During the restoration process, some interesting discoveries have been made on B-26 Marauder ‘Flak-Bait’ airframe
When World War II ended in 1945, a Martin B-26 Marauder called Flak-Bait had completed 201 combat missions, more than any other U.S. aircraft in the war.
The bomber lived up to its name throughout the conflict. It was hit on nearly every mission, once had its hydraulics knocked out, and twice lost electrical power to German 88mm guns. On two other flights, it made it back with only one engine running.
By the end of the war, the aircraft had absorbed more than 1,000 hits. Not a single panel escaped damage.
After the war, it was dismantled and packed into crates for shipment to the National Air and Space Museum’s storage facility in Washington, D.C. It sat there for decades, its name and story largely forgotten by newer generations of bomber aircrew. Eventually, the nose section of Flak-Bait went on display at the National Air and Space Museum on the Mall in Washington, D.C., and was later placed at the entrance to Gallery 205, the World War II Hall, when it opened in 1976.
Restoration of the original Flak-Bait began a few years ago at the Mary Baker Engen Restoration Hangar at the National Air and Space Museum’s Udvar-Hazy Center in Chantilly, Virginia.
As Alan F. Crouchman explains in his book Flak-Bait: The Only American Aircraft to Survive 200 Bombing Missions during the Second World War, the restoration process deserves a detailed account of its own; in short, it is producing the most original restoration ever attempted. No part, however small, will be replaced unless it is absolutely necessary. Some of the interior padding and insulation have deteriorated and will need to be replaced, but all original metal fittings will be retained.
Under the direction of Jeremy Kinney, curator of American military aviation, the restoration team includes Pat Robinson, the team leader, along with museum specialist Chris Moore and conservators Lauren Horelick and Malcolm Collum. Together, they are preserving this remarkable airframe in as close to its original condition as possible. Horelick and Collum are focusing on the paintwork and studying methods to prevent further deterioration, using techniques more commonly associated with conserving valuable works of art.
Even the original fabric on the control surfaces is being preserved. The structures are first covered with Ceconite, then the original material is carefully laid over it, with any gaps blended in by hand.
As the restoration has progressed, the team has uncovered several intriguing details about the airframe. Pasted to the internal bulkheads were some paper clock faces, which are thought to have helped crew members call out the positions of approaching enemy aircraft.
When the rear fuselage flooring was removed, the dirt and mud beneath it contained many spent wooden matches and cigarette butts. Since smoking was permitted on USAAF aircraft at the pilot’s discretion, these likely offered a small break from the strain of combat flying. In the same area, the team also found four spent .50-caliber shell casings, manufactured in 1942 and probably fired from the waist gun position at some point. Along the seam between the bomb bay doors, embedded in the accumulated grime, were Wrigley’s gum wrappers, fragments of chaff shavings, and bomb tags.
When the wooden floor beneath the radio operator’s seat was lifted, the team found a previously undiscovered fragment of German flak embedded inside it. Although it will not be visible once the aircraft is on display, the decision was made to leave it in place to preserve the airframe’s full historical accuracy—a tangible reminder of the many flak strikes it endured. As noted above, some sources say it took as many as 1,000 hits from flak fragments or related damage during its extraordinary combat career.
When the nose section was first displayed on the Mall, its upper and lower surfaces were painted olive drab and gray to give the aircraft a cleaner appearance. The upper paint layer has since been carefully removed, restoring its original weathered look, but the gray underside had not yet been addressed at the time of writing and may be more difficult to treat without affecting the original bomb symbols.
The restoration and preservation work is expected to continue until late 2025 or early 2026. That may seem like a long time, but the process is far more involved than simply putting the aircraft back together. Every component must be inspected, the flaking and chipped paint analyzed, and the surfaces stabilized for the future. Any corrosion found must also be treated, while ensuring that repairs preserve the battle-worn, aged appearance so they blend naturally with the rest of the airframe.
Flak-Bait: The Only American Aircraft to Survive 200 Bombing Missions during the Second World War is published by Schiffer Publishing and is available to order here.
Photo by National Air and Space Museum courtesy photo by Eric Long via U.S. Air Force, Had3Mel, Elliottwolf via Wikipedia and Crown Copyright
