Martin XB-48 48-pages, 96 b&w photos, 3 color photos, 26 b&w illustrations. In 1944, the Army issued requirements for a jet-propelled medium bomber which eventually spawned four aircraft. These were the North-American B-45 (see Air Force Legends 224), Convair XB-46 (see Air Force Legends 221), Boeing B-47, and the Martin XB-48 the sudject of this book. Specifications were somewhat general and called for an 80,000 to 200,000 lb aircraft with a 45,000 ft ceiling, range of 3,000 miles and a maximum speed of 550 mph. The Martin designwas a three-place, straight wing, six-jet, high wing, all metal medium bomber. The unique landing gear developed by Martin consisted of dual wheel main gear located in tandem with outrigger single type wing gear. This gear a rrangement allowed for a huge continuance bomb bay with quick acting doors capable of carrying a 22,000 lb "Grand Slam" bomb. The other unique feature of the airplane was instalation of the six J35 engines. Each engine (three on a wing) had its own squarish nacelle seperated with by-pass ducts framed by a thin airfoil plate across the bottom of the three engines mounted under each wing. Two aircraft were produced and were tested at the Naval air Test Center, NASa�é-Ë�Patuxent River, MD, about 70 miles from Martin's New River plant before being accepted by the Air Force. The XB-48 was not accepted for production, those contracts going to the B-45 and B-47. The second XB-48 finished its life as a landing pilot training plane for future B-47 pilot's.