The Martin M-1 was an American
gull wing
The gull wing, also known as Polish wing or Puławski wing, is an aircraft wing configuration with a prominent bend in the wing inner section towards the wing root. Its name is derived from the seabirds which it resembles and from the Polish a ...
ed, single-seat
glider that was designed and built by
Volmer Jensen in 1939.
[Said, Bob: ''1983 Sailplane Directory, ]Soaring Magazine
''SOARING'' is a magazine published monthly as a membership benefit of the Soaring Society of America. It was first published in 1937. The headquarters is in Hobbs, New Mexico. The magazine's article topics include safety issues and accounts of i ...
'', page 48. Soaring Society of America
The Soaring Society of America (SSA) was founded at the instigation of Warren E. Eaton to promote the sport of soaring in the USA and internationally. The first meeting was held in New York City in the McGraw–Hill Building on February 20, 193 ...
November 1983. USPS 499-920
Design and development
Jim Martin contracted Jensen to design and built him a glider for contest flying just before the
Second World War
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. Jensen completed the aircraft in 1939.
The aircraft was constructed with a wooden structure and covered in doped
aircraft fabric covering
Aircraft fabric covering is a term used for both the material used and the process of covering aircraft open structures. It is also used for reinforcing closed plywood structures. The de Havilland Mosquito is an example of this technique, as are ...
. The cantilever gull-style wing employed a
NACA
The National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) was a United States federal agency that was founded on March 3, 1915, to undertake, promote, and institutionalize aeronautical research. On October 1, 1958, the agency was dissolved and its ...
4400 series
airfoil
An airfoil (American English) or aerofoil (British English) is a streamlined body that is capable of generating significantly more Lift (force), lift than Drag (physics), drag. Wings, sails and propeller blades are examples of airfoils. Foil (fl ...
. The tail was a conventional low-tail design and featured
strut
A strut is a structural component commonly found in engineering, aeronautics, architecture and anatomy. Struts generally work by resisting longitudinal compression, but they may also serve in tension.
A stay is sometimes used as a synonym for ...
-bracing. The M-1 was registered as an ''Experimental - Amateur-built'' aircraft and was not
type certified
A type certificate signifies the airworthiness of a particular category of aircraft, according to its manufacturing design (''type design''). Certification confirms that the aircraft of a new type intended for serial production is in compliance w ...
.
Operational history
Martin flew the aircraft in a number of US Nationals, as did a later owner of the M-1, Emil Lehecka. While Lehecka owned it the aircraft picked up the nickname of the ''Whatsit''. By the 1970s the aircraft was owned by Francis Kalinowsky and was based at the
Circle X airport in
Florida
Florida ( ; ) is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. It borders the Gulf of Mexico to the west, Alabama to the northwest, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia to the north, the Atlantic ...
. At that time it was reportedly in good repair and was well maintained.
The aircraft was removed from the
Federal Aviation Administration
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is a Federal government of the United States, U.S. federal government agency within the United States Department of Transportation, U.S. Department of Transportation that regulates civil aviation in t ...
registry and its whereabouts are unknown.
Specifications (M-1)
See also
References
{{Volmer Jensen aircraft
1930s United States sailplanes
Homebuilt aircraft
Volmer aircraft
High-wing aircraft
Gull-wing aircraft
Aircraft first flown in 1939