Originally Posted by
PaperTiger
The (Martin) B-26 was still 'making widows' as late as 1995, when a restored example crashed during the CAF's annual show; prompting this
article in the next newsletter.
The Marauder's electric props were subject to a lot of failures and often it happened during takeoff. When the electrical props failed, they went into flat pitch and you wound up with 'one a day in Tampa Bay".
Doolittle took the airplane on tour to dispel the impression it was a killer and often would beat up an airfield with *1* engine shut down just to show how, if procedures were followed, the B-26 was not a widow maker.
It was a fast, state of the art airplane when it first rolled out. Complex electrical systems along with increased maintenance procedures helped create the image of a killer.