This Day in History: Glenn L. Martin, an early aviation hero, is born

On this day in 1886, Glenn L. Martin is born. He’s possibly the biggest aviation hero that you’ve never heard of. He is the “Martin” in Lockheed Martin. He designed America’s first twin-engine bomber. William Boeing was one of his students! His first company merged with one of the Wright Brothers’ enterprises.

All of this from a man who began life as a boy, cutting up his mother’s bedsheets, so he could make kites and sails. Entrepreneurs will use anything that they can get a hold of sometimes, won’t they?!

A few stories are often told about Martin. The first involves one of Martin’s early attempts to fly a plane that he’ built himself. He’d been spurred to give it a try when he read of the Wright Brothers’ famous flight at Kitty Hawk. If they could do it, then he could, too… read more >