#0277
Martin MB-1
🇺🇸 United States ·first flew 1918· large biplane bomber
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10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
- 1. Martin MB-1 front right quarter SN AS 39059 P104 040315-F-9999G-013: USAF· Public domain
- 2. 1918-8-15 Martin GMB 01: Unknown US Army photographer· Public domain
- 3. Airplanes - Types - Building aeroplanes for the government. Front view, Martin twin-motored 800 H.P. Bomber, showing power plant installation and interplane wing structure. Plant of The Glenn L. Martin Co., Cleve(...) - NARA - 17341610: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided· Public domain
- 4. Airplanes - Types - Building aeroplanes for the government. Three-quarter front view of Martin twin-motored 800 H.P. Bomber. Built by The Glenn L. Martin Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Duplicate of the bomber which on(...) - NARA - 17341604: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided· Public domain
- 5. Airplanes - Types - Building aeroplanes for the government. Three-quarter front view of Martin twin-motored 800 H.P. Bomber. Built by The Glenn L. Martin Company, Cleveland, Ohio. Duplicate of the bomber which on(...) - NARA - 17341606: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided· Public domain
- 6. Airplanes - Types - Plane which will probably make cross-Atlantic flight. Twin-motored 800 H.P. Martin Bomber now on exhibition at Aeronautic show at Madison Square Garden and which, it is intended is to make fli(...) - NARA - 17341602: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided· Public domain
- 7. Airplanes - Types - Remodeled Martin Bomber - NARA - 17341612: Unknown author Unknown author or not provided· Public domain
- 8. Francis & Martin Bomber LCCN2014709172: Bain News Service, publisher· Public domain
- 9. Glenn Martin Company 1919: Manufacturers Aircraft Association Inc., New York City, 1919· Public domain
- 10. Martin Bomber LCCN2014709307: Bain News Service, publisher· Public domain
what is it?
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 in 1918. It was the first purpose-built bomber produced by the United States.
How to recognise it: 2 engines · fixed tailwheel (taildragger) · 21.8 m wingspan
base stats
Bars compare against all aircraft: 3,500 km/h, 20,000 km, 850 seats; size and number built on a log scale up to 640 t (An-225) and 45,000 built (Cessna 172).
fun facts
- First flew 108 years ago, in 1918.
- Wingspan of 21.8 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.
spec sheet
- first flight
- 1918-08-17
- introduced
- 1918
- number built
- 20
- role
- large biplane bomber
- origin
- 🇺🇸 United States
- makers
- Glenn L. Martin Company
- engines
- 2× Liberty 12A liquid-cooled V-12
- length
- 13.7 m
- wingspan
- 21.8 m
- height
- 4.5 m
- max take-off weight
- 4,638 kg
- top speed
- 169 km/h
- cruise speed
- 148 km/h
- range
- 628 km
- ceiling
- 3,100 m
- landing gear
- fixed conventional landing gear
Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.
Sources: Wikidata Q444617, Wikipedia: Martin MB-1 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.