The Martin P5M Marlin entered service in the early 1950s as a long range patrol flying boat specialising in anti-submarine work. They remained in service until the late 1960s and were the last flying boats in US service.

The Martin P5M was a direct descendant of the Martin PBM Mariner and the prototype had many of the features of its predecessor.

Although that prototype first flew in May 1948 the first production version did not fly until 22 June 1951.

An improved version, the P5M-2, was introduced to service in 1954 and in all 283 P5Ms were manufactured.

They served mainly with the US Navy but also with the US Coast Guard and the French Aernonavale, and had all been withdrawn from service by about 1967.

This model represents one of the P5M-2s that flew with the French Aeronavale in the 1960s.

Hasegawa 1/72 kit completed by Leigh Edmonds in July 2007.