Martin JRM Mars

Uncommon card · No. 132874

The Martin JRM Mars is a retired large, four-engined cargo transport flying boat designed and built by the Martin Company for the United States Navy (US Navy). It was the largest Allied flying boat to enter production during World War II, although only seven were completed. The Mars was developed during the late 1930s and early 1940s as a scaled up derivative of the PBM Mariner patrol bomber, internally designated Model 170. Under contract from the US Navy, an initial prototype, the XPB2M-1 Mars, performed its maiden flight on 23 June 1942. While originally intended to be adopted as a long-range ocean patrol flying boat, as the conflict progressed, the Mars was reoriented towards the long-range transport mission, thus redesignated XPB2M-1R. The flying boat commenced ferrying cargo to Hawaii and the Pacific Islands on 23 January 1944. While a batch of 20 Mars was at one point on order for the US Navy, the service opted to curtail the order to seven aircraft following the end of end of World...

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