This issue’s “Time Capsule” column features press releases from the early 1940’s related to the newsworthy achievements of Martin aircraft of that era. Many of the aircraft manufactured by the Glenn L Martin Company in that period were for export to the armed forces of other nations including Great Britain, France, South Africa and the Netherlands. These aircraft were employed in the early years of World War II and demonstrated their sound design characteristics in many ways.

THE MARTIN MARYLAND GOES TO WAR

The Martin Model 167 attack bomber proved to be a formidable aircraft in the hands of the Allied pilots who flew them during World War II. Some saw action in the North African campaign with the RAF and performed admirably in the hands of the British pilots who flew them.

On October 23, 1941, the Company released the following article to the press:

“The following cable was received today by the Glenn L. Martin Company from the British Ministry of Aircraft production:

“Speed and fighting qualities of Maryland again proved in western desert combats STOP Maryland squadron returning from raid attacked by swarms of Messerschmitts near Capuzzo STOP Marylands not only beat off the Messerschmitts without loss to themselves but shot one down in flames and damaged another so badly unlikely regained its base STOP The Messerschmitt shot down was one of six which attacked one Maryland thinking it was easy prey STOP The combat lasted in all 10 minutes and defeat considerable shock to Germans who were flying new Messerschmitt 109 aircraft claimed by enemy as fastest fighters in world STOP Other Marylands made heavy attacks on stores dumps near Bardia and on tanks and transport south of Tobruk probably destroying another Messerschmitt 109 and severely shooting up another STOP Marylands of South African Air Force heavily attacked enemy motor transport near Alam Diqnash starting seven fires four of which visible 50 miles away ENDS.”

The Martin 167 (which the British named the “Maryland”) is a light bomber, and is one of the most versatile airplanes yet to be used on the warfronts. The British have used it not only for bombardment and for long range reconnaissance, but for ground attack and actually for pursuit missions. Speedy and highly maneuverable, it pours machine gun bullets from guns in the leading edges of its wings as well as from a rear turret and from several other gun mounts aft.

The “Marylands”, of which several hundred were shipped to Britain, have figured largely in recent dispatches, in one case breaking up a tank attack with bombs near Fort Capuzzo, for which they were highly praised by the Ministry of Aircraft Production. It was one of these ships also which took the famous Taranto pictures after the Italian base had been blasted and while the air was filled with swarms of Italian pursuits. The ship flew low enough to snap its pictures and then outstripped its pursuers.

It was for the manufacture of an earlier version of the 167, for France, that the Martin Company built a new building of half a million square feet of floor space in 77 days for a world record of building construction.”

MARTIN B-10 PROVES ITS ROBUST DESIGN

The Martin B-10 was an aging aircraft by the early 1940’s but was still able to testify to the quality of its design. On October 13, 1941 the following press release was issued:

“News that the lives of the entire crew and the airplane itself were saved when a Martin B-10 type bomber of the Netherlands Indian Army was forced down into the Java Sea has been received at the Glenn L. Martin Company. Martin officials regarded the news, in a Dutch East Indies Journal, as important, since they have long claimed that the construction of their bombers was such that if these planes were to make a forced landing on water, they would keep afloat at least 48 hours.”

An article in the Batavia Aviation monthly describing this occurrence says:

“A Glenn Martin bomber of the N.I. Army made an emergency landing on the Java Sea on account of engine trouble. One of the accompanying bombers flashed out the news, as a result of which a Grumman of the KNILM, as well as seaplanes of the N.I. Naval Force, flew out to rescue the crew of the disabled bomber. A steamer, which happened to be in the neighborhood of the accident, picked up the radio message and was fortunate in not only saving the crew, but was also able to take the airplane, which was still floating very nicely on the waves, aboard as well.”

BALTIMORE APPROACHES SOUND BARRIER

The Martin Model 187 “Baltimore”, widely used by the British and French Air Forces during World War II, was a successor design to the Model 167 “Maryland”. Of relatively light weight and with two powerful radial engines it was a “hot” airplane with a maximum speed of 308 mph in level flight. As one would expect it was even faster in a steep dive. How fast was discovered in a test flight conducted over Middle River, MD in October of 1941. The story of that flight is told in a Martin press release dated October 23, 1941:

“Ellis D. Shannon, an engineering test pilot of the Glenn L. Martin Company, today dived a “Baltimore” medium bomber, being produced by Martin for the British, at a speed of 560 miles per hour for what is conceded to be a world’s record for bombardment aircraft, it was announced tonight by Joseph T. Hartson, executive vice president of the company. With Shannon at the time were two engineers, Orville Richardson and William Street, acting as observers.

It was not a vertical terminal velocity dive, Mr. Hartson pointed out, but a steep one of about 65 degrees at close to full throttle. He would not essay a guess as to the ship’s speed had the dive been straight down.

Shannon climbed the bomber to an altitude of 23,000 feet above the Middle River area before starting the dive. At 17,000 feet he reached his maximum speed, the air speed indicator showing 400 miles per hour. Shortly afterward he made his pull-out.

“This meant an actual speed at that altitude of 560 miles per hour because the thin air at that point does not build up the pressure to show actual speed,” Mr. Hartson explained. “The difference between indicated air speed and the real rate of travel is easily computed.”

Hurtling down at this tremendous rate, Shannon was moving at a speed greater than the muzzle velocity of a .45 caliber pistol bullet, which travels 802 feet per second, or 547 miles per hour. In other terms, the “Baltimore” was moving at 80 percent of the speed of sound. Far from being a stunt, the dive proved the ability of the ship to dive away from pursuit aircraft attacking it.

The new bomber is being produced in quantity for the Royal Air Force and was designed around British tactical experience in the war. Heavily defended with guns in all directions and extremely maneuverable, the “Baltimore” also is designed to turn and accept the gauge of battle, performing as a fighter plane.”

The “sound barrier” was a daunting and unknown flight regime in those days. At the end of the war the Baltimore’s achievement led to one of these surviving aircraft being used as a flight test bed for evaluating airfoil performance in the transonic flight range.