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Martin NBS-1

first flew 1920· short-range night bomber

🎖️ military 2× piston retired
10 photos from Wikimedia Commons · credits & licences
  1. 1. Martin MB-2 061219-F-1234S-014: USAF· Public domain
  2. 2. Martin MB-2 061219-F-1234S-021: USAF· Public domain
  3. 3. Martin MB-2 061219-F-1234S-022: USAF· Public domain
  4. 4. Martin MB-2 2 USAF: Wikimedia Commons· Public domain
  5. 5. Martin MB-2 USAF: USAF· Public domain
  6. 6. Martin MB-2 in flight with a pursuit aircraft practicing an attack 061219-F-1234S-016: USAF· Public domain
  7. 7. Martin Bomber Formation: United States Air Force· Public domain
  8. 8. Martin MB-2 (Redesignated NBS-1) Bomber: United States Air Force· Public domain
  9. 9. Martin MB-2 at NACA Langley in 1924: NASA· Public domain
  10. 10. Martin MB-2 bombsight 070205-F-1234P-008: USAF· Public domain
Read about it on Wikipedia ↗
Martin NBS-1, photo 1 of 10
1/10 USAF· Public domain

what is it?

The Martin NBS-1 was a military aircraft of the United States Army Air Service and its successor, the Army Air Corps. An improved version of the Martin MB-1, a scout-bomber built during the final months of World War I, the NBS-1 was ordered under the designation MB-2 and is often referred to as such. The designation NBS-1, standing for "Night Bomber-Short Range", was adopted by the Air Service after the first five of the Martin bombers were delivered.

How to recognise it: 2 piston engines with propellers · 22.7 m wingspan

base stats

  • speed 160 km/htop speed
  • range 650 kmwithout refuelling
  • size 5,460 kgmax take-off weight
  • built 130made in total

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 106 years ago, in 1920.
  • Wingspan of 22.7 m: about 5 cars parked nose to tail.

piston: A car-like piston engine turning a propeller: simple and cheap, the classic small plane.

spec sheet

first flight
1920-09-03
introduced
1920
retired
1929
status
retired
number built
130
role
short-range night bomber
makers
Glenn L. Martin Company
engines
2× Liberty 12-A
length
13 m
wingspan
22.7 m
height
4.8 m
max take-off weight
5,460 kg
top speed
160 km/h
cruise speed
150 km/h
range
650 km
ceiling
2,350 m

Specs are for the version in the Wikipedia article's specification section. Blank means the sources don't say.

Sources: Wikidata Q549252, Wikipedia: Martin NBS-1 (CC BY-SA 4.0).Updated 2026-10-24.

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