B-26B Torpedoes

[Furball]

From the information i have read, the B-26B was able to carry a single 2,000lb torpedo.  Anyone know why this is not the case in AH?  Is it because the limited usage they saw with it?

Two B 26 Marauders of the 69th Bombardment Squadron ( Medium ) / 38th Bombardment Group and two from the 18th Reconnaissance Squadron ( Medium ) / 22nd Bombardment Group, attack Kido Butai at about 0710 June 4, 1942, using torpedoes instead of their normal bomb load. Two Zeroes of a group of six from the CAP slice through the diamond formation at 700 ft., as the Marauders start a quick descent to 200 ft. TBF Avengers of Torpedo 8 (Detachment) have started an attack just ahead. This is the moment when the formation started to break up. Lead aircraft, and the flight, is commanded by CAPT James F. Collins (2dLT Colin O. Villines, 2dLT Thomas N. Weems, Jr., SGT Ernest M. Mohon, Jr., SGT Jack D. Dunn, TSGT Raymond. S. White and CPL John D. Joyce). The left wing B 26 (42-1424) is commanded by 1stLT Herbert C. Mayes (2dLT Garnett M. McCallister, 2dLT William D. Hargis, 2dLT Gerald J. Barnicle, SSGT Salvatore Battaglia, PVT Benjamin F. Huffstickler and PVT Roy W. Walters), who will go down after narrowly missing Akagi. Right wing is 1stLT William S. Watson (2dLT L. H. Whittington, 2dLT John P. Schuman, SGT James E. Via, SSGT Richard C. Decker, CPL Albert E. Owen and CPL Bernard C. Sietz), who is seen here already having taken some hits, and will go down well short of the target. The tailing B 26 (42-1391) is commanded by 1stLT James P. Muri (2dLT Pren L. Moore, 2dLT William W. Moore, 2dLT Russell H. Johnson, TSGT John J. Gogoj, CPL Frank L. Melo, Jr., and PFC Earl D. Ashley). No ships were struck, and both Collins and Muri managed to clear Kido Butai and return to Midway with heavy damage. Both pilots did fantastic jobs landing their damaged Marauders without further incident, and without blocking the runway.

[SKYGUNS]

How many did this?

[Furball]

How many did this?

I am finding it difficult to find sources.  From what i can find, it seems provision for torpedo carriage was kept throughout the B-26B development and not removed until the F came into service.

14 Squadron RAF used their Marauder Mk IAs (B-26 B-4) in the Middle East for successful torpedo attacks against shipping in the Med from January 1943 (Source: British Warplanes of WWII) but it seems they ceased in February: http://www.14sqn-association.org.uk/14%20Squadron%20Association/History.html it is unclear why.

[Furball]

http://www.faqs.org/docs/air/avb26.html#m4

Four Marauders were used in the torpedo-bomber role at the Battle of Midway in June 1942, scoring no hits and losing two of their number. Torpedo-carrying Marauders attacked the Japanese carrier RYUJO off the Aleutians the same day, but no hits were scored. These were the first and last times the Marauder saw combat with the USAAF as a torpedo bomber.

The British apparently used them initially as torpedo-bombers in the Mediterranean with considerably greater success than had been enjoyed by the USAAF in that role. They were also used for minelaying, maritime reconnaissance, and like the Maryland before it, as a fighter to intercept German transports flying to Africa. They later saw RAF and SAAF service in Italy and in support of Tito's partisans in Yugoslavia.

[Dantoo]

The torpedo was attached by shackles affixed to the bomb bay doors.  It was available right up until the G model afaik.  The US Army apparently just didn't like torpedoes and little training was done in their use. No training sort of means there was little incentive to use them in combat.

Maybe the naval model JM-2? retained the ability but I know little to nothing of it.

One book with some good yarns in it: "B-26 Marauder Units of the Eighth and Ninth Air Forces"

 

[Devonai]

Isn't the Ju88 enough of a hangar queen already?  If they add torps to the B-26, people will forget the Ju88 ever existed.

[SKYGUNS]

Isn't the Ju88 enough of a hangar queen already?  If they add torps to the B-26, people will forget the Ju88 ever existed.

Ju88 carrys two this could only carry one, imagine a KI bomber with better armor...

[Motherland]

I'd rather fly the Ki67 than the B26. 20mm baby.

[Hazard69]

Ju88 carrys two this could only carry one, imagine a KI bomber with better armor...

B26 would (if ever allowed) be carrying a American 2000lb torp. Thats a little under two 800Kg German/Jap fishes on the JU88/Ki67. You need 3 hits with the 800Kg torpedoes to kill CV. Only 2 needed with the 2000lbs.

I think we would be better off allowing formations of TBMs or B5Ns for that torping/level bombing role.
 

[Dantoo]

Um 800kg is about 1764 pounds. 

The math:
That's 3528 lbs of torps under the JU88 at 2X800kg.  Since torpedoes now have double the explosive effect of their weight, then thats 7056 pounds of simulated hurt from each plane against a ship that takes 8k to sink it.

Ju88s would still have greater killing capacity than the B26. 

[mensa180]

I thought Pyro said somewhere that the ord system is maxed out, maybe in response to a B-25 request, could that be the issue here?

[Hazard69]

Um 800kg is about 1764 pounds. 

The math:
That's 3528 lbs of torps under the JU88 at 2X800kg.  Since torpedoes now have double the explosive effect of their weight, then thats 7056 pounds of simulated hurt from each plane against a ship that takes 8k to sink it.

Ju88s would still have greater killing capacity than the B26. 

Oh absolutely. But the B26 is much more survivable than a JU88 formation. Currently, the JU88s are the only aircraft with enough torpedo underwater ordinance to kill a CV in a single run. With B26s you now have a much more survivable aircraft and would take away (imho) from the JU88 one of the few things it excels in.
Just my $0.02