Martin-Baker Aircraft Company MB5

Though this airplane was developed too late for production and introduction to the Allied effort during World War II, it remains one of the sleekest designs to come out of that era.

The Martin-Baker Aircraft Company MB5, was first flown on May 23, 1944. Test flights were quite successful with glowing reports from the pilots who flew her. This airplane will always be one that we might only wonder "what might have been" if there would have been great enough numbers built to have existing flyable airplanes today. With the Rolls Royce Griffon engine in good supply and an airframe built to accommodate it readily available, the sky over the race course at Reno might well resound with the throaty growl of the big Griffon once again.

There is more to this story, however. John Marlin has been in the process of building a replica of this airplane for 10 years and it is nearing completion at this time. Modified from the original in several ways, the replica is powered by a Rolls Royce Griffon and will be raced at Reno.
Click Here for a report on this airplane's progress

photograph © Martin-Baker Aircraft Company -used by permission-

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12-18-00 "Sparky" CLICK HERE	12-25-00 "BreakTime" CLICK HERE	01-01-01 "TriStar" CLICK HERE