Martin P4M Mercator

1946


PATROL BOMBER	Virtual Aircraft Museum / USA / Martin

The US Navy made several attempts to gain the benefit of high over-target performance combined with long range by introducing mixed powerplant. The Martin Model 219 patrol bomber represented one of the results of such a specification, two XP4M-1 prototypes being ordered on 6 July 1944. The first was flown on 20 September 1946 as a cantilever shoulder-wing monoplane with retractable tricycle landing gear. Its powerplant comprised two 2218kW Pratt & Whitney R-4360-4 Wasp Major radial engines, but each nacelle also incorporated a 17,350kg thrust Allison J33-A-17 turbojet. After a protracted development programme 19 P4M-1 production aircraft were built, the first being delivered to US Navy Squadron VP-21 on 28 June 1950, and all served with this unit. Most of them were converted into P4M-1Q Elint aircraft, one being shot down.

Specification

MODEL	P4M-1
ENGINE	2 x Pratt Whitney R-4360-20A piston engines, 2424kW + 2 x Allison J33-A-10A, 2087kg
WEIGHTS
Take-off weight	40000 kg	88185 lb
DIMENSIONS
Wingspan	34.75 m	114 ft 0 in
Length	25.50 m	84 ft 8 in
Height	7.95 m	26 ft 1 in
Wing area	121.79 m²	1310.94 sq ft
PERFORMANCE
Max. speed	660 km/h	410 mph
Ceiling	10545 m	34600 ft
Range	4570 km	2840 miles
ARMAMENT	2 x 20mm cannons, 4 x 12.7mm machine-guns, 2700kg of bombs

Comments

1-20 21-40 41-60 61-80

Anonymous, 12.11.2021 20:34

The P4M was eventually rejected in favor of the Lockheed P2V Neptune. Although only a few Mercators were ever built, they enjoyed very active operational careers. However, most of their activities were of a classified nature, so that the activities of these aircraft were not highly publicized.

Jo Ann Hofhine, e-mail, 04.10.2021 02:07

Trying to find crew members with Duane Hofhine

Jo Ann Hofhine, e-mail, 03.10.2021 22:31

Trying to find crew members with Duane Hofhine

Bob Tucker, e-mail, 19.09.2021 00:15

Thanks to all who wrote about the great P4M-1Q. Ex Navigational Radar Operator 1951-1953, Sangley Point Naval Air Station, Bob Tucker.

Jo Ann Hofhine, e-mail, 27.09.2021

Bob Tucker

Duane was 20 when he received his Wings in June ‘50. He met all the qualifications and was selected for that duty. He was in the squadron for 4 yrs. he served 25 yrs. I met him when I was in the Navy. We’re married 50+ yrs. Thank you.

Vahe David Demirjian, e-mail, 05.08.2020 03:39
The P4M Mercator was named for Gerardus Mercator, the Flemish cartographer who created the Mercator map projection.
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Norm Anderson, e-mail, 31.07.2020 18:35
For anyone interested in th P4M, a good book is 'The last boomerang' written by John McIntyre a former P4M pilot with VQ-2. It is fiction but know it is mostly factual especially the missions.
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roger reid, e-mail, 02.03.2018 00:08
Norm Anderson: Regarding the January 1960 Mercator P4M crash in Turkey, in which you lost your best friend. I am so sorry. My close friend was in the British RAF MR SAR party that effected to retrieval of the USA servicemen. They were treated with the greatest dignity and respect.
There were reports in two British MR books. If you are interested, please contact me.
Might you have any Official Crash Report of this crash on Karanfil Dag, or other "American perspective"? If so, that would be greatly appreciated
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Brian Canfer, e-mail, 23.08.2020

roger reid

I am the archivist of the RAF Mountain Rescue Association and we have an original copy of this callout, with photos and George Murphy, one of those most closely involved in the recovery of the dismembered bodies, recently privately published his memoirs giving details and stressing how carefully the crew were recovered. Please contact me for further details.

John herndon, e-mail, 20.11.2022

Brian Canfer

Brian I run the VQ2 Accident Information and the Vq2 facebook pages can I see the accident pictures, and the call out report

Thx John

John herndon, e-mail, 20.11.2022

Brian Canfer

Brian I run the VQ2 Accident Information and the Vq2 facebook pages can I see the accident pictures, and the call out report

Thx John

Patricia Hampton Kinzie, e-mail, 05.07.2022

Brian Canfer

I forgot to add my father's name: LCDR Warren Jack Hampton, VQ2

Patricia Hampton Kinzie, e-mail, 05.07.2022

Brian Canfer

My father was co-pilot on the Jan 19, 1960 air crash from Spain to Incirlik. I sent for his naval record but have no details about the recovery of the bodies. I was 13 yr. old at the time and have always wondered more about why "radar failure" was the reason for the crash. Anyone with details to help me to write my father's story? Thank you.

Connor, e-mail, 07.12.2020

Brian Canfer

Hello, my grandfather was with the crew of this aircraft right before he took Christmas leave in December 1959. He knew the men on board. I am looking for any information I can find on this crash on his behalf. Please contact me with details, thank you.

Dogukan Guvenmez, e-mail, 29.10.2022

Patricia Hampton Kinzie

Hello. I'm a director on duty investigating a plane crash on January 19, 1960. I went to the accident site about 2 weeks ago. I took images of the debris field and conducted interviews with those who saw the incident. I would be very happy if you would contact me quickly to exchange information about the accident. You can reach me by email or on my Instagram account. My Instagram account is @dogukanguvenmez. My Email dogukanguvenmez7@icloud.com

Brian Canfer, e-mail, 20.11.2022

John herndon

Yes, I'll send them to your hotmail address

Donald R. Sullivan, Jr, e-mail, 25.11.2017 18:20
Sitting here with my brother, Kevin, talking about the P4M and the one shot down June 16, 1959. Our father, LTJG Donald R. Sullivan was a pilot on the aircraft that day (he was acting as a Navigator that day from what we can tell). Noticed Mr. Owen Farley said he was also part of that crew. Wish we'd come across this page earlier. Anyone else with knowledge of the shootdown? Understand they landed (or crash-landed) at Miho. Please feel free to email me... thanks!
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Dogukan Guvenmez, e-mail, 29.10.2022

Donald R. Sullivan, Jr

Ned Rankin, e-mail, 10.10.2017 04:55
I was co-pilot with C.O. CDR Sparks in Napler,Italy in 1957 on a P4M-1Q when the gear collapsed upon landing at Naples
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Bill Bonney, e-mail, 18.08.2017 00:46
Flew as a ecm operator on P4M1Q. Port Lyauty French Morocco in 1952-1954. The plane was owned by Sqadron and we flew as passengers since we were in cumminication unit 32g. Had to fly in uniform and change to civies before getting off plane. Have seen cowl flaps broken in powered dive in Black Sea
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steven biffoni, e-mail, 18.04.2017 20:38
Having always been fascinated by the rarer aircraft that the Navy had over the years, after reading a book about it,
I wonder if more would have been manufactured had the plane been proposed as an electronic warfare.reconnaissance aircraft for its era, instead of being a rival to the Neptune.
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Omer Tuzel, e-mail, 12.02.2017 16:18
I would appreciate anyone who is knowledgeable regarding the engines used on the P4 MQ1 to inform me whether any type of hybrid engine with three propeller blades were fitted on any P4 MQ1 and if so whether the propeller blades would have been out of wood or metal?
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Jo Ann Hofhine, e-mail, 09.02.2017 05:35
Husband, Duane Hofhine was one of the original pilots of the P4M from June 1950 for the next 4 yrs. Retired after 25+ years of Naval service.
reply

Bob Tucker, e-mail, 19.09.2021

Jo Ann Hofhine

I flew several patrols with your husband from Sangley Point Naval Air Station in the Plilippines and Okinawa, 1951-1953 as a navagation radar oprerator,
assisting him when he was the navigator. As you know the two junior pilots alternated their duty, flying as copilot one patrol and as navigator the next patrol. A great group of air crews and ground crews.

Anonymous, 04.10.2021

Bob Tucker

Hello Bob thank you so much for your comment. I sent you a private email with an update.

Grif Drew, e-mail, 30.01.2017 23:36
My father LT Joseph Cole Drew was a pilot of this aircraft and was stationed in Port Lyautey French Morocco from around 1950 to 1954. Could never speak about why we were there because it was classified. I was very young but still remember our time there. He was very fond of this plane.
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Joe L. Stauffer ADR-2, e-mail, 19.05.2016 08:57
2PC on P4M-1Qs 56 /58. Saw Tom Glovers post and remember him well.He was one of the first PCs on the first 2 A3Ds in the Navy. Want to let him know I am still in San Diego where I saw him last, 1959. The Mercater was an amazing A /C for it's time and remember my last flight, Iwakuni to Atsugi, enroute back to the land of the "round eye". Wish there was one I could go see!
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BOB H., e-mail, 03.04.2016 20:37
I AM LOOKING FOR ANY INFO ABOUT A RADAR OP FLYING THE P4M OUT OF IWAKUNI--NAME OF JACK MOORE. I'M NOT SURE OF THE YEAR(S) STILL ALIVE IN CALIF AND MONTANA.
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William Woodcock, e-mail, 17.02.2016 22:09
Ya, I remember you Gerald Tripp. I was there the same time as you. I was a machinist on the p4m. I was stationed in Patuxent River after that when Peterson got killed when they were bring his plane back to the states for over hall.
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Leroy McVay, e-mail, 23.08.2015 07:59
Stationed at North Island, San Diego, in 1953. Every time one of these would call tower for landing instructions the tower would TRY to direct them to sea plane tower thinking it was a flying boat!
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Klaatu83, e-mail, 21.07.2015 04:31
The main reason why only a few of these airplanes were produced was because the Lockheed P-2 "Neptune" could perform the same mission and was far less expensive.
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Gilbert C. (Van) Vandling, e-mail, 10.04.2015 20:06
I was an Aviation Electronics technician assigned to a communications Unit in French Morocco between April 53 and Nov. 54. Our unit flew missions aboard the P4M-1Q. I would like to contact other members of our unit that served during that time.
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