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Design & Development
The Marlin was designed as a gull-winged aircraft to place the engines and propellers high above the spray. Power was by two Wright R-3350 radial engines. The rear hull did not lift sharply from the water at the tail, instead rising up steadily, a Martin innovation; this gave the aircraft a longer base of flotation and reduced "porpoising" over waves.
Martin SP-5B Marlin (Bu. 135533) of patrol squadron VP-40 Fighting Marlins landing
after its last operational flight in San Diego Bay on November 6, 1967.
[Source: U.S. Navy]
The first of 167 production P5M-1 aircraft was produced in 1951, flying on 22 June 1951. Changes from the prototype included a raised flight deck for improved visibility, the replacement of the nose turret with a large radome for the AN/APS-44 search radar, the deletion of the dorsal turret, and new, streamlined wing floats. The engine nacelles were lengthened to provide room for weapons bays in the rear.
The P5M-1 was followed by 116 P5M-2 planes. These had a T-tail to put the tail surfaces out of the spray, an AN/ASQ-8 MAD boom at the rear of the tail-tip, no tail guns (the gun position replaced by the antenna for the AN/APN-122 Doppler Navigation Set), better crew accommodation and an improved bow to reduce spray during takeoff and landing.
Sources:
Wikipedia
U.S. NAVAL AVIATION RESOURCE CENTER > FLYING BOATS > P5M MARLIN > PREVIOUS PAGE