Martin 2-0-2 "Executive"
Model Airplane News Cover Art for December, 1947
by Jo Kotula
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The Martin 2-0-2 was one of the first modern airliners. The twin-engined piston aircraft was designed by Peyto Magruder and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. It was intended that the Model 2-0-2 would be a replacement for the DC-3. It was also known as the "Martin Executive"

     

Design Patents for the Martin 2-0-2 "Executive"
Peyton Magruder Patent No. D- 157,353
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The airplane was designed by Peyton Magruder. The aircraft was non-pressurized but was considered a long range airliner.

  

Martin 2-0-2 "Executive"
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On November 13, 1945 Pennsylvania Central Airlines purchased a fleet of 35 Martin 2-0-2's from the Glenn Martin Company, for a price of $7,000,000. Two weeks later, Colonial Airlines announced they would purchase 20 airplanes at the price of $4,000,000 and scheduled for delivery in 1947. Early in the next year, Martin announced Pennsylvania-Central Airlines ordered 15 more 202's bringing the total aircraft on order in early January 1947 to 137 aircraft, with a sales value of $27,000,000. Despite the announcement of these large orders, the contract terms allowed the airlines to cancel them without any penalty. The 2-0-2 was unpressurised, unlike the competing Convair 240. Therefore, as delays in production built up, all airlines except Northwest, TWA, LAN and LAV called their orders and only 31 2-0-2s and 12 2-0-2As were actually delivered to the airlines. The 2-0-2 was the first airplane subjected to the CAA's then new 'Accelerated Service Test', introduced May 15, 1947. In this test an airliner was to undergo a rigorous 150-hour test, attempting to squeeze one year's service into a week to ten day's flying. The 202 made such a test visiting about 50 cities in 7 days. At each city comprehensive inspections were made of the aircraft systems to assess how wear or malfunction would occur.

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