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Baltimore No Photo Available
Manufacturer : Martin
he first British aircraft were delivered in late 1941 to equip Operational Training Units. The RAF only used the Baltimores operationally in the Mediterranean theater and North Africa. Many users were impressed by the step up that the Baltimore represented The users of the Baltimore, and Martin pilot Benjamin R. Wallace, praised the aircraft for its heavy armament, structural strength, maneuverability, bombing accuracy, and relatively high performance but due to the narrow fuselage it was nearly impossible for crew members to change positions during flight if wounded (the structure of the interior meant that the pilot and observer were separated from the wireless operator and rear gunner). This was common for most light bombers of the era like the Handley Page Hampden, Douglas Boston, and Blenheim. Thrown into action to stop Rommel's advance, the Baltimore suffered massive losses when it was utilized as a low-level attack aircraft, especially in the chaos of the desert war where most missions went unescorted. However, operating at medium altitude with fighter escorts, the Baltimore had a very low loss rate, with the majority of losses coming from operational accidents. Undertaking a variety of missions in the Middle East, Mediterranean and European theaters, the Baltimore's roles included reconnaissance, target-towing, maritime patrol, night intruder and even served as highly uncomfortable fast transports. The Baltimore saw limited Fleet Air Arm service with aircraft transferred from the RAF in the Mediterranean to equip a squadron in 1944. Used in the anti-submarine role during the war, the Baltimore achieved moderate success, sinking up to eight U-boats. The RAF also transferred aircraft to other Allies in the Mediterranean area. After the capitulation of Italy in 1943, the type was used intensively in the Italian campaign to clear the road to Rome for advancing Allied forces.[3] After the armistice, an Italian-manned squadron, the 28th Bomber Wing,[4] was equipped with ex-RAF Baltimores, becoming the co-belligerent Stormo Baltimore. The Italians suffered considerable attrition during their training phase on the Baltimore. The majority of accidents were during takeoffs and landings due to the aircraft's fairly high wing loading, high approach speed and a directional stability problems during takeoffs. The Italians only operated the Baltimore for roughly six months. Many of those operations were in Yugoslavia and Greece, providing air support for partisan forces or dropping supplies. Most Baltimores were scrapped soon after the war, although one RAF squadron continued to use the type in Kenya where the aircraft were used in aerial mapping and locust control until 1948. In post-war service, the Baltimore took part in United States Navy instrument and control surface tests in the effort to break the sound barrier. With its powerful engines and light, yet robust construction, the aircraft was able to be dived at high speed, reaching Mach .74 in tests. All Baltimores were withdrawn from service by the end of 1949, the last one being retired on 23 December 1949. |
Baltimore
  Operation Charge of the Knights, Basra, Iraq, April 2008 by David Rowlands. (AP) |   Sunrise over Bristol Docks by Rodney Charman. (Y) |   Tragedy by Moonlight by Ivan Berryman. (PC) |   Tugging the Tiger's Tail by Ivan Berryman. (PC) |
| Squadrons for : Baltimore | ||
| A list of all squadrons from known to have used this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking the squadron name. | ||
| Squadron | Info | |
Country : UK Founded : August 1918 Fate : Disbanded 18th April 1963 Northern Rhodesia Fugo non fugio - I put to fight, I do not flee | No.245 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
Country : UK Founded : 26th July 1940 Fate : Disbanded 10th December 1946 Polish Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.301 Sqn RAF | No.301 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
Country : Australia Founded : 10th July 1941 Fate : Disbanded 9th June 1945 Click the name above to see prints featuring aircraft of No.458 Sqn RAAF | No.458 Sqn RAAF Full profile not yet available. | |
Country : UK Founded : 8th June 1916 Nil nos tremefacit - Nothing shakes us | No.55 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
Country : UK Founded : 28th December 1916 Fate : Disbanded 1st July 1958 With vigilance we serve | No.69 Sqn RAF Full profile not yet available. | |
| Signatures for : Baltimore | ||
| A list of all signatures from our database who are associated with this aircraft. A profile page is available by clicking their name. | ||
| Name | Info | |
Flight Lieutenant Allan Davies MID Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Allan Davies MID | Flight Lieutenant Allan Davies MID Joined RAAF in October 1940, served in Iraq and Egypt on Blenheims, then Baltimores, before being posted back to Australia in June 1944. He flew Beauforts and Mosquitoes at 5 OTU. then posted to 97 Sqn at Coomalie Creek NT completing 17 PRU missions over Borneo. His aircraft PR Mosquito Mk XVI A52-600 is being restored to flying condition by the RAAF at Richmond Airbase outside Sydney. | |
Flight Lieutenant Ronald W Meeking Click the name above to see prints signed by Flight Lieutenant Ronald W Meeking | Flight Lieutenant Ronald W Meeking Undertook flying training at Heany, Southern Rhodsia and at Nakuru, Kenya, before joining 55 Squadron in the Western Desert where he flew Mark IV Blenheims and Baltimores. Following an injury, he was repatriated to the UK and eventually joined 57 Squadron at East Kirkby in December 1944. From then until 1945 he completed 16 operational flights, the last being on April 25th 1945 when he was engaged in dropping mines in Oslo fjord and upon returning to East Kirkby, the aircraft he was flying, Lancaster LM231 was the last Lancaster to return to East Kirkby from an operational flight. | |
Flying Officer Ernest Skinner Click the name above to see prints signed by Flying Officer Ernest Skinner | Flying Officer Ernest Skinner Speedy, as he was known, was originally with 69 Squadron in the Middle East on Baltimores. Moving onto 226 Squadron as a navigator on B25 Mitchell bombers, he completed a full tour during the summer of 1944, and then was transferred to 128 Squadron based in Brussels on Mosquitos. | |
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