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The Glenn L. Martin Company developed the Model 130 Clipper in response to a request in 1931 from Pan American Airways (Pan Am) for a flying boat that would be able to make transpacific flights. The scrapbook in this collection documents the creation of that aircraft.
The Glenn L. Martin Company developed the Model 130 Clipper in response to a request in 1931 from Pan American Airways (Pan Am) for a flying boat that would be able to make transpacific flights. By 1932, Martin was conducting wind tunnel testing and the completed aircraft made its first flight on December 20, 1934. The Model 130 Clipper, powered by four Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp R-1830 14-Cylinder Radial engines, had several innovative features including a lightweight, high strength wing design, and fuel tanks that were integrated into the seawings to eliminate the need for extra tanks. The aircraft's bottom hull was designed with a sharp "V" shaped bottom to utilize the force of the water during take-off and landing to eliminate spray during taxiing, a feature that had proved successful in the Martin (Glenn L.) XP2M-1 (Model 119). The bottom of the hull was covered in corrugated sheet duralumin which provided structural and weight advantages. The first aircraft, named the China Clipper, was officially accepted by Pan Am on October 9, 1935 and gained lasting fame on November 22, 1935, when it left San Francisco Bay to inaugurate regularly scheduled transpacific air service, at first for mail and cargo and by October 1936 carrying passengers as well. In total, three Martin Model 130 clippers were built and operated by Pan Am, the China Clipper, Philippine Clipper, and the Hawaii Clipper.
NASM.XXXX.0316
Glenn L. Martin Company
1931-1937
Unknown, material found in collection, NASM.XXXX.0316.
0.18 Cubic feet (1 flatbox)
National Air and Space Museum Archives
This collection consists of a scrapbook documenting the development of the Martin (Glenn L.) Model 130 Clipper for Pan American Airways (Pan Am). The scrapbook is plastic spiral bound, has card stock covers, and measures approximately 11 by 14 inches. The scrapbook contains correspondence and extensively captioned black and white photographs. One page is missing a photograph and only contains the caption. The scrapbook also includes a letter from Pan Am listing their desired specifications for a long range flying boat. Correspondence in the front of the scrapbook from J. T. Hartson, Vice President, The Glenn L. Martin Company, to Mr. Vincent Bendix, Collier Trophy Committee, indicates that the scrapbook was prepared to submit the Martin (Glenn L.) Model 130 Clipper for consideration for the Collier Trophy. Note: Blank pages in original scrapbook have not been digitally reproduced. Any gaps in numbering of image filenames in slideshow are due to their omission.
Collection is a single item.
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Martin (Glenn L.) Model 130 Clipper Scrapbook, NASM.XXXX.0316, National Air and Space Museum, Smithsonian Institution.
Martin Model 130 Clipper
Aircraft industry
Collection descriptions
Archival materials
Scrapbooks