page_title: Martin AM Mauler
section_title: Operational history
hierarchical_section_title: Martin AM Mauler / Operational history
caption_attribution_description: English: A Martin AM-1 Mauler of attack squadron VA-174 taking off from the aircraft carrier USS Kearsarge (CV-33) during carrier qualifications in 1949. The tests took place in the Atlantic Ocean off Naval Air Station Quonset Point, Rhode Island (USA).
context_page_description: The Martin AM Mauler was a single-seat shipboard attack aircraft built for the United States Navy. Designed during World War II, the Mauler encountered development delays and did not enter service until 1948 in small numbers. The aircraft proved troublesome and remained in frontline service only until 1950, when the Navy switched to the smaller and simpler Douglas AD Skyraider. Maulers remained in reserve squadrons until 1953. A few were built as AM-1Q electronic-warfare aircraft with an additional crewman in the fuselage.
context_section_description: With the prospect of flying the AD-1 Skyraider and AM-1 in carrier operations, the US Navy assigned the Maulers to Atlantic Fleet squadrons. Attack Squadron 17A (VA-17A) was the first unit to get the AM-1 and received its 18 aircraft in March and April 1948. It was redesignated VA-174 on 11 August and began carrier qualification trials aboard USS Kearsarge on 27–28 December and completed them aboard USS Leyte in January 1949 with all assigned pilots completing their day qualifications. During this latter deployment, the squadron participated in the unsuccessful search for a British South American Airways Avro Tudor airliner missing in the Caribbean. The squadron made a brief deployment aboard USS Midway, one of the largest carriers in the US Navy, in early 1949. The longer flight deck of the Midway-class carriers made landings easier for the AM-1 pilots and the squadron did not have a single landing accident during its deployment. Upon its return, the unit transferred its aircraft to VA-44 and VA-45, both newly assigned to Midway, and converted to the Skyraider before being disbanded in January 1950.
  The two squadrons began receiving their aircraft in March 1949 and conducted their carrier qualifications from 2 to 7 May. VA-45 became the only Mauler squadron to complete qualifications without any accidents. They made a short deployment aboard the carrier from 1 to 9 September and began converting back to Skyraiders the following month.
  Carrier Air Group 8 (CVG-8) was established on 15 September 1948 in response to the Berlin Blockade with newly qualified pilots and reservists who volunteered for active duty. VA-84 and VA-85, the air group's attack squadrons, began receiving Maulers in November and the last aircraft was delivered in January 1949. Later that month the air group made a flyover of President Harry Truman's Inauguration ceremony. The squadron conducted their qualifications aboard Midway from 3 to 6 May with ten Maulers crashing into the safety barrier between them. CVG-8 made a two-week cruise aboard Midway beginning on 27 June along the East Coast of the United States, before it was disbanded in November after the peaceful resolution of the Berlin Blockade.
  Many of the AM-1Q electronic-warfare variants were assigned to Composite Squadron 4 (VC-4), based at NAS Atlantic City, and were detached in small groups for each Atlantic Fleet carrier deployment. Little is known about their service and the squadron is last known to have had Maulers assigned on 1 October 1950.
  Although the Skyraider was a third smaller and carried a third less bombload, it proved more reliable in service and easier to fly and land, and Navy pilots preferred it. In 1950 the decision was made to use the Mauler only from shore-based units and later that year all but Naval Reserve units abandoned the type. The aircraft operated with reserve squadrons until 1953.
caption: A VA-174 AM-1 taking off from USS Kearsarge on 27 December 1948
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