Glenn Luther Martin
Encyclopedia
Glenn Luther Martin was an American aviation
pioneer.
, on January 17, 1886. At the age of two, Martin's family moved to Salina, Kansas
, so that his father could run a wheat farm.
By age six, he became interested in kites, but at first his friends made fun of box-kites he built. When the kites flew well, people paid him twenty-five cents to build one for them. He turned his mother's kitchen into a "factory" to produce more kites. Martin also began using sails on everything from ice skates to wagons, and even his bicycle to move faster with less effort.
airplane. In 1909 he decided to build one himself based on the Curtiss June Bug, but it was destroyed on the first test flight. For his next effort, Martin used silk and bamboo in the aircraft's construction. This airplane made a short flight. Martin was often assisted by his mother Minta Martin in the building of his first few airplanes.
. To make money to finance this business, he began to stunt fly at fairs and local airfields. He saw an advertisement for a pilot/airplane owner to play a role in a movie. Sensing an opportunity to market his airplanes, he replied to the ad and got the part. He was to play the role of a dashing hero in the movie A Girl of Yesterday
(1915) starring Mary Pickford
. He soon found that it would be harder than he thought. In addition to flying Pickford around in his airplane, he had a scene where he had to kiss Frances Marion
who later became a legendary Hollywood screenwriter. Martin in describing his hesitance having to kiss Marion declared "my mother would not like it" which astounded Pickford. He worked up the courage however and completed the scene.
Martin held a record for longest over-water flight, 66 miles. His company designed aircraft for the military, including bombers for both world wars. An early success came during WWI with production of the MB-1
bomber. The MB-2 and others were also successful.
In 1932 Martin won the Collier Trophy
for his involvement with the Martin B-10
bomber.
He founded the Glenn L. Martin Company
in 1912.
In 1916 he merged his company with the original Wright Company
, forming the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company. He soon left and founded a second Glenn L. Martin Company in 1917. That company merged with the American-Marietta Corporation in 1961, becoming the Martin Marietta
Corporation. This company merged with the Lockheed Corporation
in 1995, forming Lockheed Martin
, a major U.S. aerospace and defense contractor.
, created the Glenn L. Martin Institute of Technology, which includes the School of Engineering
. The University's wind tunnel also bears Martin's name.
He attended the Kansas Wesleyan business college in Salina, Kansas. Kansas Wesleyan University is home of the Glenn L. Martin stadium.
Patents, Design lor a lapel pin or the like, Packed parachute, Docking flying boats, Aircraft construction
Websites
Aviation
Aviation is the design, development, production, operation, and use of aircraft, especially heavier-than-air aircraft. Aviation is derived from avis, the Latin word for bird.-History:...
pioneer.
Early years
Glenn L. Martin was born in Macksburg, IowaMacksburg, Iowa
Macksburg is a city in Madison County, Iowa, United States. The population was 142 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Des Moines–West Des Moines Metropolitan Statistical Area. -Geography:Macksburg is located at ....
, on January 17, 1886. At the age of two, Martin's family moved to Salina, Kansas
Salina, Kansas
Salina is a city in and the county seat of Saline County, Kansas, United States. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 47,707. Located in one of the world's largest wheat-producing areas, Salina is a regional trade center for north-central Kansas...
, so that his father could run a wheat farm.
By age six, he became interested in kites, but at first his friends made fun of box-kites he built. When the kites flew well, people paid him twenty-five cents to build one for them. He turned his mother's kitchen into a "factory" to produce more kites. Martin also began using sails on everything from ice skates to wagons, and even his bicycle to move faster with less effort.
Aviation career begins
As he grew up, he became fascinated with the Wright brothers'Wright brothers
The Wright brothers, Orville and Wilbur , were two Americans credited with inventing and building the world's first successful airplane and making the first controlled, powered and sustained heavier-than-air human flight, on December 17, 1903...
airplane. In 1909 he decided to build one himself based on the Curtiss June Bug, but it was destroyed on the first test flight. For his next effort, Martin used silk and bamboo in the aircraft's construction. This airplane made a short flight. Martin was often assisted by his mother Minta Martin in the building of his first few airplanes.
Over water record
On May 10th 1912, Martin flew a self-built seaplane from Newport Bay, CA to Avalon on Catalina Island, then back across the channel. This broke the earlier English Channel record for over water flight. Martin's total distance was 68 miles with the Newport-Avalon leg taking 37 minutes. He picked up a bag of mail on the island on the way, and was presented with $100 prize for his achievement.Hollywood
In 1912 Glenn L. Martin built an airplane factory in an old Methodist church in Los Angeles, CaliforniaLos Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
. To make money to finance this business, he began to stunt fly at fairs and local airfields. He saw an advertisement for a pilot/airplane owner to play a role in a movie. Sensing an opportunity to market his airplanes, he replied to the ad and got the part. He was to play the role of a dashing hero in the movie A Girl of Yesterday
A Girl of Yesterday
A Girl of Yesterday is a 1915 film produced by Adolph Zukor's Famous Players company and released by Paramount Pictures. It was directed by Allan Dwan and starred Mary Pickford. Pickford at last played a mature woman more or less her own age. The picture costarred Frances Marion, soon to be a...
(1915) starring Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford
Mary Pickford was a Canadian-born motion picture actress, co-founder of the film studio United Artists and one of the original 36 founders of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
. He soon found that it would be harder than he thought. In addition to flying Pickford around in his airplane, he had a scene where he had to kiss Frances Marion
Frances Marion
Frances Marion was an American journalist, author, and screenwriter often cited as the most renowned female screenwriter of the twentieth century alongside June Mathis and Anita Loos.-Career:...
who later became a legendary Hollywood screenwriter. Martin in describing his hesitance having to kiss Marion declared "my mother would not like it" which astounded Pickford. He worked up the courage however and completed the scene.
Achievements
Martin held a record for longest over-water flight, 66 miles. His company designed aircraft for the military, including bombers for both world wars. An early success came during WWI with production of the MB-1
Martin MB-1
-References:NotesBibliography* The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft . London: Orbis Publishing, 1985, p. 2419.* Andrade, John. U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Hinckley, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. ISBN 0-904597-22-9.* Swanborough, F.G and Peter M....
bomber. The MB-2 and others were also successful.
In 1932 Martin won the Collier Trophy
Collier Trophy
The Collier Trophy is an annual aviation award administered by the U.S. National Aeronautics Association , presented to those who have made "the greatest achievement in aeronautics or astronautics in America, with respect to improving the performance, efficiency, and safety of air or space...
for his involvement with the Martin B-10
Martin B-10
The Martin B-10 was the first all-metal monoplane bomber to go into regular use by the United States Army Air Corps, entering service in June 1934...
bomber.
Companies
He founded the Glenn L. Martin Company
Glenn L. Martin Company
The Glenn L. Martin Company was an American aircraft and aerospace manufacturing company that was founded by the aviation pioneer Glenn L. Martin. The Martin Company produced many important aircraft for the defense of the United States and its allies, especially during World War II and the Cold War...
in 1912.
In 1916 he merged his company with the original Wright Company
Wright Company
The Wright Company was the commercial aviation business venture of the Wright Brothers, established by them in 1909 in conjunction with several prominent industrialists from New York and Detroit with the intention of capitalizing on their invention of the practical airplane. It maintained a...
, forming the Wright-Martin Aircraft Company. He soon left and founded a second Glenn L. Martin Company in 1917. That company merged with the American-Marietta Corporation in 1961, becoming the Martin Marietta
Martin Marietta
Martin Marietta Corporation was an American company founded in 1961 through the merger of The Martin Company and American-Marietta Corporation. The combined company became a leader in chemicals, aerospace, and electronics. In 1995, it merged with Lockheed Corporation to form Lockheed Martin. The...
Corporation. This company merged with the Lockheed Corporation
Lockheed Corporation
The Lockheed Corporation was an American aerospace company. Lockheed was founded in 1912 and later merged with Martin Marietta to form Lockheed Martin in 1995.-Origins:...
in 1995, forming Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
, a major U.S. aerospace and defense contractor.
The Glenn L. Martin Company moves to Maryland
In 1925 the Industrial Bureau contacted Glenn Martin at his plant in Cleveland, Ohio. It was the Bureau's job to attract Martin to Maryland. After speaking with Martin, a site in Middle River was chosen. From this point it was a three-year long struggle to acquire the land needed from forty-five property owners. This struggle involved convincing the citizens that this was going to become a booming industry and would provide many jobs in the area. At the end of the three year struggle only one man stood in the way- he was an old fisherman who was determined not to sell. After a few discussions with the man he still had his foot down and refused. An oddity then occurred when the man contacted Martin and told him he was willing to sell. Martin met the man, made a deal, and shook hands. Later, the man regretted the decision but stated that a deal is a deal and that he was a man of his word. At that point in 1928 the Glenn L. Martin Company moved to Maryland bringing hundreds of much needed jobs, an airport, and a booming aviation industry.Schools by Glenn L. Martin
Martin's donations to the University of Maryland, College ParkUniversity of Maryland, College Park
The University of Maryland, College Park is a top-ranked public research university located in the city of College Park in Prince George's County, Maryland, just outside Washington, D.C...
, created the Glenn L. Martin Institute of Technology, which includes the School of Engineering
A. James Clark School of Engineering
The A. James Clark School of Engineering is the engineering college of the University of Maryland, College Park. The Clark School of Engineering is nationally ranked and consistently considered to be among the Top 20 engineering programs in the United States. The school consists of fourteen...
. The University's wind tunnel also bears Martin's name.
He attended the Kansas Wesleyan business college in Salina, Kansas. Kansas Wesleyan University is home of the Glenn L. Martin stadium.
External links
Further reading- Glenn Martin flies to Avalon to celebrate a 25-year-old record. LIFE May 10, 1937. pg 30
- From Barnstorming to Bombers. Popular Science Sep 1941. pg 51
Patents, Design lor a lapel pin or the like, Packed parachute, Docking flying boats, Aircraft construction
Websites