AHC: The Martin B-10 gets a day in the sun

The Martin B-10 was a gamechanger as far as bombers went when it entered service in 1934, but was long obsolete by the time WWII rolled around, and it ended up seeing little combat service. So what circumstances might see the B-10 live up to its full potential?
 
I wonder if perhaps a POD could be a worse USS Panay incident. The US is incensed, not enough to declare war, but enough to seriously start helping the Chinese. As a result you see a much earlier, much larger American Volunteer Group resembling the 3 AVG's planned in OTL (2 fighter, 1 bomber)

The Bomber AVG group could consist of B-10's with American pilots and therefore be much more effective. The US also in TTL begins rearming faster and as a result a steady stream of now obsolete B-10's are shipped to China where they serve with distinction.
 
The Martin B-10 was a gamechanger as far as bombers went when it entered service in 1934, but was long obsolete by the time WWII rolled around, and it ended up seeing little combat service. So what circumstances might see the B-10 live up to its full potential?

Not really a game changer. The Tupolev SB was being tested in 1934. So was the Savoia Marchetti SM79. In Germany the Do17 was flying in its civilian disguise.
The easiest way to get them some action would be to have some sold to the Spanish Government in time for the civil war.
 
Not really a game changer. The Tupolev SB was being tested in 1934. So was the Savoia Marchetti SM79. In Germany the Do17 was flying in its civilian disguise.
The easiest way to get them some action would be to have some sold to the Spanish Government in time for the civil war.


The B-10 was not so much as revolutionary as a plane, besides being the first fully metal skinned one. It was actually quite average and lacked engines, that could give it more potential, as it was quite underpowered. This has nothing to do with the airframe though, but with the inability of the 30's period US engine building companies, to produce somethinmg more adequate.

The mentioned Do-17, SB-2 and SM-79 were only partly metal and still used skin of fabric for their after parts of their hulls.
 
OTL the Royal Dutch East Indies Army Airforce operated several.
If the Japanese advance in South East Asia somehow falters and slows down a little - which is very possible - the B-10 in Dutch service (and in Philipine service) amongst others gets more opportunity then OTL for (a short) stay in the limelight before being overwhelmed.

That would also give other interesting aircraft, such as the Curtiss-Wright Model 21, more opportunity.

For the rest numbers built were just too small for much more then that, unless there's a POD in the early '30s leading to the B-10 being built in larger numbers, like an early WWII.
Even the 83 B-10s operated by the KNIL (Royal Dutch East Indies Army Airforce) constituted about a quarter of all B-10s built. http://www.pacificwrecks.com/douglas/articles/neiaf.html
 
Here's a possibility...B-10's get better engines in 1935-37 time frame and therefore are still in service in 1940. While now obsolescent for their initial role as bombers, somebody gets the bright idea that they can serve as as ASW platforms carrying depth charges. For coastal patrol, with no air threat they could be very useful in early WW2 preventing such a "happy time" for the U-boats. Maybe the B-10s transferred to national guard/reserve air units in New England to Virginia, Gulf coast...
 
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