Martin-Baker MB 2

James Martin, broadly responding to Specification F.5/34 for a fighter using an air-cooled engine for hot climates, designed a fighter using the simple basic structure employed and developed in his earlier MB 1. Constructed of steel tubing, the MB 2 incorporated many detailed improvements which further simplified production as well as repair and maintenance. Powered by a special Napier Dagger III HIM 24-cylinder H-type engine of 805 nominal bhp, but capable of operation at 13 lb boost to give over 1,000 hp for takeoff, driving a fixed-pitch, two-blade propeller, the MB 2 was capable of 300+ mph (480 km/h) speeds "on paper." The undercarriage was fixed but cleanly faired in two trouser-type fairings, the port one carrying the oil-cooler.{{cite web|last1=Pearce|first1=William|title=Martin-Baker MB2 Fighter|url=https://oldmachinepress.com/2013/07/29/martin-baker-mb2/|website=oldmachinepress.com|access-date=20 June 2016|date=30 July 2013}} A retractable undercarriage to improve performance was "in the works" when the design was abandoned.

The fuselage lines were square cut and exceptionally clean, with almost constant depth from nose to tail. An unusual feature, at that time, was that the fuselage was slightly longer than the wingspan, a feature retained in later Martin-Baker designs, which contributed to good stability and control in yaw.

One of the hallmarks of Martin-Baker designs was the simple but efficient installation of main systems. The clean and orderly cockpit was set well back, allowing a good view downwards behind the wing. A crash post was fitted, which automatically extended to minimise structure damage and injury to the pilot in the event of a nose-over landing. A small, tapered tailplane was mounted on the top of the fuselage well forward of the stern post, while the fin and rudder combination was roughly triangular in side elevation. This arrangement placed most of the effective rudder area below the tailplane, thus providing an adequate balance to the keel surface and assuring good recovery from spins. In initial MB 2 configurations, there was no fin and the rudder was mounted on the fuselage but lateral stability was unsatisfactory, with the fixed fin added later.

The MB 2 was first flown by Captain Valentine Baker at Harwell on 3 August 1938 and initially tested with markings MB-1 (G-AEZD not carried). The Aeroplane stated, "[I]n spite of its fixed undercarriage, the MB 2 had a performance as good as that of contemporary fighters and a capacity for quick and cheap production by the simplicity of its structure and easy assembly". Repair and maintenance were also simple,Bowyer 1984, p. 35. and these factors might have influenced the authorities towards putting the MB 2 into production when the country's fighter strength was disproportionately low.

The MB 2 was subsequently acquired by the Air Ministry in June 1939 as P9594 and returned to A&AEE for a second assessment after modifications were made to tail control surfaces. The MB 2 also spent some time at the Air Fighting Development Unit (AFDU), RAF Northolt, before returning to Martin-Baker late in 1939, where it still survived in December 1941, although probably flown little or not at all after the outbreak of war.

Around this time Martin was considering various other ideas, both for complete aircraft and for certain components. The aircraft designs included a twin-engined 12-gun fighter and a twin-engined multi-seat transport, both featuring the finless layout of the early MB 2 airframe. In the fighter design, the trailing edge of the engine nacelles provided additional vertical control surfaces, and also incorporated the patented ducting system evolved by Martin to reduce drag caused by the engine exhaust. The most promising of the concepts became the MB 3 which would eventually spawn the superlative MB 5 prototype.Green 1979, pp. 78.

{{Aircraft specs

|ref=The British Fighter since 1912Mason 1992, p. 266.

|prime units?=imp

|crew=1

|length ft=34

|length in=9

|length note=

|span ft=34

|span in=0

|span note=

|height ft=9

|height in=9

|height note=Green and Swanborough 1994, p. 362.

|wing area sqft=212

|wing area note=

|aspect ratio=

|airfoil=

|empty weight lb=

|empty weight note=

|gross weight lb=5537

|gross weight note=

|max takeoff weight lb=

|max takeoff weight note=

|fuel capacity=

|more general=

|eng1 number=1

|eng1 name=Napier Dagger III

|eng1 type=H-24 air-cooled piston engine

|eng1 hp=1000

|eng1 note=

|prop blade number=2

|prop name=fixed-pitch wooden propeller

|prop dia ft=10

|prop dia in=6

|prop dia note=

|max speed mph=305

|max speed note=

|cruise speed mph=

|cruise speed note=

|stall speed mph=

|stall speed note=

|never exceed speed mph=

|never exceed speed note=

|range miles=

|range note=

|combat range miles=

|combat range note=

|ferry range miles=

|ferry range note=

|endurance=

|ceiling ft=29000

|ceiling note=

|climb rate ftmin=2200

|climb rate note=

|time to altitude=

|lift to drag=

|wing loading lb/sqft=26.1

|wing loading note=

|power/mass={{cvt|0.18|hp/lb}}

|more performance=

|guns= 8 × 0.303 inch M1919 Browning machine guns

}}

{{aircontent|

|related=

• Martin-Baker MB 1
• Martin-Baker MB 3

|similar aircraft=

• Bristol Type 146
• Gloster G.38
• Vickers Venom
• Curtiss P-36
• Hawker Hurricane
• Messerschmitt Bf 109
• Miles M.20
• Supermarine Spitfire

}}

;Notes

{{reflist}}

;Bibliography

{{refbegin}}

• Bowyer, Michael J.F. Interceptor Fighters for the Royal Air Force, 1935–45. Wellingborough, UK: Patrick Stephens Ltd., 1984. {{ISBN|0-85059-726-9}}.
• Bridgman, Leonard, ed. "The Martin-Baker F.18/39." Jane’s Fighting Aircraft of World War II. London: Studio, 1946. {{ISBN|1-85170-493-0}}.
• Green, William, ed. "Mr. Martin's Memorable M.B.5." Air International, Vol. 16, no. 2, February 1979.
• Green, William and Gordon Swanborough. The Complete Book of Fighters. New York: Smithmark, 1994. {{ISBN|0-8317-3939-8}}.
• Mason, Francis K. The British Fighter since 1912. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1992. {{ISBN|1-55750-082-7}}.
• Swanborough, Gordon. British Aircraft at War, 1939–1945. East Sussex, UK: HPC Publishing, 1997. {{ISBN|0-9531421-0-8}}.
• {{citation |url=http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939%20-%201708.html |title=A New Multi-Gun Fighter Dagger-engined Martin-Baker Demonstrated: Unique Structural Features.|work=Flight |number=1588 |volume= XXXV |date= 1 June 1939 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305084634/http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1939/1939%20-%201708.html |archive-date=5 March 2016 |page=563 ff }}
• [http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/view/1952/1952%20-%203599.html "The Virtues of Simplicity: An Ex-R.A.F. Armourer Looks Back with Affection on the Martin-Baker Fighter."] Flight, 19 December 1952, pp. 753–754.

{{refend}}

{{commons category|Martin-Baker MB 2}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080515064238/http://www.martin-baker.com/History/Martin-Baker-MB2.aspx MB2 at martin-baker.com]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20080703165601/http://jaapteeuwen.com/ww2aircraft/html%20pages/martin-baker%20mb3.htm Martin-Baker MB.3] – British Aircraft of World War II

{{Martin-Baker aircraft}}

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