Martin P5M Marlin

Glenn L. Martin Company · United States · first flew 1948 · transport aircraft

The Martin P5M Marlin was the US Navy's primary maritime patrol flying boat of the 1950s and 1960s, replacing the PBM Mariner with improved range, payload, and jet-age performance. Its T-tail configuration distinguished it clearly from Second World War flying boats.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × turboprop, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	30.66 m fuselage
T — Tail	T-tail

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Spot it by:

Large post-war US Navy patrol flying boat
T-tail with high-mounted horizontal stabiliser
Twin turboprop engines on high parasol wing

Identified by the large single-hull flying boat shape, high-mounted parasol wing with two large radial (later turboprop) engines, and the prominent T-tail fin and stabiliser arrangement.

Specifications

The Martin P5M Marlin has a length of 30.66 m (101 ft).
It has a wingspan of 36.02 m (118 ft).
Its maximum speed is 405 km/h (252 mph).
Typical crew: 11.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

Developed from Martin's post-war design studies, the P5M-1 entered USN service in 1952 and the improved P5M-2 (designated P-5B after 1962) followed in 1954 with a T-tail and other refinements. The Marlin conducted extensive Cold War anti-submarine patrols and served with the French Aéronavale under the designation SP-5B. It was retired from US service in 1967.

Variants

The P5M-1 had a conventional tail; the P5M-2 introduced the distinctive T-tail. The French Aéronavale received aircraft as the SP-5B.

Where you'll see it

Served the US Navy and French Aéronavale; US examples patrolled across the Atlantic and Pacific during the Cold War.

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