Martin PM-1

Glenn L. Martin Company · United States · first flew 1929 · transport aircraft

The Martin PM-1 is a twin-engine biplane patrol flying boat built by the Glenn L. Martin Company for the US Navy, essentially a manufacturer-built version of the NAF PN-series design. It entered service in 1929 as a standard patrol boat alongside NAF-built examples.

Recognition (WEFT)

W — Wings	High-mounted, straight
E — Engines	2 × piston, wing-mounted
F — Fuselage	15.24 m fuselage
T — Tail	Twin fin

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Spot it by:

Twin-engine biplane patrol flying boat
Martin-built equivalent of the NAF PN-series design
Open cockpit with inter-wing engine nacelles

Essentially identical in appearance to the NAF PN-series biplane patrol boats; the twin-engine, twin-tail biplane flying boat silhouette is consistent between Martin and NAF-built examples.

Specifications

The Martin PM-1 has a length of 15.24 m (50 ft).
It has a wingspan of 22.86 m (75 ft).
Its maximum speed is 188 km/h (117 mph).
Typical crew: 5.

Figures are for the representative variant described above; marks differ. See how AircraftIQ sources figures.

History

When US Navy patrol flying boat demand exceeded the Naval Aircraft Factory's production capacity, Martin was contracted to build aircraft to the same basic design. The PM-1 represented Martin's initial production batch, closely following the NAF PN specification.

Variants

The PM-1 was followed by the PM-2, an improved version with refined engines and detail changes; both served alongside NAF-built PN variants.

Where you'll see it

Served with US Navy patrol squadrons from the late 1920s into the early 1930s, operating from coastal bases on both US coasts.

Related aircraft

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