Martin 4-0-4 – Φωτογραφίες & Βίντεο

Teh Μάρτιν 4-0-4 ήταν ένα αμερικανικό επιβατικό αεροσκάφος υπό πίεση που κατασκευάστηκε από την εταιρεία Glenn L. Martin. Εκτός από τη χρήση αεροπορικών εταιρειών αρχικά στις Ηνωμένες Πολιτείες, χρησιμοποιήθηκε από την Ακτοφυλακή των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών και το Πολεμικό Ναυτικό των Ηνωμένων Πολιτειών ως RM-1G (αργότερα ως VC-3A).

Πηγή: Martin 4-0-4 στη Wikipedia

The Martin 4-0-4 was a pressurized passenger airliner that entered service in 1951 with two major US airlines: Eastern Air Lines and Trans World Airlines. It was built by the Glenn L. Martin Company, a pioneer in aviation and aerospace engineering. The 4-0-4 was an improved version of the Martin 2-0-2, which had suffered from wing structural failure. The 4-0-4 had a longer fuselage that could accommodate 40 passengers, a stronger wing design, and more powerful engines. The 4-0-4 also had an airstair in the tail section for easy boarding and disembarking, and a modern cockpit with two seats for the pilot and copilot.
The 4-0-4 was used for short and medium range flights within the US, and competed with the Convair CV-240 family of airliners. It had a cruising speed of 444 km/h, a maximum range of 1,740 km, and a service ceiling of 8,840 m. The 4-0-4 was reliable and comfortable, and earned the nicknames “Skyliner” for TWA and “Silver Falcon” for Eastern Air Lines. However, it also faced some challenges, such as two fatal accidents involving TWA flights in 1955 and 1956, and the emergence of jet airliners that rendered piston-engine aircraft obsolete.
The 4-0-4 was retired from TWA in 1961 and from Eastern Air Lines in 1962. It was then sold to smaller airlines and charter operators, who continued to fly it until the late 1970s. Some 4-0-4s were also used by the US Coast Guard and Navy as executive transports, designated as RM-1G or VC-3A. The last operational 4-0-4 was flown by Propliner Aviation until 2008, when it was donated to a museum. The Martin 4-0-4 was a significant aircraft in the history of American aviation, but it is often overlooked or forgotten by the public.