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Forgotten Bomber - Martin A-30 Baltimore

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During the opening months of 1943, the situation grew direr by the minute for the Germans in the Mediterranean; supplies were low, and their transporting routes had been cut off by Allied air superiority in the area.
A desperate attempt to supply German troops in Crete was subsequently made on June 1st, when a heavily protected convoy suddenly faced a massive force of 72 bombers that emerged over the horizon escorted by scores of fighters ready to hunt them down.
To their astonishment, the bulk of the bombers were American-built Royal Air Force Martin A-30 Baltimores, fearsome aircraft known for their speed and overwhelming flight formations.
Over the years, the A-30 Baltimore has slowly drifted out of history books, but by 1943, the aircraft was the Allied bomber in the Mediterranean theater per excellence.
The peculiar fish-like warplane had a crucial role in the Allied triumphs in the Mediterranean, Northern Africa, and the Middle East, but although the aircraft was built by Americans, the US military would never use it during World War 2.
When the German sailors saw the swarm of Baltimore bombers descending over their position during that fateful journey in 1943, they had reasons to worry. The Baltimores soon swooped in, and a brutal battle erupted above the waves of the Mediterranean sea…
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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.
As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.
All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.

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22 авг 2024

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Комментарии : 232

@martingrant6081 2 года назад

My dad was a radio operator/ air gunner on Baltimores with 203 Squadron in the desert airforce. It was his favourite plane of the war years.

@michaelhampton3562 Год назад

My dad was a navigator in 203 squadron, with Tony, Bill, and Bob. All Aussies. We were often regaled with great stories of their reconnaissance missions over the Mediterranean and the Aegean. They thought much of the "Baltys". On their previous tour, they flew clapped out Blenheims from Sharjah, down on the Arabian gulf.

@donaldparlett5789 2 года назад

The factory at Middle River is still there for the most part as well as the huge sea ramp for the seaplanes they built as well. Years ago I slept in a hammock that i set up between the Sea Dart's sea gear legs during an airshow there.Maryland has a rich aviation history such as Martin and Fairchild and the Ercoupe as an example.

@timcoffey5927 2 года назад

I arrived at closing time at the museum at the middle river airport sadly I turned to leave but then I was told I could go still see the planes on the tarmac so I got into my mustang and parked in the shadow of a english electric canberra and had an amazing time ( the Martin factory were really proud of the baltimore apparently

@1joshjosh1 2 года назад

My uncle made me a model of this when I was a kid, still got it 30 years later.

@kellybreen5526 2 года назад

One pilot became an ace flying it. The plane was quite agile and fighter like to handle. The forward armament of 4 wing mounted .303s might be a bit underwhelming, but at close range they could be effective. Correction: I was thinking the older Maryland, not the Baltimore. Sorry for the error.

@codyfrench7668 2 года назад

No pilots became aces with the Baltimore. The case you're thinking of is probably Adrian Warburton, the Maryland ace.

@robshirewood5060 2 года назад

@@codyfrench7668 I thought he was the PR expert, Photo Recon

@kellybreen5526 2 года назад

@@codyfrench7668 You could be right. I might have got the two designs mixed up. Thanks for polite correction

@jonathansteadman7935 2 года назад

I would recommend Adrian Warburton book Warbys War to any fans of real characters who were pilots of WW2. A great read .

@danielmocsny5066 2 года назад

Given the problems with the ground looping, maybe someone on the Allied side became a Luftwaffe ace by crashing five of them.

@quenncheri 8 месяцев назад

Thanks for your video. My father was a pilot in WW2, 55 Squadron RAF, he loved this aircraft and said its performance and ability kept him & his crew alive, they flew many missions including el-Alamein.

@oddballmc7545 4 месяца назад

My dad was an air gunner in 55sqn

@lah0273 2 месяца назад

Do either of you have and photos of your fathers from 55th squadron? My dad’s biological father was a navigator in the 55 Squadron on a three person crew that crashed in Oct 1943 over Italy. Trying to find out more info about him.

@markpaul8178 2 года назад

Once again,you have brought an aircraft to my attention that I have never heard of before.Thanks DARK DOCS

@lawnmowermanTX 2 года назад

I'm sure between 1930 to 1940 there was untold amount of aviation history yet to be discovered. It would be best to keep a few of the original birds in a museum. This plane should've kept its engines, and the plane be upgraded. Sounds like that was a powerful engine to have. How many lives it saved by out running German interceptors.

@bryangrote8781 2 года назад

Under-rated aircraft that was heavily used. Love these videos.👍

@terrycastor8299 2 года назад

Thank you for this information. I honestly had never heard of the Baltimore. What an underappreciated aircraft. It deserves to be remembered and lauded.

@paulnutter1713 2 года назад

the boston, maryland and the baltimore all shared the same 61'4" span..... useless fact

@danielmocsny5066 2 года назад

Someday we'll build robots with perfect memories to handle all the remembering duty that these great airplanes deserve.

@antiquatedflatulence1607 2 года назад

There are more aircraft that were used during WW II than I knew or thought I knew about. Thank-you for your continued education.

@johnjenkins8782 2 года назад

Thanks so much for this! My aunt worked at Martin during the war I assume she may have helped build these.

@wmsollenberger8706 2 года назад

Nice to know someone is remembering these things, Thank You!

@VangelisKontogeorgakos 2 года назад

The Baltimore was the primary bomber of the exiled Royal Hellenic Air-force, that was part of RAF. This almost unknown plane played a significant part in the war effort for Greece.

@roybennett9284 2 года назад

Thankyou Greece for your fantastic efforts in WW2..you certainly have the Italians cause for concern..

@VangelisKontogeorgakos 2 года назад

@@roybennett9284 Every allied nation deserves credit for it's contribution to the final victory!

@roybennett9284 2 года назад

@@VangelisKontogeorgakos yes my friend but sometimes Greece gets forgotten.

@lawnmowermanTX 2 года назад

@@roybennett9284 Greece needed some sort of Victories and team work attitude. Good Leadership, Good Military Discipline and Solid Intelligence is essential.

@rorysullivan4913 Год назад

My Dad was in the midupper turret of a Baltimore bomber stationed in North Africa. Flew sorties over Crete and other targets in Mediterranean area.

@ronaldreid2185 Год назад

My uncle was also a gunner on a Baltimore. He was sadly killed over Italy on 2nd March 1944.

@stevecastro1325 2 года назад

I consider myself a WW I I aficionado, and I had scarcely heard of the Baltimore until now. I had only heard the name, and if it was some type of plane, and that’s it. Thanks so much for the awesome detail and exciting narration.

@lawnmowermanTX 2 года назад

Most of the 'reject' planes of the 30's ended up being customized and or utilized by other countries.. The media then didn't want this plane to be known and targeted by the Nazi's. Propoganda was an effective tool, and why the Balts' stayed in the North Africa campaign. Sounded like a good cover plan, and when the job was done, they were dismantled and removed. Information of the effectiveness was kept secret. imho..

@kerrypitt9789 2 года назад

I really appreciate this bit of history! I had never heard of this craft! It looks and sounds like the same iconic aircraft the Mosquito was! Thank you so much. Sometimes the predjudices of the American Airforce,! were weird.

@jonathanmillner 2 года назад

Most countries had twin engine fighter/bomber planes somewhat similar to the Mosquito. What made the Mosquito so different was that it was made largely of wood and hence, lighter and much faster. i.e. The engine power on the A-30 and the Mosquito are almost exactly the same, but the Mosquito could go over 100mph faster and/or carry twice the bombload. This feels like the difference between a great plane and a legendary plane.

@michaeldebellis4202 2 года назад

I had the same thoughts, both about the Mosquito and how odd that the US never used it. I think the bias toward strategic bombing that the Army Airforce had was often counter productive.

@DavidMartin-ym2te 2 года назад

It is the same spec. - more or less - as the A20, so the US decided they didn't need it. They had a prediliction for nosewheel aircraft - A20, A26, B26, B25, B24, B29.....

@uberduberdave 2 года назад

@@michaeldebellis4202 The USAAF did fly recon Mosquitoes in small numbers. But with the P-38 they had a capable twin engine fighter of their own.

@danielmocsny5066 2 года назад

It's easy to forget how short WWII actually was. By the time America joined the war, they would fight for just under four years. With the short time to develop new airplanes and then build them in enormous numbers, a lot of choices had to be made based on incomplete information. It's easy to pass judgement in hindsight on decisions that could have gone other ways. For me the biggest puzzle is why the USAAF didn't develop its own version of the Navy's Grumman F7F Tigercat, one of the highest-performance piston-powered aircraft ever built. In theory a similar land-based version could have been built as early as the P-47 Thunderbolt, since the two airplanes used the same engines. But instead the F7F never saw action in WWII as it was too large to operate from the Essex-class aircraft carriers and had to wait for the larger Midway class, which in turn wasn't ready until just after the war ended. Since the US Navy's carrier-based aircraft mostly operated in the Pacific and were outclassing all the Japanese airplanes they faced from late 1943 onward, the Navy didn't really need a higher-peforming fighter. But the F7F would have worked nicely in the European theater, being able to do most of what the Mosquito could do, but with a little more speed and heavier guns.

@freelancenerd4804 2 года назад

I’m from Baltimore, MD. This is the first time hearing this story. Fantastic! Thanks!

@fredblonder7850 2 года назад

Check out the Martin PBM prototype at the Baltimore Museum of Industry.

@deanpatterson9036 2 года назад

This channel is getting better and better! Just longer vids, please.

@SpreadEagled Год назад

Thank you for this video history of a very little known and underrated bomber that was a significant asset to the Allies in the North Africa, Middle Eastern and Mediterranean Campaigns. A great airplane! 👍 🇬🇧🇨🇦🇦🇺🇳🇿🇿🇦🇬🇷🇮🇹

@garyhewitt489 2 года назад

Maryland, Ventura, Baltimore, all largely forgotten . Adrian Warburton's exploits in a Maryland out of Malta should be remembered, I believe he later flew a Baltimore on PR missions too. The. Ventura famously flew on the low level raid on the Philips factory although it was soon relegated to other work once the Mozzies became more available. Those allied medium bombers did outstanding work during WWII. The anti shipping strikes of which there's many films of on RU-vid were particularly dramatic, but the low level raids in Europe showed some spectacular flying.

@thotpatroll5729 2 года назад

Don't forget the B-23 Dragon , Doolittle's first choice for the raid on Japan, but the wingspan was too great, otherwise they would have likely had the fuel to make it safely into China.

@andrewcoley6029 5 месяцев назад

Very interesting and informative about a little talked about aircraft. Thank you.

@lestercornhut6619 2 года назад

You’re right, I have never heard of this thing.

@robertgerald3961 2 года назад

Heard they had at one time used lights on planes as a form of camouflage during sunset ive searched for pics or a further explanation think it would be a great episode. Keep up the good work.

@oxcart4172 2 года назад

Yeah, it is true. The idea was that it would blend in with the background light, but it became useless after more radars were produced

@tarikwildman 2 года назад

@@oxcart4172 for ASW work. Houdini lights. Wing leading edges to mask shilouette . Worked. Look into it (late WWII)

@oxcart4172 2 года назад

@@tarikwildman I know it worked visually, but they must've looked like a barn door on radar!

@csonracsonra9962 2 года назад

You're thinking of the " lay light"

@davidbeattie4294 2 года назад

The US produced a couple of pretty good aircraft they never flew in combat. The Vultee Vengeance dive was another one.

@IntrospectorGeneral 2 года назад

Somewhere in the probably distant past I read a fairly detailed account of the Baltimore's last post-war hurrah as a test vehicle for supersonic airfoils for the U.S. Navy in 1946. The Baltimore's were available, sturdy, and had been tested up to 560 mph in a dive by a factory.test pilot.

@iancarr8682 2 года назад

Martin Maryland was also used by the RAF for reconaissance, prior to the Baltimore.

@hendrikvogel3019 2 года назад

My late father (South African) was shot down in a Baltimore by AA over Italy. He bailed out. Badly injured , he was captured by the Germans and spent the rest of the war as a POW, suffering many hardships. Never spoke about the war as it gave him nightmares. Retired from the SAAF in 1980.

@nigelmattravers5913 2 года назад

Excellent, really informative about an aeroplane I had forgotten. The RAF in the early part of the war needed US aeroplanes including the Hudson, the Maryland and also the Curtis Hawk in Burma

@ronalddavis 2 года назад

no they didnt they won the war all by themselves

@timwingham8952 Год назад

A bit of info re the Baltimore's upper gun armament. Although the narrator mentions the Boulton Paul power operated turret, (which had 4 .303" Brownings), the visuals show later Baltimores with the Martin turret armed with twin .5" Brownings. Also, early Baltimores didn't have a turret, instead the position had twin .303" Brownings on a manual mount similar to that used on the Boston. It's testament to the adaptability of manufacturers like Martin that they could accommodate such changes and keep production going.

@theworldsnewsplainview952 2 года назад

Thank you for the wonderful piece of history that deserves to be told.

@garryclelland4481 2 года назад

Thanks for putting this up , i knew nothing about this plane and its contribution to our war effort , you really do have a wonderful channel , thanks again .

@whalesong999 2 года назад

Since I was a child and playing with a war surplus, Bakelite model of it, I've considered it one of the 'sexiest' twin engine designs of WW2.

@robertwhite7963 2 года назад

My father flew 125 mission in 1943 with 454 SQN RAAF out of Bengazi. He was a WAG. Chased subs and ships in the Greek Islands

@bessarion1771 2 года назад

I've read a book by a Polish navigator who flew wirth the photo reconnaissance unit. He stated that crews LOVED Marylands, which were a huge improvement over their Blenheims. However, The Maryland had a couple of faults that the crews found hard to get over - 1) they were built for speed, so there was simply no room. He wrote, that in the navigator's cabin there was no room to stand or lay down, and the only alternative to sitting was kneeling. Moreover, there were a lot of sharp edges to get cut on, which was really a problem in the desert, as the crews were flying in shorts and short sleeve shirts. 2) there was no communication between the crew except intercom. This was really hard on the former Blenheim crews, where pilots were usually relying on navigators for help in certain crisis situations. Baltimores were universally loved, but during transport form US to the British, the additional fuel tanks were fitted for flights over the Atlantic did not have any baffles, so some aircraft crashed when the fuel shifted during landing. Air Transport command called these modified Baltimores "Cobras" or "Crazy Cobras."

@Phoenix-xn3sf 2 года назад

A quick wiki-search will tell you that there was only one version (out of 6) that had the four-MG Bolton Paul turret. The rest just had two mg's in the dorsal turret, but later versions swapped the .303's for dual .50's. Also worth mentioning is that at one point, the A-30 had a staggering 14 machineguns on board.

@Sakai070 2 года назад

One of my favorite medium bombers of the second World War. I guess you would say it light bombers/ attack aircraft. Very underappreciated oh, and finding a scale model of one is a daunting task in the scale that I choose to build

@danielmocsny5066 2 года назад

In the perhaps not too distant future you'll be able to 3D print a model kit for any airplane to any scale.

@lawnmowermanTX 2 года назад

@@danielmocsny5066 That is true! 3D printing is getting better. Would be sweet to make a life scale replica and make the original engines. The aircraft is only as good as its engines. The Spitfire used Rolls Royce hand built engines that kept the Germans from taking Britain. In a bit of hot rod history, there were car engines, that had so much torque and transmissions that had gear ratio adjustments to scare any driver. Buick Grand National was a simple V6 engine BACK/REAR wheel drive car that is a rare car made by Buick, but Buick backed off to Front Wheel Drive in 1988.. Some car makers made sweet looking machines with under powered engines. Any bomber/fighter to out run German fighters would scare anyone. With the guns aimed 'down' at enemy planes seeking 'refuge' would get shot down. innovative design and saved lots of lives.

@ronaldreid2185 Год назад

My uncle Dougie McCrindle, was a gunner on a Baltimore Bomber for South African Air Force, 21 squadron. He lost his life on 2 March 1944 over Anzio, where he is buried. He was 19 years old.

@scootergeorge7089 2 года назад

The USAAF used the Douglas A-20 and A-26, both by Ed Heinemann who went on to design the Navy A-4D, Skyhawk, AKA Scooter.

@jamesmason8052 2 года назад

I either forgotten or never heard of the Balt. Thank you, I enjoy all your videos 👋😃👍

@williamrobinson7435 2 года назад

Interesting marque, the Balt. I like the observation plexi glass(?) nose on these. Thanks for posting! 👍

@irvingnerdbaum7256 2 года назад

This video is very informative. I think I knew of this plane or had seen it in books but didn't know that it contributed so much to the war effort. GREAT!

@Mrgunsngear 2 года назад

Thanks

@robertguttman1487 2 года назад

Although the Martin Baltimore was allocated the USAAF designation"A-30", it was never used by the USAAF and the designation was only a formality. Actually, all Baltimore were built for foreign use under Lend-Lease. The same thing was done with the Vultee "Vengeance" dive bomber, which was allocated the USAAF designations "A-31 and "A-35", even though the USAAF never used any of them. For the attack-bomber role, which the Baltimore and Vengeance were designed to fulfill, the USAAF preferred the Douglas A-20 "Havoc".

@stephengardiner9867 2 года назад

It was a fine aircraft and available when the British needed it. It was quite similar in design, size and intended role to the Douglas Boston (A-20 Havoc). The Baltimore's predecessor (the Maryland) didn't see U.S. service either but did go on in French and British service. Thankfully (for the model builder) there is a 1/48 release of the Baltimore (and even the Maryland if you hunt around a bit).

@lynnwood7205 2 года назад

I did not know of this airplane. Thank you

@garypalmer1122 2 года назад

I made one as a kid - I think it was Airfix 1;72nd scale. There's one now available in 1:48 scale.

@whalesong999 2 года назад

First image I ever saw of this plane was when I was quite young: A black, Bakelite, WW2 identification model of about 10" wingspan that were sold as surplus from the army, that narrow fuselage a major feature. Fast forward decades, I scratch built a foam radio control model of about 50" span, designed up from published drawings. I never got around to flying it (electric powered) though it's fully equipped. I guess it just seems too nice a piece of work to risk, I have other models that let me practice flight.

@russkinter3000 2 года назад

Your model is most likely from the British Frog company (Yep, that's the name, but in the U.S. Frog kits were sold under the name "Airline Brothers"). Frog made alot of obscure WW II aircraft. They also made the Martin Maryland, the Baltimore's predecessor. Frog kits are still manufactured by eastern European and Russian companies. I don't think Airfix made the Baltimore, but if they did it would have been more recent.

@DavidMartin-ym2te 2 года назад

@@russkinter3000 I had the Frog kit too. Did you know Frog was an acronym of Flies Right Off the Ground? Apparently a throwback to their flying model days.

@russkinter3000 2 года назад

@@DavidMartin-ym2te No, but I do now! Thanks!

@keithbrown2458 2 года назад

As always fascinating video few people remember the Baltimore I do thank you once again

@clarencehopkins7832 2 года назад

Excellent stuff bro

@Anlushac11 2 года назад

I used to have Frog 1/72 kits of the Baltimore and the Maryland. Happy to see this video. I dont think I have seen any videos of the Martin light bombers.

@Wideoval73 2 года назад

Always like the Dark videos. Keep up the good work. I look forward to all the Dark videos.

@scottchapple588 2 года назад

As always, enlightening and informative. Thank you,

@Ralphieboy 2 года назад

A British bomber named after an American city which itself was named after the British Lord Baltimore.

@wendellellison3482 2 года назад

Odd but cool looking plane. The engines definitely look oversized. Thanks for the very interesting video!

@HVACKABOOM Год назад

I have never hear of this before today, to remember anyways. Suddenly though, if I could own any ww2 aircraft it would be a toss up between this and a Mossie. Great content thanks for your efforts.

@anthonyhunt701 Год назад

A beautiful aircraft to be sure❤

@britcom1 2 года назад

I love these Docs!

@mikepette4422 2 года назад

Very good under appreciated and under covered plane. You could maybe do a video about the Maryland the Balt's predecessor.

@normansilver905 2 года назад

The Baltimore was a star performer for the RAF, RCAF and RAAF. While not very popular overall it did its job and earned a good reputation.

@wadeadams4263 Год назад

A very beautiful plane.

@IAmJaguarPaw.ThisIsMyForest. 2 года назад

Your videos are excellent, Sir.

@texasknight5175 2 года назад

I thought I knew most Allied bombers. Thank you for the excellent vid!

@michaeltelson9798 2 года назад

You should do a video on the SBD Dauntless less known and unsuccessful use as the A-24 Banshee. Carlo Buscaglia was an ace SM 79 torpedo pilot and was shot down prior to the Armistice. The ANR (Italian Fascist Air Force ) named a squadron in his memory, but he wasn’t dead. He survived the crash and was hospitalized. Afterwards he joined the Co-Belligerent Air Force (Italians with the Allies) flying Baltimores. That must have made the Fascists angry. He died in a ground looping accident in this type of aircraft.

@mikepette4422 2 года назад

One thing people need to be wary of is mistaking the Martin aircraft for the very similar-in-role rival Lockheed Hudson and its upgrade the Ventura. You can tell the difference between them by the Lockheed aircraft having a Twin Rudder configuration looking much like a small B-25. There is some footage in this video of some of the Lockheed planes probably put in by accident. PS very good to include the tactic of the "Box" formation and the Balt's role in its creation I'd actually forgotten that it was developed in the Mediterranean

@Kirktalon 2 года назад

Wow, I've done the most reading on planes of WW2 and don't recall reading about this. Thanks, I'll have to study up on this plane.

@marvwatkins7029 2 года назад

A good "report". I vaguely recall reading about the Balt, but never realized how successful and outstanding a plane it was. Perhaps some in the USAAF regretted not using it. It's interesting that it just had one pilot. Rather unique.

@petergray7576 2 года назад

The Douglas A-26 Invader also had a single pilot, since it was technically a ground attack aircraft. But when the Marin B-26 Marauder was retired, the Invader received the same 'B' designation and was reclassified as a light bomber. So not quite that unique.

@mainstay. 2 года назад

This channel should really have many more 'subs.'

@beernd4822 2 года назад

Thank you Yet another aucraft that I didn't know existed

@80spodcastchannel 2 года назад

makes me glad I'm a Baltimore resident...MARTINS made some interesting stuff and I live only about 3 miles away from MARTINS AIRPORT and the old aircraft factory building which is STILL in existence. BTW it is a massive building and most have been amazing to see finished aircraft rolling out across the roadway to the airport and taking off as a finished product.

@badroosterimages3719 2 года назад

The Martin Bomber building at Offutt AFB is still in use as well, it's now commonly known as Bidg D.

@williamoorejr 2 года назад

Dad was a ferry pilot in ww2 and liked to fly the Baltimore as it was tricky to take off with the big tanks in the bombay. He said that when the tail cam up and you were not pointing down the center line --just chop the throttles and try again. Thats how bad the ground loop and LOC was. They really had a bad reputation and the Canadians would reserve those for the Yanks.

@davecurda2350 2 года назад

As always great video

@radiosnail 2 года назад

Perhaps one on the Maryland next

@johndoe-so2ef 2 года назад

Wish I could find this on other platforms, sick of RU-vid, not on here nearly as much as in the past.

@phillipjones3342 2 года назад

I love the history of the planes great story thanks for sharing

@bf945 2 года назад

Two forward firing 303 machine guns, 4 on the top and a couple on the bottom? I would not label that as "firepower" in any sense of the word.

@Shanetangybits 2 года назад

.... If they were pointed at you?

@charleshutton84 2 года назад

Great info!! I always love these content videos. One question though. We’re there different marks with different upper turrets? All the videos showed an American twin turret but the doc quoted a boulton paul quad turret. Inquiring minds wanna know lol

@curthutchings511 2 года назад

He loves that turret. He even showed it talking about the B-24! Really???

@martingrant6081 2 года назад

I think the Mk.1 and 2 , maybe 3 as well, were just single machine guns, Browning or Vickers, and the gunner stood up in the open canopy. The two gun turret came next, again, I believe first electric powered. If they ever fitted a four gun turret it would have been to the last ones, Mk.5. . . When dad was on them they carried two wireless operators/ air gunners. . .WOP AG. . .plus the pilot and a navigator, who acted as the bomb aimer too. It was possible for agile, skinny kids to get from the back compartment through to the front but it was difficult. . I’ve seen a photo of my dad out there at the time and that’s what he, indeed, what most of them were. . Skinny kids in their late teens, early twenties.

@robertspeicher5047 2 года назад

Thank you. One U.S. made aircraft and never really flew for America. The Lockheed produced aircraft. The Vultee dive bomber.

@alward9901 2 года назад

Excellent video and information. Do you have any knowledge about the ( VENTURA BOMBER. ? ) in WW11

@billpugh58 2 года назад

I am anxious just listening to the voice, never mind the inaccuracies …..

@ianpatterson3061 2 года назад

I have watched so many of the dark channel videos and I love everyone you’ve done across all your channels, I do have a request, is there a chance that you could do a video dedicated to the World War II story that the book “a higher calling” was based on. I think it’s one of the best stories to come out of World War II.

@06colkurtz 2 года назад

LOL the navigator had to fly the plane because it was so narrow an injured pilot could not be pulled out of the cockpit. "the mighty Baltimore" LOLOLOLOL You do have a sense of humor

@GooseDave Год назад

My uncle was shot down and killed in a Baltimore V over Italy. He was a Sgt. radio operator/gunner.

@robertmunoz7543 16 дней назад

Dark sky's was a good tv series!😁 Jman

@jamesbugbee6812 2 года назад

Love this a/c; kinda like a super-Hampden, but American sleek 💜.

@clarkpitts5393 2 года назад

A+ nice VID!!

@lawrencemay8671 2 года назад

I’m doing a series of model builds for allied bombers. Have to add that one to the list.

@jameswolfe7485 2 года назад

The Brits really clung to those .303 machine guns - great during the Great War, not so much during WWII when any advantage in being able to carry more rounds for the weight was more than negated by the need to use so many more rounds to "kill" and aircraft or ship, and the need to get SO close to do so! While the decision of the USAAF to favor the Marauder over the Baltimore may seem quirky, I'm glad our quirkiness favored the .50 cal machine guns and even bigger cannons in some aircraft.

@1bert719 2 года назад

I always liked the design of the Baltimore, it looked as though the Americans updated the old Hampden design with a conventional tail unit.

@bradolsen8629 2 года назад

I’ve never heard of that bomber that’s awesome

@lewisgoldsberry2201 Год назад

That's sounds interesting history

@JoseSanchez-wb5rz 2 года назад

Very capable and very well armed.

@roybennett9284 2 года назад

Lord Tedder..now he someone who you should do a video on... underrated the yanks liked him, Cunningham,and Alexander.

@kristensorensen2219 2 года назад

That plane should have had tricycle gear. No ground looping! Nice power and single engine performance. First time I have seen it. ERAU 80 CFIA&I ret.

@rikijett310 2 года назад

303 inch machine gun? Or do you mean British .303 caliber machine guns? Excellent video!!!!

@S1lverspike 2 года назад

Wow these planes really made the difference in the war.

@paulrobinson3649 2 года назад

Great introduction to a forgotten aircraft. I understood that US bombers commonly had a walkway, between the bomb racks, so that the crews could remove the arming pins shortly before arriving at the target. Since this aircraft looks as narrow as a Handley Page Hampden, have I been misinformed, or was this one of the reasons why the US did not adopt it?

@None-zc5vg 2 года назад

The rear turret had only two machine guns, not four.

@Einwetok 2 года назад

The big ones (4 engines B17, B24, B29) did. Balts were light bombers, like B25s, then you had others in the same size range like A20s and 26's.

@chriscarbaugh3936 2 года назад

Because the USAAF had better; B-26 & B-25

@randysoong6129 2 года назад

Awesome!

@TomPrickVixen 2 года назад

I'd say its bomb loadout is another weakness, do to the size of the bomb-bay limited the type, and quantity of bombs it could take at once. And it had no external hardpoints.

@ormonddude 2 года назад

Good Stuff I used to love the Show "Wings" on Discovery Channel before they went all Honey Boo Boo, thanks for filling the void.

@captjinxmarine9832 2 года назад

The funny thing is that the nazis didn’t think much of it because the US didn’t use it. Then the first Royal blitz smashed the hun and they ran like mice. Being a kid born in the early 50’s my model collection included the Baltimore. A flying Fort Apache.