Dave Eckert's Martin Marauder, the "Hitch Hiker"

***Blackbird686*** · March 28th, 2012, 18:31

I'm in the process of bringing this old bird back to flight status, the model is somewhat dated, but I have always liked the Martin B-26 and the fact that it was such a horror to land. Take-off's were not excatly easy either, from what I have read. There is a repaint for this plane by Damian Radice in which he included a modified aircraft.cfg that makes the Marauder more realistic in it's cantankerous behaviour on take-off and landing. This makes the beast a real challenge to fly, and a real feeling of accomplishment when I can get off the ground and not look like a ruptured goose in the process, and stick the landing to boot.

I remember many repaints for this plane but it seems over the years that flight sim sites have either lost them due to hacks, or that they have just deleted them due to the age of the model.

I'm looking for a set of "factory fresh' paints that were done for this plane, including a factory fresh "Hitch Hiker" version. I don't know who did them and I had them on a CD at one time... but for the life of me... I can't locate them. If anyone knows what the heck I'm talking about and can point me in the right direction, I'd dance at your wedding in a hog trough. Thanks for any effort.

BB686

***Willy*** · March 28th, 2012, 18:43

Damian did a bunch of paints for it, although I don't recall ever seeing the flight model you're talking about.

I'd look at FlightSim for them.

***SSI01*** · March 28th, 2012, 18:50

I have the basic aircraft, and quite a few repaints, in my FS9 hangar if that will help you at all.

***aeromed202*** · March 28th, 2012, 18:56

If you can wait a while I should have most of them because Damian did a special paint for me. K9-X was the second one Dad flew and I offered the cfg to go with it. Since then I've learned more about tweaking those things and have done a bit more. It was a ship for the best of the best pilots and even then there were crashes, but it enjoyed a fabulous battle record as well as being a design and production of many firsts in aviation.

***hawkeye52*** · March 28th, 2012, 19:08

I have the original Hitch Hiker by Dave E plus 5 repaints, 4 of them by Damian. None of the repaints contain an FDE. All 5 repaints are battle-weary; none are factory-fresh.

- H52

**AK50** · March 29th, 2012, 03:42

BB686,
The file containing the alternative flight dynamics is; FS2004 Martin Marauder B-26C "Mary Ann" (b26mann.zip) by Damien Radice at Flightsim.
Alan

***Blackbird686*** · March 29th, 2012, 05:32

Originally Posted by AK50

BB686,
The file containing the alternative flight dynamics is; FS2004 Martin Marauder B-26C "Mary Ann" (b26mann.zip) by Damien Radice at Flightsim.
Alan

Yessirree, I have that scheme with the modified aircraft config. I have most of Damian's repaints for the Marauder and they are all very nice. Specifically, tho.... I am looking for a set of three "factory fresh" skins that were done for David Eckert's superb B-26C "Hitch Hiker". They were featured one time on Flightsim, they may have been done by Dave himself, I don't know who did them. But one of the skins included in the trio was a "factory fresh" repaint for the original Hitch Hiker scheme.

I failed to mention that once you get the B-26C into the air and at a reasonable altitude in the sim, it's actually very managable. That aircraft config is pretty accurate for "Mary Ann", and I use it in all of Dave's Marauders that I have in FS. In the real world, the Martin B-26 in the hands of a skillful pilot and crew, was effectively "deadly" for whomever was on the receiving end of it's guns and payload. Guess there was a trade off between the pilot and the plane. You really weren't home safe untill you parked it and switched off the mags.

Thanks for all of the responses, chaps. I'll go back through my libraries and have another look.

BB686

***llanning08*** · March 29th, 2012, 08:04

Checked the SOH Library Archives ...

bearcat241 cfs2_fs9-B26_freshpaint.zip

It seems to be a lost file (404), but I have copy of this zip.

Perhaps it might be reloaded to the Library?

***hawkeye52*** · March 29th, 2012, 11:47

I have FS2004 Martin Marauder B-26C "Mary Ann" (b26mann.zip) from a 2008 download plus I have just D/L'd it again, and I cannot see an .air file anywhere in either zip. Same number of bytes in both.

Are you sure that's the repaint with the FDE?

- H52

***oldpropfan*** · March 29th, 2012, 12:23

b26mann.zip doesn't have a new air file but it does have a modified .cfg, from the readme:

Flight Model installation:If you want to try the alternative flight model, please remember to back up the original aircraft.cfg. Then copy-paste
all the aircrafts entries as usual. The B-26s were not forgiving planes during take off and landings, and you can experience by yourself
why! Bruce Pikula did a wonderful job tweaking the flight dynamics.

Haven't flown this one since I went over to the "other" sim, will have to load it up and see how it goes.

***Blackbird686*** · March 29th, 2012, 13:55

Originally Posted by llanning08

Checked the SOH Library Archives ...

bearcat241 cfs2_fs9-B26_freshpaint.zip

It seems to be a lost file (404), but I have copy of this zip.

Perhaps it might be reloaded to the Library?

That's the magilla!!! Thank you sir!

(Runs off to the hangar with buckets of paint!)

-- BB686

***TuFun*** · March 29th, 2012, 15:47

I've always wondered why this bird was never made by 3rd party outfits. Would love to see someone like A2A do this bird. I'm flying the one Radioman had post (SOH) for FSX and add some R2800 sounds and early paint job (WIP).

I made a video, posted here...

http://www.sim-outhouse.com/sohforums/showthread.php?64821-Bandit-outlaw-raider-Marauder!

**Milton Shupe** · March 29th, 2012, 16:39

Originally Posted by oldpropfan

b26mann.zip doesn't have a new air file but it does have a modified .cfg, from the readme:

Flight Model installation:If you want to try the alternative flight model, please remember to back up the original aircraft.cfg. Then copy-paste
all the aircrafts entries as usual. The B-26s were not forgiving planes during take off and landings, and you can experience by yourself
why! Bruce Pikula did a wonderful job tweaking the flight dynamics.

Haven't flown this one since I went over to the "other" sim, will have to load it up and see how it goes.

My understanding is this model is a B26C. If so, it had longer wings, larger tail and the R-2800's among other refinements. It was the earlier model with shorter wings that required the higher takeoff and landing speeds, and was more problematic for young pilots. I have not read that the C and later models had the early issues. Can someone with more knowledge expound on this?

EDIT: Never mind; downloaded and the docs say it is a B26B.

***modelr*** · March 29th, 2012, 17:07

The Alternative flight model is in a folder by the same name. It is a new aircraft.cfg.

I have 12 texture add-on zips, including the factory fresh three-pack in question here, as well as a Merc-Air one.

***Blackbird686*** · March 30th, 2012, 07:23

Originally Posted by Milton Shupe

My understanding is this model is a B26C. If so, it had longer wings, larger tail and the R-2800's among other refinements. It was the earlier model with shorter wings that required the higher takeoff and landing speeds, and was more problematic for young pilots. I have not read that the C and later models had the early issues. Can someone with more knowledge expound on this?

EDIT: Never mind; downloaded and the docs say it is a B26B.

You're right Milton, it is a B-26B. Some of the repaints that I have for this model depict a B-26C. Hopefully that will clear up some of the confusion. The modified aircraft config for "Mary Ann" makes the model a bit more challenging to fly, but it's still do-able. Just that you have to pay a bit more attention to the old gal when you're leaving the runway as well as approaching it.

BB686