Martin B-10
Chinese Air Force
This blurred and scratchy print is,
nevertheless, quite historic. It depicts one of two Martin B-10s
which
carried out a defiant surprise raid over Japan on the night of 19 May
1938. Unfortunately
at that range
the only payload that these ancient bombers could adequately carry were
propaganda
leaflets. Six B-10s (two 850 hp Wright R-1820-G2 Cyclone
engines) were supplied to China in
February 1937. Actually they were dubbed Martin model
139WCs. Three more B-10s were dis-
patched
from the US to China's 14th Squadron after the Japanese invasion in
August 1937, and
were
flown by American pilots. Most of the B-10s supplied to China
were destroyed on the
ground
by Japanese strafing attacks. .