The Martin MB-1 was an American large biplane bomber designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company for the

United States Army Air Service The United States Army Air Service (USAAS)Craven and Cate Vol. 1, p. 9 (also known as the ''"Air Service"'', ''"U.S. Air Service"'' and before its legislative establishment in 1920, the ''"Air Service, United States Army"'') was the aerial war ...

in 1918. It was the first purpose-built bomber produced by the United States. In 1921 Martin produced its KG.1 variant of the MB-1, with ten purchased by the Navy as

torpedo bomber A torpedo bomber is a military aircraft designed primarily to attack ships with aerial torpedoes. Torpedo bombers came into existence just before the First World War almost as soon as aircraft were built that were capable of carrying the weight ...

s under the designation MBT. After two were purchased, the designation was changed to Martin MT.

Development

In response to a requirement from the Air Service for a bomber that was superior to the

Handley Page O/400 The Handley Page Type O was a biplane bomber used by Britain during the First World War. When built, the Type O was the largest aircraft that had been built in the UK and one of the largest in the world. There were two main variants, the Handl ...

, Martin proposed the MB-1 and were rewarded with an initial production contract for six 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 400 hp (298 kW) Liberty 12A engines, it had room for a crew of three in open cockpits.

Operational history

Initial delivery to the Air Service was in October 1918, with the aircraft designated GMB for Glenn Martin Bomber. The first four produced were configured as observation aircraft, and the next two as bombers. Four others were produced before the end of

World War I World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

cancelled all remaining war contracts. The last three aircraft each were configured experimentally, with separate designations: GMT (Glenn Martin Transcontinental), a long-range version with a 1,500 mi (2,400 km) range; GMC (Glen Martin Cannon) with a nose-mounted 37 mm (1.46 in) cannon; and GMP (Glenn Martin Passenger) as an enclosed ten-passenger transport. The GMP was later redesignated T-1. Six surviving aircraft were later modified and used by the

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

as mail carriers. The design was the basis for the

Martin MB-2 The Martin NBS-1 was a military aircraft of the United States Army Air Service and its successor, the United States Army Air Corps, Army Air Corps. An improved version of the Martin MB-1, a scout-bomber built during the final months of World ...

, which had a greater load capability but was slower and less maneuverable. Ten aircraft were used by the United States Navy from 1922 under the designations MBT and MT and were used as torpedo bombers, two by the Navy and eight by Marine Corps squadron VF-2M. On 5 October 1923, the Marine Corps entered an MT, serial number A-5720, in the

National Air Races The National Air Races (also known as Pulitzer Trophy Races) are a series of pylon and cross-country races that have taken place in the United States since 1920. The science of aviation, and the speed and reliability of aircraft and engines grew ...

St. Louis St. Louis () is the second-largest city in Missouri, United States. It sits near the confluence of the Mississippi and the Missouri Rivers. In 2020, the city proper had a population of 301,578, while the bi-state metropolitan area, which e ...

. The aircraft raced with the racing number 58, placing third on the course. They were used in the West Virginian Coal Wars, notably in the

Battle of Blair Mountain The Battle of Blair Mountain was the largest labor uprising in United States history and the largest armed uprising since the American Civil War. The conflict occurred in Logan County, West Virginia, Logan County, West Virginia, as part of the Co ...

, as bombers and aerial observers sent in by President

Warren Harding Warren Gamaliel Harding (November 2, 1865 – August 2, 1923) was the 29th president of the United States, serving from 1921 until his death in 1923. A member of the Republican Party, he was one of the most popular sitting U.S. presidents. ...

. One aircraft was lost, crashing on the return flight, with the loss of three crewmen.

Variants

;MB-1 :Company and original military designation. ;GMB :Glenn Martin Bomber - Air Service designation for the MB-1 aircraft. ;GMT :Glenn Martin Transcontinental - designation for one aircraft with long range fuel tanks. ;GMC :Glenn Martin Cannon - designation for one cannon equipped aircraft. ;GMP :Glenn Martin Passenger - designation for one ten-seat passenger variant, later designated T-1 ;MBT :Martin Bomber-Torpedo - United States Navy/Marine Corps torpedo-bomber variant, two built. ;MT :Martin Torpedo - United States Navy/Marine Corps version with an MB-1 fuselage and MB-2 wings, eight built, later designated the TM-1 ;T-1 :GMP redesignated. ;TM-1 :MT redesignated.

Operators

; *

United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

Specifications

References

Notes Bibliography * Andrade, John. ''U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909''. Hinckley, UK: Midland Counties Publications, 1979. . * ''The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft'' (Part Work 1982-1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985, p. 2419. * Swanborough, F.G and Peter M. Bowers. ''United States Military Aircraft since 1909''. London: Putnam, 1963. * Taylor, Michael J. H. ''Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation''. London: Studio Editions, 1989. .
"The Glenn L. Martin Commercial Transport".
''Flight'', XIII (2), No. 629, 13 January 1921, pp. 27–28.

External links

{{Authority control 1910s United States bomber aircraft

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Biplanes Aircraft first flown in 1918 Twin piston-engined tractor aircraft