Martin PBM-5A Mariner

The PBM-5A is the last version of the Mariner built for the U.S. Navy by the Martin Company. The prototype was first built in 1937 and production continued until April 1949, when the last PBM-5A was completed. They were taken out of service in 1958. Originally the PBM-3 and PBM-5 were pure "flying boats", the -5A version of the Mariner introduced amphibious capability to the type and became the largest amphibian ever built. The PBM planes served through World War II and the Korean War as a long-range patrol bomber and rescue aircraft. Of the 1367 PBM Mariners of all models built, this is the last intact aircraft in existence. Only 36 PBM-5A's were manufactured and 4 PBM-5S were modified as PBM-5A's.