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Navy Bird
Bill Gilman (Navy Bird)
US

Martin AM Mauler (CMR)

Comments

14 31 August 2020, 20:23
Bill Gilman
Hi mates,

It seems I never learn my lesson - here I go with another CMR resin kit. This time it's the Martin AM Mauler, one of the more obscure beasts from the immediate post-war period. And she was a beast! She still holds the record for the heaviest armament load ever carried by a single piston engine aircraft, over 4,800 kg. We don't need no stinkin' Skyraiders! Well, maybe we do as the Martin AM, which originally had a nickname of "Able Mable" soon became "Awful Monster" due to its deck handling characteristics. Still, I find it an intriguing subject with its monster P&W R-4360 engine.

The Mauler was part of a design competition which consisted of the Curtiss XBTC, Douglas XBT2D Skyraider, Kaiser-Fleetwings BTK and the Martin XBTM. Ultimately only the Douglas and Martin aircraft were produced in any quantity, but Douglas was the winner by far with over 3,100 Skyraiders produced. Only 151 Maulers were built, and most spent their service life with USN reserve squadrons.

This kit was an "overrun" (although I'm not sure how you do that with resin kits) and had no decal sheet. I'll poke around in my spares box to get the markings for a reserve aircraft from Naval Air Station Grosse Isle in 1950. She'll have an International Orange fuselage band, white spinner, and Insignia Yellow armament - three aerial torpedoes and twelve practice bombs. That should break up the monotone of Glossy Sea Blue.

When it was time to put the paint down, I found the only Sea Blue I had was Tamiya, and it is dead flat and very prone to scuffing when handling. I had to be super careful prior to gloss coating. Anyway, that's where I am now and I hope to have some more updates soon.

Cheers,
Bill
31 August 2020, 21:05
Alec K
Looking excellent as always Bill 👍
4 September 2020, 00:38
Ben M
I see that you enjoy a challenge.
4 September 2020, 00:43
Łukasz Gliński
Me 3.😉 What a topic!
4 September 2020, 11:22
Augie
Wow Bill, fantastic work
10 October 2020, 20:52
Bill Gilman
Thanks Augie!
10 October 2020, 21:16
Bill Gilman
I've uploaded several more photos of my recent build of the CMR Martin Mauler resin kit. It's not one of CMR's best, but there aren't a lot of 1:72 Maulers to choose from. In any event, I think it makes a nice addition to my collection of 1950s era USN subjects. Cheers, Bill
12 October 2020, 13:16
Bart Goesaert
Nice looking aircraft. What I tend to do with tamiya is adding some clear with the paint. Protects the paint, but also gives the possibility to add decals directly
19 November 2020, 10:35
Neuling
Clean and colorful build!
20 November 2020, 08:38
Roberto Rocat
Beautiful!
21 November 2020, 10:55
Bill Gilman
Thanks mates!
24 November 2020, 00:34
Alex Rodionov
Wow. Nice and rare.
24 November 2020, 03:34
Patrick Hagelstein
How could I have missed a Bill Gilman build?........ 😮
24 November 2020, 04:46
Bill Gilman
@Patrick - pretty easy this year, as this was only my second build in 2020. I need to spend more time at the workbench!
24 November 2020, 14:12
Patrick Hagelstein
😄 Definitely! We're all waiting! 😉
24 November 2020, 20:02

Album info

One of the earlier efforts by CMR, this was purchased as an "overrun" without decals. I'll use the magic Island of Misfit Stickers to source the markings for a USN Reserve Squadron at Grosse Isle in 1950.

50 images
1:72
Completed
1:72 Martin AM-1 Mauler (CMR CMR72-108)

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