Fast but demanding to fly, with a small wing and high landing speed, the Marauder earned grim early nicknames like 'Widowmaker' from a rash of stateside training accidents. Revised training and a slightly larger wing turned it around, and by war's end it had flown more sorties per aircraft lost than any other US bomber, hammering bridges, airfields and coastal batteries ahead of the Normandy invasion.
A U.S. Army Air Forces Martin B-26B-55-MA Marauder (s/n 42-96142). The aircraft was assigned to the 596th Bombardment Squadron, 397th Bombardment Group, 98th Bombardment Wing, 9th Bomber Command, 9th Air Force in Europe.Photo by: Charles E. Brown. The original uploader was Bzuk at English Wikipedia., 2007-02-14 (original upload date) · Public domain · sourceMartin B-26B-1-MA (S/N 41-17747) nicknamed "Earthquake McGoon" of the 37th Bombardment Squadron, 17th Bombardment Group with flak damage to the No. 1 engine nacelle, left wing and wheel well, in September 1943. Note the U.S. Air Force · Public domain · sourceA B-26B bomber in flight. "A Kay Pro's Dream"US Air Force photo · Public domain · source