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The designation Martin B-26E Marauder was associated with two different projects, involved either an adjustment of the angle of incidence of the wings or the movement of the aircraft's dorsal turret. The first of these only existed in USAAF documents, which allocated used the model 'E' to describe long winged B-26Bs with an extra three degrees of incidence on the wings (the angle at which the wing meets the fuselage). This modification was expected to shorten the long take-off and landing runs of the aircraft, and was actually implemented on the B-26F and B-26G. This use of the E designation was dropped in November 1943.
The second project reached the prototype stage when Martin modified a B-26B to move the dorsal turret forwards to the navigator's station, placing it between the wings. This conversion was completed by November 1942, when the prototype was photographed, but even at that date the Army Air Force was planning to replace the B-26 with the A-26 Invader, and was not interested in major modifications to the older aircraft. The new location also caused problems with the aircraft's centre of gravity similar to those that had plagued early unarmed aircraft when it first entered service and had gained a reputation for breaking its nose wheel. No production Marauders featured the forward turret position.