Flight: World War II bombers (photo diary) Air Force Museum: World War II bombers (photo diary) Historic Flight: Grumpy (photo diary) Air Force Museum: Cold War bombers (photo diary) Air Force Museum: B-29 Walk-through Fuselage (photo diary) Air Force Museum: The Memphis Belle (photo diary) [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/1/27/2149025/-Air-Force-Museum-Interwar-years-bombers-photo-diary Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/