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Catalog Data

Creator:
Martin, James V. (James Vernon), 1885-1956  Search this
Names:
Aeromarine Plane & Motor Co.  Search this
Harvard Aeronautical Society  Search this
Harvard Boston Aero Meet  Search this
Manufacturers Aircraft Association  Search this
Martin Aeroplane Co (Martin, James Vernon)  Search this
Martin Aeroplane Factory (Martin, James Vernon)  Search this
United States. Merchant Marine  Search this
Martin, James V. (James Vernon), 1885-1956  Search this
Martin, Lily Irvine  Search this
Extent:
0.56 Cubic feet (1 flatbox)
Type:
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Clippings
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Date:
1910-1956
bulk 1910-1916
Summary:
This scrapbook consists of newspaper clippings and photos of James V. Martin's aviation exploits, 1910-1916. of the 1910 - 1916 era.
Scope and Contents:
This collection consists mainly of newspaper clippings, and photos of his exploits of the 1910 - 1916 era. Among these are his proposed crossing of the Atlantic in 1912, aerial bombing demonstrations, invention of the Martin Aerodynamic Stabilizer, and early form of autopilot. Also included are newspaper clippings of his wife, Lilly Irvine Martin, who was reported to be the first woman aviator to fly solo.
Arrangement:
No arrangement, just one item.
Biographical / Historical:
James Vernon Martin (1885-1956) was an aviator and inventor during the early days of aviation. He joined the Merchant Marine (1900) before attending the University of Virginia and Harvard (graduate degree, 1912). While at Harvard he organized the Harvard Aeronautical Society (1910), served as its first director, and, through the Society, organized the first international air meet in the United States (1910). He traveled to England in January 1911 for flight training and received Royal Aero Club F.A.I. Certificate #55. After returning to the U.S. in June 1911, he traveled the exhibition circuit (1911-13) before rejoining the Merchant Marine as commander of USS Lake Frey (1914). During 1915 he flew flight test for the Aeromarine Co. In 1917, he formed the Martin Aeroplane Company in Elyria, OH on the strength of nine aeronautical patents, including his automatic stabilizer (1916) and retractable landing gear (1916). In 1920 he moved the concern to Dayton, OH as Martin Enterprises and offered free use of his patents to the American aeronautical industry. He moved to Garden City (Long Island), NY in 1922, called the company the Martin Aeroplane Factory, and, two years later, sued the United States government and the Manufacturers Aeronautical Association, claiming that they conspired to monopolize the aviation industry. The suit was dismissed in 1926, but Martin continued to press his claims of collusion through the 1930s. During World War II he again returned to the sea, commanding a troop transport in the Pacific. Afterwards he tried to raise interest in a large catamaran flying boat, the Martin 'Oceanplane', but failed in the face of the growth in commercial trans-ocean service by conventional aircraft.
Provenance:
Edna Jahn, Gift, 1963, NASM.XXXX.0236
Restrictions:
No restrictions on access
Rights:
Material is subject to Smithsonian Terms of Use. Should you wish to use NASM material in any medium, please submit an Application for Permission to Reproduce NASM Material, available at Permissions Requests.
Topic:
Aeronautics  Search this
Aeronautics -- Exhibitions  Search this
Aeronautics -- Competitions  Search this
Aeronautics -- 1903-1916  Search this
Aircraft industry -- United States  Search this
Aircraft industry  Search this
Aeronautics -- Law and legislation  Search this
Genre/Form:
Clippings
Scrapbooks
Photographs
Citation:
James V. Martin Scrapbook, NASM.XXXX.0236, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution
Identifier:
NASM.XXXX.0236
Archival Repository:
National Air and Space Museum Archives
GUID:
https://n2t.net/ark:/65665/pg2b305659f-79ce-441a-8245-89773f5f9c43
EDAN-URL:
ead_collection:sova-nasm-xxxx-0236