The final Marauder variant was the XB-26H. It was actually a TB-26G-25-MA (44-68221) that had its original tricycle landing gear replaced by a set of tandem mainwheels that retracted into the fuselage. In addition, a set of outrigger legs were added for lateral balance. The fuselage had to be externally stiffened to take the additional landing loads of this tandem undercarriage.
The XB-26H was known colloquially as the "Middle River Stump Jumper" and was part of a experimental project to test the installation of the landing gear proposed for the Boeing XB-47 Stratojet and Martin XB-48 bombers, which were then on the drawing boards. Flight tests were carried out in May/June of 1945 at the Martin field.
Sources:
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Famous Bombers of the Second World War, William Green,
Doubleday, 1959.
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The Martin Marauder B-26, Victor C. Tannehill, Boomerang Publishers, 1997.
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The Martin B-26 Marauder, J. K. Havener, TAB Aero, 1988.
-
Me & My Gal--The Stormy Combat Romance Between a WW II Bomber
Pilot and His Martin B-26, Charles O'Mahony, Wings,
December 1994.
-
The Martin B-26B and C Marauder, Ray Wagner, Aircraft in
Profile, Doubleday, 1965.
-
Jane's American Fighting Aircraft of the 20th Century,
Michael J.H. Taylor, Mallard Press.
- American Combat Planes, Third Enlarged Edition, Ray Wagner, Doubleday, 1982.
