B-26C
| This page is about the French bomber B-26C. For the American version, see B-26B. |
Contents
Description
The B-26C Marauder is a rank III French bomber with a battle rating of 4.3 (AB) and 4.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Wind of Change".
General info
Flight performance
As expected from a medium-to-large bomber, the B-26C Marauder's flight characteristics are quite similar to its predecessor, the B-25 Mitchell, being generally sluggish to handle but with decent flatline speed. Though due to its bigger size and weight, the general weakness found the B-25's flight performance is further exacerbated. The Marauder will lose quite a lot of energy when making any manoeuvres, especially in vertical manoeuvres that will almost always result in a stall if the plane did not have enough energy prior to the movement. This poor energy retention also results in the plane having very poor climb rate, even when compared to heavy bombers. The plane's control surface lock up when exceeding 540 km/h, and the wings will break if exceeding 580 km/h.
On the bright side, the Marauder's engines provide enough power to accelerate in shallow dives and allows the plane to reach the target faster. This also helps in emergency cases as the Marauder is also capable of flying with one engine in case the other is knocked out.
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 3,962 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 403 | 387 | 8500 | 35.3 | 36.6 | 2.4 | 2.4 | 950 |
| Upgraded | 525 | 491 | 32.8 | 34.0 | 10.3 | 5.6 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 568 | 265 | 382 | 320 | 297 | ~__ | ~__ |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 270 | < 320 | < 370 | > ___ |
Survivability and armour
As with other American medium bombers, the B-26C are fairly survivable. The plane features multiple layers of armour protecting the pilot and gunners, combined with sturdy airframe, this allows the plane to tank quite a lot of hits, especially from machine guns.
As mentioned in the "Flight performance" section, the two Pratt & Whitney R-2800 "Twin Wasp" engines provides additional failsafe to the plane, as it allows the pilot to fly with one engine knocked out and limp back to the base for repair.
However, being larger than the B-25 and with less effective frontal armament, the B-26C are quite prone to pilot snipe from frontal engagements. As such, avoid facing the front at the enemy at all costs.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Since the stock payload is as potent as the 600 lbs payload, B-26C pilots has more freedom when it comes to choosing an upgrade. Though an additional payload unlock is reccommended, as the 600 lbs payload is a rank 2 modification which allows you to unlock rank 3 modification faster, and the payload is generally easier to use.
Armaments
Offensive armament
The B-26C is armed with:
- 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
- 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, cheek-mounted (250 rpg upper + 200 rpg lower = 900 total)
The B-26C features five .50 Browning machine guns mounted on the nose and cheeks as its offensive armament. These guns were mounted with the intent of being used to strafe ground targets, in which the Marauder is perfectly capable of doing so. However, unlike the B-25, due to the guns being mounted quite low on the fuselage and being placed quite far apart, this results into the guns having poor convergence and thus are very hard to aim at an enemy plane. Not helping by the fact that the plane has much worse handling than the B-25 and that its large tail directly blocks the aiming point. Because of this, it is better used against ground targets or a slow-flying AI planes instead.
Suspended armament
The B-26C can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 30 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)
- 14 x 300 lb H.E. M31 bombs (4,200 lb total)
- 8 x 600 lb H.E. M32 bombs (4,800 lb total)
- 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
- 2 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (4,000 lb total)
- 1 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 torpedo
The B-26C features a large payload for its type. The stock payload of 30 x 100 lb bombs are actually quite potent, being able to take out two bases in downtier and one in uptier, though due to the bomb series set up, the payload often requires micromanagement to precisely manage the drop. Due to the quantity, the 100 lb payload are very useful against columns of vehicles. The most "optimal" payload against bases in air battles is the 8 x 600 lb bombs, which can destroy the same number of bases as the 100 lb bombs, but are much easier to handle.
Other than the smaller bombs, the Marauder also has an access to large bombs to tackle ground and naval targets. The plane has an access to 4 x 1,000 lb or 2 x 2,000 lb bombs to provide destructive CAS against the enemy team.
The Marauder also has an option to mount a single Mk.13 torpedo. However, only the notoriously terrible, early version of the Mk. 13 is available, with very poor drop speed and range. This, combined with the plane's large size, means that the Marauder pilot should rely on its large bombs against enemy ships instead.
Defensive armament
The B-26C is defended by:
- 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, nose turret (270 rpg)
- 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, dorsal turret (400 rpg = 800 total)
- 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (240 rpg)
- 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, tail turret (800 rpg = 1,600 total)
Usage in battles
Being essentially an upsized B-25, the B-26C Marauder excel at fast bombing using its speed to quickly reach a target. However, due to the Marauder being significantly larger, the plane has several restriction that prevents it from being played aggresively like its predecessor. As such, the playstyle of the B-26 is somewhat similar to other medium bombers; quickly approaching the target, drop the bomb, and then retreat.
Due to the frontally-mounted MG, the Marauder can be used to strafe soft targets when all payload are used up. Though due to the plane's generally poor flight performance, be wary of an enemy from above as the plane has little chance of getting away from them, especially if they are coming from the front.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Controllable | Controllable Not auto controlled |
Not controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Auto control available |
Separate | Controllable 2 gears |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good payload consists of bombs of various size for different targets
- Tough airframe with armour plates protecting pilots and gunners, capable of soaking up damage
- Tricycle landing gear allows the plane to land and take off on smaller airfields
- Powerful engines provide decent flat acceleration and also allow the plane to fly with one engine
- Adequate defensive armament at the rear
- Access to five machine guns for strafing ground targets
Cons:
- Quite large in size, can be easily targeted
- Wide frontal gun convergence resulting into inaccuracy, especially against aircraft
- Low structural limit speed (~580 km/h), can make dive bombing quite tricky to perform
- Very poor climb rate and energy retention
- Poor overall manoeuvrability, especially at higher speed
- Limited defensive gun coverage at the front and below
History
Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).
Media
- Skins
See also
External links
| Glenn L. Martin Company | |
|---|---|
| Attackers | AM-1 |
| Bombers | B-10B · B-26B · PBM-1 · PBM-3 · PBM-5A |
| Jet bombers | B-57A* · B-57B* |
| Export | Martin 139WC · Martin 167-A3 · B-26C |
| * These aircraft were license-built from The English Electric Company Limited who developed and built the British English Electric Canberra. | |
| France bombers | |
|---|---|
| Farman | F.222.2 · N.C.223.3 |
| Latécoère | Late 298D |
| Potez | Potez 633 |
| Liore et Olivier | LeO 451 early · LeO 451 late |
| Bloch | M.B.174A-3 · M.B.162 · M.B.175T |
| American | V-156-F · Martin 167-A3 · ▄A-35B · ▄SB2C-5 · B-26C · ▄PBY-5A Late · ▄PB4Y-2 |
| British | Lancaster MR.7 |
