It Rewrote The Book On Bomber Design | Martin B-10 [Aircraft Overview #43]

Today we look at perhaps the most influential bomber designed in the 1930s: the Martin B-10. This aircraft's design was so innovative that it redefined the concept for the "modern bomber" overnight, and it would have a lasting impact on bomber design in the United States.
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Producing these videos is a hobby of mine. I have a passion for history, and personally own a large collection of books, journals and other texts, and endeavor to do as much research as possible. However if there are any mistakes, please don't hesitate to reach out and correct anything :)
Sources:
Swanborough.F.G & Bowers.P.M (1969) United States Military Aircraft Since 1909
Grey.C.G & Bridgman.L (1972). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1938.

[@RexsHangar]

F.A.Q Section

[@Dr_Jebus]

Glad the army air corps eventually decided that pushing 200 mph is a bit nippy for open cockpits.

[@EstorilEm]

Pretty amazing that the USAAC essentially went from biplanes, to this B-10, to the B-17 in less than 10 years. Less than 10 years after that, the ~600mph B-47 strati jet was flying.

[@marknesbitt6959]

Senior officers still don't like to be told they are wrong

[@MrChiron12]

Ever since I flew it in Warthunder it has become one of my all-time favorite twin engine planes. I just think it's one of the coolest planes I've seen in years.

[@mathewkelly9968]

Ah the good old days when expense was an issue for the US military

[@redrust3]

My friend Joe was an Army Air Corps radio technician assigned to a B-10 at Hickam Army Airfield, adjacent to Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He was off duty that Sunday, but he was enraged nonetheless. Not only did the Japanese killed 2403 fellow Americans, they had destroyed his plane’s hangar, along with all his precious tools!

[@paulhaynes8045]

Looks oddly 'modern' (well, WW2, at least) - until you see the open cockpit! A plane that spaned the gap from post WW1 byplanes to seeing action in WW2 - quite something.

[@mikebaker2436]

My dad's squadron dropped hay to cattle stuck out in blizzards on various occasions in the 70s. These were written off as special training missions.

[@raoulcruz4404]

I may have already mentioned this story but , here goes again. In the Navy magazine Proceedings, I read the story from a Navy officer. There were B-10s at Pearl Harbor. Being 1940 they were considered obsolete. His job was to dispose of the aircraft. They were loaded onto a barge and towed out to sea. Holes were chopped into the fuselages with axes. This was done to insure the airframes would sink quickly. Then the aircraft were pushed overboard.

[@davemcg757]

I've been fascinated by this plane ever since I first saw it in a book called Air War: Pacific that my dad had. I can't begin to tell you how giddy I was when I was finally able to see the last remaining one at the USAF Museum while I was helping my brother move across country. My dad was an Airforce veteran and he had always wanted to bring us there, but he passed away from cancer before he had the chance. It felt like he was there with us in spirit though.

[@philsharp758]

As a relative newcomer to this channel I just wish to express my admiration for your diligent research and accurate use of imagery for the planes in question.

[@brianoneil9662]

Nice! I knew you'd get to the B-10! It was my first favorite plane as a kid. My dad had a steel toy B-10 from the 1930s and I LOVED that thing!

[@echodelta2172]

I love your videos of interwar aircraft, such a bizarre time in aviation when aircraft were being pioneered in a more advanced state than WWI but hadn't yet been proven in the fires of WWII.

[@burningb2439]

" Frozen Pilots aside " 🤣🤣 , just luv Rex's wit..I always think the Martin B10 looked like an Angler Fish that had found the joys of Aviation..

[@lennoxstreet]

Fascinating to learn more about the B10. My uncle died on 19 Feb 1942 when his NEI B10 (M531) went down on a mission against the Japanese over Sumatra. Thanks for the story.

[@stephenrickstrew7237]

Thanks for this episode.. you prove that advanced designs were available early

[@robertdragoff6909]

I guess you could say this was the stealth bomber of it’s day.

[@mikepette4422]

Always loved the fully glazed cockpit and the hothouse look of the rear gunner position. And of course the bubble like front gun turret is very distinctive. It's a hugely important aircraft because somewhat like, ( though not to the same extent ) HMS Dreadnought everything else that came before was now obsolete and every future bomber project would have to take note of the B-10's performance

[@dpswets]

Love this aircraft. First learned about it when reading about our (Dutch) air force which was the main user of it. Very cool looking but sadly too old by the time the war started.