11/19/2022
Glen Martin was an aviation pioneer whose company, after several mergers, would become Lockheed Martin. Martin was born in Iowa in 1886 and fascinated with flight from a young age. He built his first plane in 1909, and like many other aviation pioneers, this first working prototype was destroyed in its first flight. He modified his next plane, which flew a short distance before succumbing to gravity. Martin continued to make and develop new planes, learning from his failures and successes alike.
His 1912 flight from Newport to Catalina beat the existing record--which was a flight over the English Channel. The flight covered 68 miles and took 37 minutes. Martin received a $100 prize for his achievement upon his return.
Martin established a factory in Los Angeles so he could continue to build planes. To help finance this endeavor, he would often engage in stunt shows. When a casting call went out for a pilot in an upcoming movie, Martin saw an opportunity to gain some notoriety. The film--A Girl of Yesterday (1915)--starred Mary Pickford.
In 1916 Martin 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. Martin's company helped with military production during both World Wars. Particularly, they were involved with the MB-1 and MB-2 bombers.
