FIRST -- Planes Constructed at the Glenn L. Martin Plant - Middle River, MD - First of its Kind on Waymarking.com

The plaque says, "The Planes

Glen L. Martin began to fly plans in 1909 in Santa Ana, California. After moves to Los Angeles in 1912 and Cleveland in 1917, Martin relocated his company to Middle River. A pioneering "birdman" of the day, martin built the first U.S. Army training plane in 1913. By the start of World War I, Martin introduced the MB-1 bomber, the first "All-American" military plane.

In 1929, Martin selected Middle River as the location for his new plant due to the proximity to the Baltimore and Washington, good railroad access, and ideal workforce, and year-round flying weather. Noted industrial architect Albert Kahn designed

Martin's Plant No. I in Middle River specifically for metal airplane construction. Airplane manufacturers considered it to the the most in modern the country.

A dive bomber called the XT5M-I was one of the first planes constructed at the plant, and among the earliest of its kind in the world. Pilots tested Martin seaplanes built for the U.S. Navy and Strawberry Point on Stansburry Creek.

In 1934, the Glenn L. Martin Company designed the first intercontinental airliner. The China Clipper, also known as the Martin M/130, essentially function as a flying boat and was used by Pam Am to fly passengers to Asia, the Pacific Rim, and Africa.

In 1939, Glenn L. Martin and Albert Kahn continued their collaboration and built the Glenn K. Martin Airport as a testing and exit facility for the military aircraft manufactured at the plant. The airport's four runways intersected in a star-like pattern.

The People

During the World War II era, the Martin Company grew from 4,100 workers in 1939 to 53,000 in 1942. Plane workers migrated from the rural south, Pennsylvania, and the Midwest. Women and African-American contributed to the wartime work effort. Numerous housing developments were built, all within one mile of the Martin plants. Many family continue to live in these residences today.

The Plant

At the dawn of World War II, the Glenn L. Martin Company produced 3,572 B-26 Marauder Medium Bombers, Workers built the planes in Plant No. 2, erected in 1940-1941 across from Plant No. 1 on Eastern Boulevard. Once again, Martin opted to work with Kahn, who designed the new building.

After World War II, the Glen L. Martin Company changed from nearly all-military aircraft production to a mix of commercial and military. After Martin's death in 1955, Martin planes continued to be built at Middle River until 1960. In 1961, the company merged with the American-Marietta Company and became Martin Marietta.

In 1971, the State of Maryland bought the Glen L. Martin Airport, which includes the original Plant No. I. The airport is used for general aviation as as an Air National Guard base. In 1990, the Glen L. Martin Maryland Aviation Museum opened at the Martin State Airport."

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