Martin MB-1

Martin MB-1
Type	Large biplane bomber
Manufacturer	Glenn L. Martin Company
Maiden flight	1918
Introduced	1918
Primary users	United States Army Air Service United States Postal Service United States Navy
Number built	38
Variants	Martin MB-2

The Martin MB-1 was a 1910s American large biplane bomber designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company for the United States Army Air Service.

Development

In response to a requirement from the United States Army Air Service (USAAS) for a bomber that was superior to the Handley Page O/400. Martin proposed the MB-1 and were rewarded with an initial production contract for ten aircraft. The MB-1 was a conventional biplane design with twin fins and rudders mounted above the tailplane and a fixed tailwheel landing gear with four-wheel main gear. Powered by two 400hp (298kW) Liberty 12A engines. It had room for a crew of three in open cockpits. First delivery to the USAAS was in October 1918, the first seven aircraft were designated GMB (Glenn Martin Bomber), although four of them were configured as observation aircraft. The remaining three aircraft each had a designation each; GMT (Glen Martin Trancontinental),GMC (Glen Martin Cannon) with a nose-mounted 37mm cannon, GMP (Glenn Martin Passenger) as a 10-passenger transport. The GMP was later re-designated T-1. Six aircraft were also built for the United States Postal Service as mail carriers. The design was later developed and improved as the Martin MB-2.

Variants

MB-1

Company and original military designation and six built as mail carriers.

GMB

Glenn Martin Bomber - USAAS designation for the MB-1 aircraft, 20 built.

GMT

Glenn Martin Transcontinental - USAAS designation for one aircraft with long range fuel tanks.

GMC

Glenn Martin Canon - USAAS designation for one cannon equiped aircraft.

GMP

Glenn Martin Passenger - USAAS designation for one 10-seat passenger variant, later designated T-1

MBT

Martin Bomber-Torpedo - United States Navy torpedo-bomber variant, two built.

MT

Martin Torpedo - United States Navy version with an MB-1 fuselage and MB-2 wings, eight built, later designated the TM-1

T-1

GMP re-designated.

TM-1

MT re-designated.

Operators

Template:USA

• United States Army Air Service
• United States Navy
• United States Postal Service

References

• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing, 2419. 
• Andrade (1979). U.S.Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Midland Counties Publications. ISBN ISBN 0 904597 22 9. 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Martin MB-1".