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#1110

Martin PBM Mariner

🇺🇸 United States ·first flew 1939· patrol bomber flying boat

🎖️ military 2× piston retired
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Martin PBM-5 Mariner in flight c1945: U.S. Navy· Public domain
  2. 2. Martin Mariner 524 Sqn RAF at Oban 1943: RAF· Public domain
  3. 3. Martin PBM-3R Mariner taking off c1942: U.S. Navy· Public domain
  4. 4. Martin PBM-3 Mariner in flight c1942: U.S. Navy· Public domain
  5. 5. Martin PBM 5-A Mariner at the Pima Air and Space Museum: Aaron Headly· CC BY-SA 4.0
  6. 6. Martin XPBM-1 Mariner in flight c1939: U.S. Navy· Public domain
  7. 7. PBM Mariner water takeoff: U.S. Coast Guard· Public domain
  8. 8. Martin PBM Mariners in flight over the U.S. East Coast, circa in 1943 (NH 85535): Wikimedia Commons· Public domain
  9. 9. Martin PBM-1 Mariner of VP-55 is hoisted aboard USS Albemarle (AV-5), in 1941 (NNAM.1986.014.022): U.S. Navy· Public domain
  10. 10. Martin PBM-3 Mariner is being rigged for beaching at Naval Air Station Norfolk, Virginia (USA), circa mid-1942 (80-G-K-15963): Wikimedia Commons· Public domain
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
Martin PBM Mariner, photo 1 of 10
1/10 U.S. Navy· Public domain

what is it?

The Martin PBM Mariner is a twin-engine patrol bomber flying boat designed and produced by the American aircraft manufacturer Glenn L. Martin Company. It was active during both the World War II and the early Cold War era. Developed during the late 1930s, the Mariner was designed to complement the Consolidated PBY Catalina and PB2Y Coronado then in service with the United States Navy (US Navy).

How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · 36 m wingspan

base stats

  • speed 330 km/htop speed
  • range 4,800 kmwithout refuelling
  • size 25.4 tmax take-off weight
  • built 1,285made in total

Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).

fun facts

  • First flew 87 years ago, in 1939.
  • Top speed is 2.5× a car on the Dutch motorway (130 km/h).
  • Wingspan of 36 m: about 8 cars parked nose to tail.
  • Fully loaded it can weigh as much as 4 African elephants (~6 t each).
  • Range of 4,800 km: 27× Amsterdam to Brussels.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight
1939-02-18
introduced
1941
retired
1964
status
retired
number built
1,285
role
patrol bomber flying boat
origin
🇺🇸 United States
makers
Glenn L. Martin Company
engines
2× Wright R-2600-6 / R-2600-22 Twin Cyclone
length
23.5 m
wingspan
36 m
height
5.3 m
max take-off weight
25.4 t
top speed
330 km/h
range
4,800 km
ceiling
6,040 m
wings
monoplane
landing gear
flying boat

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q1538864, Wikipedia: Martin PBM Mariner (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.

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