And what country can preserve its liberties if their rulers are not warned from time to time that their people preserve the spirit of resistance? Let them take arms. The remedy is to set them right as to facts, pardon and pacify them. What signify a few lives lost in a century or two? The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.
Sunday, March 23, 2014
What a machine!
Twin engine Martin Mariner being hosed down after being hauled from the water, Naval Air Station/Banana River, FL 1943. File this one under the heading: "They don't make them like that anymore!"
Trivia Fact: A tour guide at the National Museum of Naval Aviation informed the group I was with that the Mariner had what the Navy called "beaching gear" NOT landing gear. Because of it's enormous size, it HAD to land in water. Beaching gear was attached near the shore by sailors to simply roll it out of the water and onto shore.
Another bit of trivia; They leaked gas so badly(the Martin Mariner) that they were known to catch fire and explode in flight. It is widely believed that was the fate of the Mariner sent to look for flight 19 (the 12 torpedo bombers that disappeared off Fla. right after WW-2) --Ray
Not for sure ,but I think that is a Martin mariner,not a PBY
ReplyDeleteYou are correct! Post modified with the appropriate link.
DeleteThat is one awesome looking flying machine!
ReplyDeleteTrivia Fact: A tour guide at the National Museum of Naval Aviation informed the group I was with that the Mariner had what the Navy called "beaching gear" NOT landing gear. Because of it's enormous size, it HAD to land in water. Beaching gear was attached near the shore by sailors to simply roll it out of the water and onto shore.
ReplyDeleteAnother bit of trivia; They leaked gas so badly(the Martin Mariner) that they were known to catch fire and explode in flight. It is widely believed that was the fate of the Mariner sent to look for flight 19 (the 12 torpedo bombers that disappeared off Fla. right after WW-2) --Ray
ReplyDeleteI remember seeing them as a kid at NAS Corpus Christi. Immensely impressive to a little boy.
ReplyDelete