The Martin PBM Mariner was an American

patrol bomber A maritime patrol aircraft (MPA), also known as a patrol aircraft, maritime reconnaissance aircraft, or by the older American term patrol bomber, is a fixed-wing aircraft designed to operate for long durations over water in maritime patrol roles ...

flying boat A flying boat is a type of fixed-winged seaplane with a hull, allowing it to land on water. It differs from a floatplane in that a flying boat's fuselage is purpose-designed for floatation and contains a hull, while floatplanes rely on fuselag ...

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

and the early

Cold War The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because t ...

era. It was designed to complement the

Consolidated PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served wi ...

and

PB2Y Coronado The PB2Y Coronado is a large flying boat patrol bomber designed by Consolidated Aircraft, and used by the US Navy during World War II in bombing, antisubmarine, and transport roles. Obsolete by the end of the war, Coronados were quickly taken ou ...

in service. A total of 1,366 PBMs were built, with the first example flying on 18 February 1939 and the type entering service in September 1940, with the last of the type being retired in 1964.

Design and development

In 1937 the Glenn L. Martin Company designed a new twin-engined flying boat, the Model 162, to succeed its earlier

Martin P3M Particle–Particle–Particle–Mesh (P3M) is a Fourier-based Ewald summation method to calculate potentials in N-body simulations. The potential could be the electrostatic potential among N point charges i.e. molecular dynamics, the gravitat ...

and complement the

PBY Catalina The Consolidated PBY Catalina is a flying boat and amphibious aircraft that was produced in the 1930s and 1940s. In Canadian service it was known as the Canso. It was one of the most widely used seaplanes of World War II. Catalinas served w ...

and

. It received an order for a single

prototype A prototype is an early sample, model, or release of a product built to test a concept or process. It is a term used in a variety of contexts, including semantics, design, electronics, and software programming. A prototype is generally used to ...

XPBM-1 on 30 June 1937.Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 318. This was followed by an initial production order for 21 PBM-1 aircraft on 28 December 1937.Green 1968, p. 177. To test the PBM's layout, Martin built a ⅜ scale flying model, the Martin 162A ''Tadpole Clipper'' with a crew of one and powered by a single

Chevrolet Chevrolet ( ), colloquially referred to as Chevy and formally the Chevrolet Motor Division of General Motors Company, is an American automobile division of the American manufacturer General Motors (GM). Louis Chevrolet (1878–1941) and ou ...

engine driving two airscrews via v-belts; this was flown in December 1937. The first genuine PBM, the XPBM-1, flew on 18 February 1939. The

aircraft An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to flight, fly by gaining support from the Atmosphere of Earth, air. It counters the force of gravity by using either Buoyancy, static lift or by using the Lift (force), dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in ...

had multiple gun positions including single mounts at each midship beam and stern above the tail cone. Additional guns were positioned in the nose and dorsal turrets, each fitted with two-

gun turret A gun turret (or simply turret) is a mounting platform from which weapons can be fired that affords protection, visibility and ability to turn and aim. A modern gun turret is generally a rotatable weapon mount that houses the crew or mechanis ...

s. The bomb bays were in the engine

nacelle A nacelle ( ) is a "streamlined body, sized according to what it contains", such as an engine, fuel, or equipment on an aircraft. When attached by a pylon entirely outside the airframe, it is sometimes called a pod, in which case it is attache ...

s. The

gull wing The gull wing is an aircraft wing configuration, known also as ''Pulaski wings'', with a prominent bend in the wing inner section towards the wing root. Its name is derived from the seabirds which it resembles. Numerous aircraft have incorpora ...

was of cantilever design, and featured clean

aerodynamics Aerodynamics, from grc, ἀήρ ''aero'' (air) + grc, δυναμική (dynamics), is the study of the motion of air, particularly when affected by a solid object, such as an airplane wing. It involves topics covered in the field of fluid dy ...

with an unbraced

twin tail A twin tail is a specific type of vertical stabilizer arrangement found on the empennage of some aircraft. Two vertical stabilizers—often smaller on their own than a single conventional tail would be—are mounted at the outside of the aircra ...

. The PBM-1 was equipped with retractable wing landing floats that were hinged outboard, with single-strut supported floats that retracted inwards to rest beneath the wing, with the floats' keels just outboard of each of the engine nacelles. The PBM-3 had fixed floats, and the

fuselage The fuselage (; from the French ''fuselé'' "spindle-shaped") is an aircraft's main body section. It holds crew, passengers, or cargo. In single-engine aircraft, it will usually contain an engine as well, although in some amphibious aircraft t ...

was three feet longer than that of the PBM-1.

Operational history

The first PBM-1s entered service with Patrol Squadron Fifty-Five (VP-55) of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

on 1 September 1940. Prior to the USA's entry into

, PBMs were used (together with PBYs) to carry out

Neutrality Patrol On September 3, 1939, the British and French declarations of war on Germany initiated the Battle of the Atlantic. The United States Navy Chief of Naval Operations (CNO) established a combined air and ship patrol of the United States Atlantic coa ...

s in the

Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe ...

, including operations from

Iceland Iceland ( is, Ísland; ) is a Nordic island country in the North Atlantic Ocean and in the Arctic Ocean. Iceland is the most sparsely populated country in Europe. Iceland's capital and largest city is Reykjavík, which (along with its ...

. Following

Japan Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the n ...

attack on Pearl Harbor The attack on Pearl HarborAlso known as the Battle of Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike by the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service upon the United States against the naval base at Pearl Harbor in Honolulu, Territory of Hawaii ...

, PBMs were used on

anti-submarine An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapo ...

patrols, sinking their first

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

U-boat U-boats were naval submarines operated by Germany, particularly in the First and Second World Wars. Although at times they were efficient fleet weapons against enemy naval warships, they were most effectively used in an economic warfare ro ...

, ''U-158'', on 30 June 1942.Dorr 1997, p. 115. PBMs were responsible, wholly or in part, for sinking a total of ten U-boats during World War II. PBMs were also heavily used in the

Pacific War The Pacific War, sometimes called the Asia–Pacific War, was the theater of World War II that was fought in Asia, the Pacific Ocean, the Indian Ocean, and Oceania. It was geographically the largest theater of the war, including the vas ...

, operating from bases at

Saipan Saipan ( ch, Sa’ipan, cal, Seipél, formerly in es, Saipán, and in ja, 彩帆島, Saipan-tō) is the largest island of the Northern Mariana Islands, a Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), commonwealth of the United States in the western Pa ...

Okinawa is a Prefectures of Japan, prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 Square kilometre, km2 (880 sq mi). ...

Iwo Jima Iwo Jima (, also ), known in Japan as , is one of the Japanese Volcano Islands and lies south of the Bonin Islands. Together with other islands, they form the Ogasawara Archipelago. The highest point of Iwo Jima is Mount Suribachi at high. ...

, and the South West Pacific.Dorr 1987, p. 116. The

United States Coast Guard The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, military, m ...

acquired 27 Martin PBM-3 aircraft during the first half of 1943. In late 1944, the service acquired 41 PBM-5 models and more were delivered in the latter half of 1945. Ten were still in service in 1955, although all were gone from the active Coast Guard inventory by 1958 (when the last example was released from CGAS San Diego and returned to the U.S. Navy). These flying boats became the backbone of the long-range aerial

search and rescue Search and rescue (SAR) is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger. The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, typically determined by the type of terrain the search ...

efforts of the Coast Guard in the early post-war years until supplanted by the

P5M Marlin The Martin P5M Marlin (P-5 Marlin after 1962), built by the Glenn L. Martin Company of Middle River, Maryland, was a twin piston-engined flying boat that entered service in 1951, and served into the late 1960s with the United States Navy perfo ...

and the

HU-16 Albatross The Grumman HU-16 Albatross is a large, twin–radial engined amphibious seaplane that was used by the United States Air Force (USAF), the U.S. Navy (USN), and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), primarily as a search and rescue (SAR) aircraft. Origin ...

in the mid-1950s. PBMs continued in service with the U.S. Navy following the end of World War II, flying long

patrol A patrol is commonly a group of personnel, such as law enforcement officers, military personnel, or security personnel, that are assigned to monitor or secure a specific geographic area. Etymology From French ''patrouiller'', from Old Fren ...

missions during the

Korean War {{Infobox military conflict , conflict = Korean War , partof = the Cold War and the Korean conflict , image = Korean War Montage 2.png , image_size = 300px , caption = Clockwise from top:{ ...

.Dorr 1987, p. 118. It continued in front line use until replaced by its successor, the P5M Marlin. The last Navy squadron equipped with the PBM, Patrol Squadron Fifty (VP-50), retired them in July 1956.Roberts 2000, Appendix 1, p. 671. The British

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) an ...

acquired 32 Mariners, but they were not used operationally, with some returned to the United States Navy.March 1998, p. 172. A further 12 PBM-3Rs were transferred to the

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

for transporting

troop A troop is a military sub-subunit, originally a small formation of cavalry, subordinate to a squadron. In many armies a troop is the equivalent element to the infantry section or platoon. Exceptions are the US Cavalry and the King's Tr ...

s and

cargo Cargo consists of bulk goods conveyed by water, air, or land. In economics, freight is cargo that is transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. ''Cargo'' was originally a shipload but now covers all types of freight, including tra ...

. The

Royal Netherlands Navy The Royal Netherlands Navy ( nl, Koninklijke Marine, links=no) is the naval force of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. During the 17th century, the navy of the Dutch Republic (1581–1795) was one of the most powerful naval forces in the world an ...

acquired 17 PBM-5A Mariners at the end of 1955 for service in Netherlands New Guinea.Hoffmann 2002, p. 74. The PBM-5A was an

amphibian Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbo ...

with retractable

landing gear Landing gear is the undercarriage of an aircraft or spacecraft that is used for takeoff or landing. For aircraft it is generally needed for both. It was also formerly called ''alighting gear'' by some manufacturers, such as the Glenn L. Mart ...

. The

engine An engine or motor is a machine designed to convert one or more forms of energy into mechanical energy. Available energy sources include potential energy (e.g. energy of the Earth's gravitational field as exploited in hydroelectric power ...

s were

Pratt & Whitney R-2800 The Pratt & Whitney R-2800 Double Wasp is an American twin-row, 18-cylinder, air-cooled radial aircraft engine with a displacement of , and is part of the long-lived Wasp family of engines. The R-2800 saw widespread use in many important ...

-34. After a series of crashes, the Dutch withdrew their remaining aircraft from use in December 1959.Hoffman 2002, pp. 76–77.

Variants

;XPBM-1 (Model 162) :Prototype. Powered by two 1,600 hp (1,194 kW) R-2600-6

s.Dorr 1997, p. 122. ;PBM-1 (Model 162) :Initial production version. 5× .50 inch (12.7 mm) machine guns. Two R-2600-6 engines; 21 built. ;XPBM-2 (Model 162) :Conversion of one PBM-1 as experimental

catapult A catapult is a ballistic device used to launch a projectile a great distance without the aid of gunpowder or other propellants – particularly various types of ancient and medieval siege engines. A catapult uses the sudden release of stor ...

-launched long-range

strategic bomber A strategic bomber is a medium- to long-range Penetrator (aircraft), penetration bomber aircraft designed to drop large amounts of air-to-ground weaponry onto a distant target for the purposes of debilitating the enemy's capacity to wage war. Unl ...

.Dorr 1997, p. 123. ;PBM-3 (Model 162B) :Improved version. 1,700 hp (1,270 kW) R-2600-12 engines; 32 built. ;PBM-3R (Model 162B) :Unarmed transport version of PBM-3. 18 new build plus 31 converted from PBM-3. ;PBM-3C (Model 162C) :Improved patrol version with twin .50 in machine guns in nose and dorsal turrets, and single guns in tail turret and waist positions. AN/APS-15 radar in

radome A radome (a portmanteau of radar and dome) is a structural, weatherproof enclosure that protects a radar antenna. The radome is constructed of material transparent to radio waves. Radomes protect the antenna from weather and conceal antenna e ...

behind

cockpit A cockpit or flight deck is the area, usually near the front of an aircraft or spacecraft, from which a pilot controls the aircraft. The cockpit of an aircraft contains flight instruments on an instrument panel, and the controls that e ...

; 274 built.Dorr 1997, p. 124. ;PBM-3B (Model 162C) :Designation for ex-RAF Mariner GR.1A after return to U.S. Navy. ;PBM-3S (Model 162C) :Dedicated

aircraft with reduced armament (2× fixed 0.50 in machine guns in nose, single machine gun in port waist position, and single gun in tail turret) and increased range; 94 built as new plus 62 conversions.Dorr 1997, p. 125.Swanborough and Bowers 1976, p. 320. ;PBM-3D (Model 162D) :Patrol bomber with increased power (two 1,900 hp (1,417 kW) R-2600-22s) and increased armament (twin 0.50 in machine guns in nose, dorsal, and tail turrets, plus two waist guns). 259 built. ;PBM-4 (Model 162E) :Proposed version with two 2,700 hp (2,015 kW)

Wright R-3350 The Wright R-3350 Duplex-Cyclone is an American twin-row, supercharged, air-cooled, radial aircraft engine with 18 cylinders displacing nearly . Power ranged from 2,200 to over 3,700 hp (1,640 to 2,760 kW), depending on the model. ...

engines; unbuilt.Dorr 1997, p. 126. ;PBM-5 (Model 162F) :Version with 2,100 hp (1,566 kW)

engines;Donald 1995, p. 184. 628 built. ;PBM-5E :Variant of PBM-5 with improved

radar Radar is a detection system that uses radio waves to determine the distance (''ranging''), angle, and radial velocity of objects relative to the site. It can be used to detect aircraft, Marine radar, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor v ...

. ;PBM-5S :Lightened anti-submarine variant of PBM-5. ;PBM-5S2 :Improved anti-submarine aircraft with revised radar installation. ;PBM-5A (Model 162G) :

Amphibian Amphibians are four-limbed and ectothermic vertebrates of the class Amphibia. All living amphibians belong to the group Lissamphibia. They inhabit a wide variety of habitats, with most species living within terrestrial, fossorial, arbo ...

version of PBM-5, with retractable tricycle undercarriage; 36 built plus four conversions. ;Mariner I :British designation for 32 PBM-3B supplied to the Royal Air Force.

Operators

; *

Argentine Navy The Argentine Navy (ARA; es, Armada de la República Argentina). This forms the basis for the navy's ship prefix "ARA". is the navy of Argentina. It is one of the three branches of the Armed Forces of the Argentine Republic, together with th ...

purchased nine PBMs during the 1950s for the

Argentine Naval Aviation ) Gulf War , anniversaries = , decorations = , battle_honours = , commander1 = President , commander1_label = Commander-in-Chief , commander2 ...

, retiring its last Mariner in May 1962.Hoffman 2003, pp. 29–31. ; *

Royal Australian Air Force "Through Adversity to the Stars" , colours = , colours_label = , march = , mascot = , anniversaries = RAAF Anniversary Commemoration ...

No. 40 Squadron RAAF No. 40 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) transport squadron of World War II. It was formed in March 1944 and operated flying boats between Australia and New Guinea. The squadron was disbanded in June 1946. Squadron history No. ...

No. 41 Squadron RAAF No. 41 Squadron was a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) transport squadron of World War II. It was formed in August 1942 and operated flying boats in the South West Pacific area. The squadron was disbanded in September 1945. History No. 41 Sq ...

; *

Netherlands Naval Aviation Service The Netherlands Naval Aviation Service ( nl, Marineluchtvaartdienst, shortened to MLD) is the naval aviation branch of the Royal Netherlands Navy. History World War I Although the MLD was formed in 1914, with the building of a seaplane base ...

**VSQ 321 based at Biak Air Base,

Dutch New Guinea Dutch New Guinea or Netherlands New Guinea ( nl, Nederlands-Nieuw-Guinea, id, Nugini Belanda) was the western half of the island of New Guinea that was a part of the Dutch East Indies until 1949, later an overseas territory of the Kin ...

operated 15 PBM-5As between 1955 and 1960 after the retirement of their PBYs. ; *

ordered 33 aircraft but only 28 were delivered.Hoffman 2003, p. 33. ** 524 Squadron operated 28 Mariner Is from October–December 1943Jefford 1988, p. 96. under command of No. 15 Group Coastal Command. ; *

** ATU-1 ** ATU-10 ** ATU-501 ** VPB-2 ** VR-8 ** VR-10 ** VR-21 **

VPB-16 VPB-16 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 16 (VP-16) on 20 December 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 16 (VPB-16) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 30 June 1945. Operatio ...

VPB-17 VPB-17 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 17 (VP-17) on 3 January 1944, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 17 (VPB-17) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 30 January 1946. Operati ...

VPB-20 VPB-20 was a patrol bombing squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 20 (VP-20) on 15 February 1944, redesignated as Patrol Bombing Squadron 20 (VPB-20) on 1 October 1944, and disestablished on 4 February 1946. ...

** VP-21 ** VPB-27 **

VPB-34 VPB-34 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron 34 (VP-34) on 16 April 1942, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron 34 (VPB-34) on 1 October 1944 and disestablished on 7 April 1945. Operational ...

** VP-40 **

VP-46 Patrol Squadron 46 (VP-46), also known as the "Grey Knights", is a maritime patrol squadron of the United States Navy based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. Part of Patrol and Reconnaissance Wing Ten, VP-46 is the oldest maritime p ...

** VP-56 ** VPB-98 **

VPB-99 VPB-99 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Bombing Squadron 99 (VPB-99) on 5 January 1945 and disestablished on 15 January 1946. Operational history *5 January 1945: VPB-99 was established at NAS ...

VPB-202 VPB-202 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Two (VP-202) on 15 September 1942, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Two (VPB-202) on 1 October 1944 and disestablis ...

** VPB-203 ** VP-204 ** VP-205 **

VPB-206 VPB-206 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Six (VP-206) on 15 November 1942, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Six (VPB-206) on 1 October 1944 and disestablish ...

VPB-207 VPB-207 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Seven (VP-207) on 1 December 1942, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Seven (VPB-207) on 1 October 1944 and disestab ...

** VP-208 **

VPB-209 VPB-209 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Nine (VP-209) on 1 January 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Nine (VPB-209) on 1 October 1944 and disestablish ...

VPB-210 VPB-210 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Ten (VP-210) on 15 January 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Ten (VPB-210) on 1 October 1944 and disestablishe ...

VPB-211 VPB-211 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Eleven (VP-211) on 15 February 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Eleven (VPB-211) on 1 October 1944 and disest ...

VPB-212 VPB-212 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Twelve (VP-212) on 15 March 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Twelve (VPB-212) on 1 October 1944 and disestabl ...

VPB-213 VPB-213 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Thirteen (VP-213) on 1 October 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Thirteen (VPB-213) on 1 October 1944 and dise ...

** VPB-214 **

VPB-215 VPB-215 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Fifteen (VP-215) on 1 November 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Fifteen (VPB-215) on 1 October 1944 and dise ...

VPB-216 VPB-216 was a Patrol Bombing Squadron of the U.S. Navy. The squadron was established as Patrol Squadron Two Hundred Sixteen (VP-216) on 15 November 1943, redesignated Patrol Bombing Squadron Two Hundred Sixteen (VPB-216) on 1 October 1944 and dise ...

** VP-731 ** VP-892 **

VH-1 VH1 (originally an initialism of Video Hits One) is an American basic cable television network based in New York City and owned by Paramount Global. It was created by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communi ...

** VH-2 ** VH-3 ** VH-4 ** VH-5 ** VH-6 *

; * National Navy of Uruguay purchased three PBM-5S2s in 1956, with the last retired on 3 February 1964.Hoffman 2003, pp. 31–32.

Surviving aircraft

Martin PBM 5-A Mariner at the Pima Air and Space Museum

*United States Navy PBM-5A ( Bureau Number (BuNo) ''122071'') is the only surviving Mariner. It is on loan from the

National Air and Space Museum The National Air and Space Museum of the Smithsonian Institution, also called the Air and Space Museum, is a museum in Washington, D.C., in the United States. Established in 1946 as the National Air Museum, it opened its main building on the N ...

in Washington, D.C. and is currently on display at the

Pima Air & Space Museum The Pima Air & Space Museum, located in Tucson, Arizona, is one of the world's largest non-government funded aerospace museums. The museum features a display of nearly 300 aircraft spread out over 80 acres (320,000 m²) on a campus oc ...

adjacent to

Davis–Monthan Air Force Base Davis–Monthan Air Force Base (DM AFB) is a United States Air Force base southeast of downtown Tucson, Arizona. It was established in 1925 as Davis–Monthan Landing Field. The host unit for Davis–Monthan AFB is the 355th Wing (355 WG) assi ...

in Tucson, Arizona."Martin PBM-5A Mariner."
''Pima Air and Space Museum.'' Retrieved: 2 August 2009. Operated by the USN between 1948 and 1956, it is painted in the markings of Transport Squadron 21 (VR-21) and coded ''RZ 051'' of the early 1950s. *PBM-5 BuNo ''59172'' lies upside down under

Lake Washington Lake Washington is a large freshwater lake adjacent to the city of Seattle. It is the largest lake in King County and the second largest natural lake in the state of Washington, after Lake Chelan. It borders the cities of Seattle on the west, ...

. It crashed on 6 May 1949, and after a number of unsuccessful attempts to recover the wreck over the following decades, it is now used as a training site for divers. *The Model 162A ( registered ''NX19168''), the piloted ⅜ scale test aircraft, is on display at the

Baltimore Museum of Industry Baltimore Museum of Industry is a museum in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Located in an old cannery, the museum has exhibits on various types of manufacturing and industry from the early 20th century. There are several hands-on sections with ...

Accidents and incidents

*On June 16 1944, a U.S. Navy PBM-5 exploded and crashed in San Francisco Bay, California, killing the pilot, Lieutenant William Hess, and eight other Navy crewmen. *On 30 November 1944, a U.S. Navy PBM-5 crashed into

Mount Tamalpais Mount Tamalpais (; ; Miwok: ''Támal Pájiṣ''), known locally as Mount Tam, is a peak in Marin County, California, United States, often considered symbolic of Marin County. Much of Mount Tamalpais is protected within public lands such as Mou ...

in northern California, killing eight

naval aviator Naval aviation is the application of military air power by navies, whether from warships that embark aircraft, or land bases. Naval aviation is typically projected to a position nearer the target by way of an aircraft carrier. Carrier-bas ...

s and naval

aircrew Aircrew, also called flight crew, are personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of a flight's crew depends on the type of aircraft, plus the flight's duration and purpose. Commercial aviation Flight deck positions ...

men. The aircraft had taken off from

Naval Air Station Alameda Naval Air Station Alameda (NAS Alameda) was a United States Navy Naval Air Station in Alameda, California, on San Francisco Bay. NAS Alameda had two runways: 13–31 measuring and 07-25 measuring . Two helicopter pads and a control tower were ...

and was part of a larger flight headed for Hawaii when it developed engine trouble shortly after takeoff. *On 5 December 1945, United States Navy PBM-5 (BuNo 59225), based at Naval Air Station Banana River, Florida was believed to have been destroyed in a mid-air explosion off the coast of Florida near

The Bahamas The Bahamas (), officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the West Indies in the North Atlantic. It takes up 97% of the Lucayan Archipelago's land area and is home to 88% of the a ...

, while searching for the missing TBM Avengers of

Flight 19 Flight 19 was the designation of a group of five General Motors TBM Avenger torpedo bombers that disappeared over the Bermuda Triangle on December 5, 1945, after losing contact during a United States Navy overwater navigation training flight f ...

from

Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale was an airfield of the United States Navy just outside Fort Lauderdale, Florida. In 1942, the U.S. Navy selected Merle Fogg Airport in Fort Lauderdale to expand into a naval air station for both pilot and enlist ...

, Florida. *On 30 December 1946, a U.S. Navy PBM-5 crashed on

Thurston Island Thurston Island is an ice-covered, glacially dissected island, long, wide and in area, lying a short way off the northwest end of Ellsworth Land, Antarctica. It is the third-largest island of Antarctica, after Alexander Island and Berkner Isl ...

Antarctica Antarctica () is Earth's southernmost and least-populated continent. Situated almost entirely south of the Antarctic Circle and surrounded by the Southern Ocean, it contains the geographic South Pole. Antarctica is the fifth-largest cont ...

, while supporting

Operation Highjump Operation HIGHJUMP, officially titled The United States Navy Antarctic Developments Program, 1946–1947, (also called Task Force 68), was a United States Navy (USN) operation to establish the Antarctic research base Little America IV. The opera ...

. *On 10 September 1958, Mariner P-303 was being ferried to the Netherlands from Biak, Indonesia. Due to technical problems, a forced landing was carried out at

Abadan, Iran Abadan ( fa, آبادان ''Ābādān'', ) is a city and capital of Abadan County, Khuzestan Province, which is located in the southwest of Iran. It lies on Abadan Island ( long, 3–19 km or 2–12 miles wide). The island is bound ...

. About two weeks later, repairs had been accomplished, and the aircraft took off. Shortly after takeoff, an oil leak was observed on engine number one. While on final approach for landing at Abadan airport, the aircraft suddenly lost height and crashed, killing all aboard. It appeared that the remaining propeller reversed thrust, causing the crew to lose control. *On 9 November 1958, a PBM-5 Mariner (CS-THB, named "Porto Santo") of the Portuguese airline ARTOP (Aero-Topográfica) piloted by

Harry Frank Broadbent Harry Frank "Jim" Broadbent (25 March 1910 – 9 November 1958) was a British pilot largely raised in Australia, who took part in air racing and record-breaking flights in the 1930s. Early life Broadbent was born in Chiswick on 25 March 1910 as ...

and co-piloted by Thomas Rowell, carrying four other crew and 30 passengers, disappeared on a scheduled passenger flight from Cabo Ruivo,

Lisbon Lisbon (; pt, Lisboa ) is the capital and largest city of Portugal, with an estimated population of 544,851 within its administrative limits in an area of 100.05 km2. Lisbon's urban area extends beyond the city's administrative limits w ...

Portugal Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic ( pt, República Portuguesa, links=yes ), is a country whose mainland is located on the Iberian Peninsula of Southwestern Europe, and whose territory also includes the Atlantic archipelagos of th ...

Funchal Funchal () is the largest city, the municipal seat and the capital of Portugal's Autonomous Region of Madeira, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a population of 105,795, making it the sixth largest city in Portugal. Because of its hig ...

Madeira ) , anthem = ( en, "Anthem of the Autonomous Region of Madeira") , song_type = Regional anthem , image_map=EU-Portugal_with_Madeira_circled.svg , map_alt=Location of Madeira , map_caption=Location of Madeira , subdivision_type=Sovereign st ...

. The last communication from the aircraft (when it was about 13°W) was a radio message code "QUG", meaning "I am forced to land immediately". No trace has ever been found of the aircraft, nor its six crew or 30 passengers.Ranter, Harro and Fabian I. Lujan
"ASN Aircraft accident Martin PBM-5 Mariner CS-THB North Atlantic Ocean."
''Aviation Safety Network,'' 2005. Retrieved: 28 June 2011.1958 / NOV / 09 - Accident with the Seaplane - CS-THB - disappeared between Lisbon and Funcha
GIAA Final Report (in Portuguese)

Specifications (PBM-1)

Martin PBM-5S Mariner 3-view line drawing

References

Notes

Bibliography

*Bridgeman, Leonard. “The Martin Model 162 Mariner.” ''Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II.'' London: Studio, 1946. . *Donald, David, ed. ''American Warplanes of World War II''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1995. . *Dorr, Robert F. "Variant Briefing: Martin Flying Boats: Mariner, Mars and Marlin". ''Wings of Fame'', Volume 7, 1997, pp. 114–133. London: Aerospace Publishing, . *Green, William. ''War Planes of the Second World War: Volume Five Flying Boats''. London: Macdonald, 1968. . *Hoffman, Richard A. "Dutch Mariners: PBMs in Service with the Netherlands Navy". ''

Air Enthusiast ''Air Enthusiast'' was a British, bi-monthly, aviation magazine, published by the Key Publishing group. Initially begun in 1974 as ''Air Enthusiast Quarterly'', the magazine was conceived as a historical adjunct to ''Air International'' maga ...

'', No. 97, January/February 2002, pp. 73–77. Stamford, UK:Key Publishing. ISSN 0143-5450. *Hoffman, Richard A. ''The Fighting Flying Boat: A History of the Martin PBM Mariner.'' Annapolis, Maryland: US Naval Institute Press, 2004. . *Hoffman, Richard A. "South American Mariners: Martin PBMs in Argentina and Uruguay". ''Air Enthusiast'', No. 104, March/April 2003, pp. 29–33. Stamford, UK: Key Publishing. ISSN 0143-5450. *Jefford, C. G. ''RAF Squadrons''. Ramsbury, UK: Airlife Publishing, UK, First edition, 1988. . *March, Daniel J. ''British Warplanes of World War II''. London: Aerospace Publishing, 1998. . *''Martin PBM-3C US Navy Pilot's Handbook (MTPBM3C-POH-C)''. Washington, D.C.: The Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, 1944. *''Martin PBM-3D 1943 Pilot's Handbook of Flight Operating Instructions (AN 01-35QF-1)''. Washington, D.C.: The Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, 1944. *''Martin PBM-3D 1945 Pilot's Handbook of Flight Operating Instructions (AN 01-35EE-1)''. Washington, DC: The Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, 1944. *''Martin PBM-5 1947 Navy Model Pilot's Handbook (AN 01-35ED-1)''. Washington, D.C.: The Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, 1944. *''PBM-3S PNM-3D Handbook of Structural Repair Navy Model'' (A.N. 01-35QG-3). Washington, D.C.: The Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, 1944. *Roberts, Michael D.
''Dictionary of American Naval Aviation Squadrons: Volume 2: The History of VP, VPB, VP(HL) and VP(AM) Squadrons.''
Washington, D.C.: Naval Historical Center, 2000. *Smith, Bob. ''PBM Mariner in action - Aircraft No. 74''. Carrollton, Texas: Squadron/Signal Publications, 1986. . *Swanborough, Gordon and Peter M. Bowers. ''United States Navy Aircraft since 1911''. London: Putnam, 1976. . *Sweet, Donald H. et al. ''The Forgotten Heroes: The Story of Rescue Squadron VH-3 in World War II.''Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey:DoGO, 2000. .

External links

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20100714134633/http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/hist-ac/pbm.pdf PBM history with U.S. Navybr>U.S. Navy patrol aircraftRAAF PBMs

RAF Mariner GR I Air Classics articlePBM launch & in flight (color film footage)Decommissioned PBM sunk in Kwajalien Lagoon
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin Pbm Mariner

PBM Mariner The Martin PBM Mariner was an American patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War era. It was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB2Y Coronado in service. A total of 1,366 PBMs were built, with the fi ...

1930s United States patrol aircraft Flying boats Gull-wing aircraft High-wing aircraft World War II patrol aircraft of the United States Aircraft first flown in 1939 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft