USA

040651 - FLAK-BAIT: The Only American Aircraft to Survive 200 Missions During The Second World War

By Alan F Crouchman

Battling flak and enemy fighters over the skies of Europe during World War II, the US Army Air Force Martin B-26 Marauder bomber named “Flak-Bait” completed a remarkable 201 combat missions, a feat that made it the highest mission scorer of any Allied medium or heavy bomber. For many years the author has held a special interest in the B-26, and especially those of the 387th Bomb Group. It was during his first visit to the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, DC, over 20 years ago, where “Flak-Bait’s” nose section was on display, that he became interested in what the aircraft had achieved during her illustrious career. Using official World War II–era records, the result is a day-by-day account of the missions it flew, crew lists, flight routes, and weapons dropped, and records any comments made by the various crews during their postmission debriefing. A special photo section features the current restoration display of “Flak-Bait” at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center in Washington, DC. Correcting previously held perceptions about the aircraft and its missions, this is the most definitive account of any single World War II aircraft’s combat career ever published.