PBM Mariner file photo [9500]

PBM Mariner

CountryUnited States
ManufacturerGlenn L. Martin Company
Primary RoleSeaplane
Maiden Flight18 February 1939

Contributor:

ww2dbaseIn 1937, the Glenn L. Martin Company designed a new twin-engined flying boat meant to compliment the Consolidated PBY Catalina aircraft already in military service. On 30 Jun 1937, Martin received an order for a single prototype, followed by an order for an additional 21 examples on 28 Dec 1937. The prototype, XPBM-1, took flight on 18 Feb 1939. To defend itself, the design called for five gun turrets; meanwhile, the bomb bay was large enough for 1,800-kilograms of bombs. They first entered service on 1 Sep 1940, with the US Navy Patrol Squadron VP-55. They operated in neutrality patrol roles prior to the American entrance to the war. After the war began for the United States, they mainly operated in anti-submarine roles, sinking their first German submarine, U-158, on 30 Jun 1942. Throughout the course of the war, they were credited with ten German submarine sinkings. They were also used in the Pacific War, operating in forward areas such as Saipan and Okinawa after seaplane bases were secured. In additional to the US Navy, the US Coast Guard also operated PBM Mariner aircraft. In early 1943, the USCG acquired 27 PBM-3 aircraft. The number increased by 41 PBM-5 aircraft in late 1944, followed by another delivery in early 1945. They operated in patrols off the US coast during the war, and remained in service until 1958. After WW2, US Navy continued to operate PBM Mariner aircraft for patrol missions, including during the Korean War. The last US Navy PBM was taken out of service in Jul 1956.

ww2dbase32 PBM Mariner aircraft were leased to the British Royal Air Force, but they were not deployed operationally; some of them were later returned to the US Navy. 12 PBM-3R aircraft were transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force during the war; they served in transport roles during WW2.

ww2dbaseAfter the war, in late 1955, 17 PBM-5A Mariner aircraft were sold to the Royal Netherlands Navy; they were deployed to New Guinea. The Dutch examples remained in service until Dec 1959.

ww2dbaseDuring the production life of the design, a total of 1,366 PBM Mariner aircraft were built.

ww2dbaseSource: Wikipedia.

Last Major Revision: Feb 2010

PBM Mariner Timeline

16 Sep 1941 5 PBM Mariner aircraft and 1 PBY Catalina aircraft received radar to help these American aircraft conduct their neutrality patrols.
1 Oct 1944 60 miles west of Palau, US Navy PBM-3D Mariner from Patrol-Bombing Squadron VPB-16 flown by Lt Floyd Wardlow launched a Mark 24 FIDO acoustic homing torpedo on the diving Japanese submarine I-177. The submarine was damaged severely and was sunk 2 days later in a Hedgehog attack from destroyer escort USS Samuel S. Miles.
21 Jan 1945 West of Ulithi, Japanese submarine I-48 with its deck loaded with four Kaitens was spotted on the surface by US Navy Lt Frank Yourek flying a PBM-3D Mariner. The patrol aircraft released two depth charges and one Mark 24 FIDO acoustic homing torpedo that severely damaged I-48. Two days later north of Yap, destroyer escorts USS Conklin and Corbesier made a Hedgehog attack on I-48 and the submarine was sunk with all 118 hands plus the four Kaiten pilots.

SPECIFICATIONS

PBM-1
MachineryTwo Wright R-2600-12 14-cylinder radial engines rated at 1,700hp each
Armament8x12.7mm M2 Browning machines guns (2 in nose, 2 in dorsal turret, 2 in tail turret, 1 in each of 2 blisters), 1,800kg of bombs or 2x Mark 13 torpedoes
Crew7
Span36.00 m
Length23.50 m
Height5.33 m
Wing Area131.00 m²
Weight, Empty15,048 kg
Weight, Loaded25,425 kg
Speed, Maximum330 km/h
Rate of Climb4.10 m/s
Service Ceiling6,040 m
Range, Normal4,800 km

Photographs

PBM-1 Mariner aircraft of US Navy Patrol Squadron VP-56 in flight, 1940The squadron commander’s plane, a rare PBM-1D variant, with Patrol Squadron VP-55 flying Neutrality Patrols, probably at Jacksonville, Florida, United States, 1941.PBM-3 Mariner aircraft of US Navy Patrol Squadron VP-74 in flight, 1942Two PBM-1 (front) and two PBM-3 (back) in flight, 1942. The PBM-1s are from an early production series with retractable floats that were discontinued for principal production. Location unknown. Photo 1 of 2
See all 39 photographs of PBM Mariner Seaplane



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Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Ronald Dascher says:
18 Mar 2015 02:13:47 PM

I was a flt crew member in the PBM- 5A in 1956, Was with VP50 at the navy air station in alameda calif. We were the last squadron to fly the PBM"s
2. L. Molina says:
16 May 2016 10:41:12 AM

Need to know squadron for this PBM Mariner, nose art wolf head roundel bomb in background


http://i53.photobucket.com/albums/g64/PoorOldSpike/Photos%20Two/pbm-5_martin_mariner.jpg
3. Anonymous says:
23 Jul 2016 07:30:04 PM

My father flew PBM's in the Solomon Islands in WWII. Was awarded several DFC's for bravery; we never knew the exact number. Neither the Army Air Corp or Navy recorded these medals. We only know the kind of work these pilots did took a huge toll on the squadrons. They were the "dustoff" pilots of WWII.
4. Chuck Thurston says:
12 Apr 2017 01:17:13 PM

I flew in the PBM -5A, tn 5444 at the Coast Guard Air Station in Brooklyn, NY in the mid 50's. Saw them phased out sometime during that period.
5. Skip Lonie says:
26 Nov 2017 10:44:01 AM

my father flew a martin ppm-5 during ww-2, and the only thing i knew about what he did was the information i tried to pry out of him.he said that his squadron was the first sea plane squadron to bomb Toyko but there isn't information i can find out about this. too bad!
6. Skip Lonie says:
26 Nov 2017 10:44:14 AM

my father flew a martin ppm-5 during ww-2, and the only thing i knew about what he did was the information i tried to pry out of him.he said that his squadron was the first sea plane squadron to bomb Toyko but there isn't information i can find out about this. too bad!
7. William Luck says:
18 Dec 2017 12:46:23 PM

My father was a tail gunner on a PBM in the Pacific theatre during WW2. He was flying missions over Saipan and Okinawa. He was also at Tokyo. Like Skip I had to pry information out of him. He did say they did bombing, surveillance and search and rescue. At Okaniwa and Japan after the surrender he said they flew patrols along the rivers looking for Japanese who had not surrendered.
8. Rex Lowe says:
11 Jan 2018 05:00:48 PM

My Uncle Fred served in the US Navy during WWII and after the war was involved in the collision of two PBM's near Corpus Christie TX in November, 1945. While he never talked about it, he was awarded a decoration for saving crew members in the resulting fiery crash, according to my grandmother. He had previously flown as an enlisted observer in SBD's. This he told me as I was building a Monogram model of a Dauntless in the early 1960's.
9. Diane says:
20 Dec 2018 06:58:06 PM

My dad was a tail gunner on a PBM stationed in Saipan during WW2
10. Eli Hellstern says:
31 Mar 2019 08:34:15 PM

My Granddad was a radioman on a pbm
11. Barry Smith says:
16 Dec 2021 09:48:28 AM

My dad was a PBM pilot operating off the East Coast during WWII. He was part of VP-215 also known as VPB-215. His name was LT(jg) Robert "Bob" Smith. If anyone out there knows of a relative who flew with my dad I would love to hear from you. I have pictures of my dad and his crew in front of their PBM but I don't know any of their names. Hope to hear from you.
12. JLStoinoff says:
26 Feb 2022 10:26:51 AM

My father was CDR Stoinoff pilot of PBM in Palau
13. Daniel Kirkwood says:
2 Oct 2022 10:37:53 PM

My grandfather Captain David Carlton Kirkwood was a officer and 2nd captain and flew VPB -215 and was station out of Norfolk Virginia..Was at corpus Christi/ Bermuda/ panama/ British West Indies Trinidad and Tobago/ Coco solo Spain..etc
14. jim valenti says:
25 Sep 2023 10:02:20 AM

I'm trying to find information on Patrol Bombing Squadron VPB-152, specifically about a PBM crew which flew a Saipan to Leyte Gulf route and participated in the 8/2/45 rescue of USS Indianapolis survivors by dropping rafts and supplies at approximately the same time as PB-538 Pilot Gwinn first spotted the wreckage. Call number for the flight on that day is K9244 but the pilot is listed as unknown in the record of flight operations. I am trying to track down the crew roster so I can learn more about how they assisted the rescue efforts - the PBM doesn't show up in many accounts of the rescue and they haven't been given much credit. Please email me at jimnrainey@yahoo.com - if you can provide any information or point me in the right direction it is much appreciated.

Jim Valenti

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PBM Mariner Seaplane Photo Gallery
PBM-1 Mariner aircraft of US Navy Patrol Squadron VP-56 in flight, 1940
See all 39 photographs of PBM Mariner Seaplane


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