Martin Baltimore

The Martin Baltimore, company Model 187, was a twin-engined light attack bomber built by the Glenn L. Martin Company in the United States, first designated A-23 and later A-30. France ordered 400 in May 1940 as a successor to the Martin Maryland, but after the fall of France the order passed to the Royal Air Force and, from mid-1941, the aircraft were supplied under Lend-Lease. Development was hindered by a series of problems, yet the type became a versatile combat aircraft used mainly in the Mediterranean and Middle East by British, Canadian, Australian, South African, Hellenic and Italian air forces rather than by the United States. With 1,575 built, no complete aircraft survives, and the last was retired on 23 December 1949.