Post by flyboy on Apr 3, 2017 11:59:53 GMT
The Martin P4N-1Q Mercator.
The Mercator was an unsuccessful contender for a United States Navy requirement for a long-range maritime patrol bomber. The Lockheed P2V Neptune was eventually chosen instead although the Mercator was considered superior in many aspects. There were 21 aircraft produced and the P4N-1Q model was used for top secret covert long-range electronic reconnaissance missions collecting details of Soviet Union cold war radar signals. These were sent back to the USA for examination in case the information should be needed in the event of full scale war breaking out. Aircraft flying these missions were painted matt blue-grey, mainly flying at night and often with bogus serials applied.
Although there is no evidence of aircraft passing through Blackbushe carrying false serials, when flying missions along the Chinese and Russian coasts from bases in Japan they certainly did. Missions flown from Blackbushe were believed to have been over the Baltic sea and carried out mainly by squadron VQ-2, while squadron VQ-1 operated mainly from the Philippines and Japan. The P4M-1Q carried a crew of up to 16 in order to operate all the surveillance equipment carried.
SPECIFICATION:
P4M Mercator
Crew Normally 9 (but up to 16 on P4N-1Q)
Length 85' 2" (26m)
Wingspan 114' (34.7m)
Height 26' 1" (8m)
Weight empty 48,536lb (22,016kg)
Weight loaded 88,378lb (40,088kg)
Powerplants 2x Pratt & Whitney R-4360 Wasp Major radials 3,250hp (2,420kw) each.
--//-- plus 2x Allison J33-A-23 turbojets 4,600lbf (20kn) each.
Speed Max. 410mph (660km/h)
Range 2,840mi (4,570km)
Ceiling 34,600' (10,500m)
Armament 4x 20mm (.79") cannons in nose and tail turrets.
2x .50" (12.7mm) machine guns in dorsal turret.
up to 12,000lb (5,400kg), bombs, mines, depth charges or torpedoes.
Avionics AN/APS-33 Search radar
Datails of Production Varients:
XP4M-1 2x Prototype aircraft with R-4360-4 engines. First flight was in September 1946.
P4M-1 Production aircraft with 2x R-4360-20A engines, 19 built.
P4M-1Q P4M-1s re-designated when modified for radar countermeasures.
Serial Production runs:
121451-121454, 122207-122209, 124362-124373.
Production ended September 1950.
Operators:
Only US Navy.
BLACKBUSHE KNOWN VISITORS:
Serial Type Operator Code Squadron Known Visits
122207) P4M-1Q US Navy PS-4 VQ2 19.4.56>
122207) --//-- --//-- JQ-4 --//-- 00.5.54,00.8.54,00.4.55,8.6.59,9.6.59.
122209) --//-- --//-- XD-2 --//-- 00.4.55>
122209) --//-- --//-- 
PS-2 --//-- 30.5.56,12.6.56,5.9.56-7.9.56,11.10.56.
124365) --//-- --//-- XD-6 --//-- 00.4.55>
124365) --//-- --//-- PS-6 --//-- 14.9.58.
124367) --//-- --//-- XD-1 --//-- 00.4.55>
124367) --//-- --//-- XD-7 VW2 Det A 15.5.55>
124367) --//-- --//-- PS-1 VQ2 15.8.56.
124370 --//-- --//-- ------ --//-- 00.4.55.
124372) --//-- --//-- XD-5 --//-- 00.4.55>
124372) --//-- --//-- ------ --//-- 11.10.56.
124373) --//-- --//-- ------ --//-- ? >
124373) --//-- --//-- XD-3 VQ2 Det A 21.7.54,00.8.54,00.10.54,15.5.55>
124373) --//-- --//-- --//-- --//-- 00.4.56,15.10.57>
124373) --//-- --//-- PS-3 VQ2 23.6.56.
Notes:
124372 crashed 19.11.57.
124373 crashed USA 6.1.58.
122209 while flying off the Russian coast the aircraft was attacked by Russian Mig Fighters and sustained
some bullet damage. The aircraft at this time with Squadron VQ-1 was able to return and land back in
Japan.
124365 crashed 16.1.60 flying from Turkey with the loss of 16 lives, however, this was not due to hostile action.
Credits:
Wikipedia
FlyPast
rj for access to his records. Keep a look out for his new book on Blackbushe history due ?
The enthusiasts that kept the records.
PB for the photographs.
JSM 4.4.17
complete.