MMRC Tribute

SERVED WITH HONOR
PBM Seaplanes and their battles:

OVERVIEW
The seaplane was a valiant weapon system throughout many conflicts in World War II and in Korea. Then it became a victim of advanced technology.
The Korean War was the seaplane’s last hurrah!

PBM as a Weapon System
DESCRIPTION
HISTORY
MISSION
SYSTEMS
KOREA
DEMISE
Description of the PBM
High wing monoplane – seaworthy
Multi-engine – R2800 Pratt Whitney
Water or Land based – Tender required
Range –3200 miles, Speed – 205 mph (max)
Service Ceiling – 18,500 feet
Weight loaded – 60,00 lbs +

History of the PBM
Early History of the Seaplane
Flying boat history began on January 10, 1912 when a Curtis flying boat capable of carrying two passengers took off and landed on the surface of the San Diego bay.
Aviation pioneers such as Burgess Sperry, Wright, Coffny, Loening, Hall, Douglas, Boeing, Sikorsky, and Martin were among those that joined the parade. In May 1919 a US Navy flying boat, the NC-4, made history by becoming the first aircraft to fly across the Atlantic Ocean.

History of the PBM
The PBM was originally known as the Martin
162.62. It’s design was first submitted to the
United States Navy in 1936. Much less famous
than the Consolidated Vultee PBY Catalina and
produced in smaller numbers, it was in fact
considerably more advanced in its design, and
significantly larger, than the Consolidated aircraft.

History of the PBM
The ‘Mariner’, as it was eventually known, was all metal in construction, with a deep fuselage, a gull wing and twin tail fins. Wing and power loadings were very high. The first prototype – a quarter-scale 162 flew in 1937. The full- scale prototype, the XPBM-1, first flew in February 1939.

PBM-1 initial model.
PBM-3B British Mariner GR.Mk 1 with fixed stabilizing floats and greater power. PBM-3C improved 3B with armor protection and revised armament including a 4,000-lb bomb load.
PBM-3D greater power and provision for an 8,000 lb  war load including torpedoes.
PBM-3R unarmed transport for 50 passengers or freight.
PBM-3S anti submarine model.
PBM-5 2,100-hp Pratt & Whitney R2800-34 Double Wasp radials.
PBM-5A amphibian version with retractable tricycle landing gear.
PBM-5E radar carrying conversion.
PBM-5G SAR model.
PBM-5S anti submarine model.

The initial production version, the PBM-1, entered service with the US Navy in 1940. This version had stabilizing floats which retracted inward towards the wings.

The PBM-2 never went into production.
The PBM-3 had an increased fuel capacity and armament, and a crew of nine instead of the seven on the PBM-1. The Initial fifty were completed as unarmed PBM-3R transports.
In September 1942 production of the PBM-3C began. This version had three power-operated turrets, each with twin Browning .50 caliber machine-guns. The PBM-3C was equipped with search radar and could carry two torpedoes.
The PBM-5 first flew in May 1943. It had 2,100 hp engines and increased fuel capacity. It was equipped with APS-15 search radar.
The PBM-5A, was an amphibian with tricycle undercarriage and the last one into service.
A total of 1,235 Mariners were delivered during WWII, and production finally ended in April 1949. Some 500 Mariners were still in service during the Korean War in 1950-1953.
Systems on the PBM-5
Weapons: Bombs, mines and torpedoes
8-50 cal. Machine guns.
Communications: Radio, HF, VHF, UHF, IFF
Navigation: Dead reckoning, Celestial, Loran, Radio Beacons.
Electronics: Radar, Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD), Search Light, Directional Frequency and Ranging (DIFAR) sonabouys.

Mission of the PBM
Anti-Submarine Patrol
Search and Rescue
Weather reconnaissance
Surveillance
VIP movements
Antisubmarine Patrol Mission
Directional Frequency and Ranging (DIFAR) sonabouys
Magnetic Anomaly Detection (MAD)
MK50 Torpedoes
MK60 Mines
Antisubmarine Patrol
The PBM, in it’s antisubmarine role, accounted for 10 of the 29 submarine “kills” credited to patrol-plane during World War II.
Among the more spectacular actions was the sinking of the German submarine that had sunk the HMS Ark Royal.
During the Korean war, VP-42 was involved in an engagement that was believed to have sunk a submarine.
Search and Rescue Mission
Weather Reconnaissance Mission
Many of the flights were over 20 hours and covered thousands of miles constantly reported the weather conditions by radio.

Demise of the PBM
Mariner aircraft remained in operational service until June of 1956 at which time VP-50 returned from operations in the Pacific. The last Navy flight of the Martin Mariner was made in July of 1958.
The only known PBM in existence is in a museum in Tucson Arizona.