Martin 2-0-2
Illustrative image; it may differ from the actual aircraft.The Martin 2-0-2 was a low-wing, all-metal, twin piston-engined American airliner designed and built by the Glenn L. Martin Company. Introduced in 1947, the 40 passenger unpressurized aircraft was powered by Pratt & Whitney R-2800 CA-18 Double Wasp 18-cylinder air-cooled radial engine, and cruised at 255 knots.
Specifications
Figures for the 2-0-2 variant, the most representative of the family
The type first flew in 1946 (80 years ago) · About 47 units built · Production ended in 1950
Figures for the type, not for this particular aircraft: each variant and each configuration changes something. They are shown in both systems used in aviation.
The story of the type
Design and development
Glenn L. Martin, president of the company, intended that the Model 2-0-2 would be a replacement for the Douglas DC-3. It was also known as the "Martin Executive".
The first flight of the model was in November 1946. Full civilian certification was gained in August 1947, several months before competing aircraft types. The total production of 2-0-2s and 2-0-2As was 47 aircraft.
The aircraft was not pressurized, but was considered a long-range airliner. The fatal crash in 1948 of Northwest Airlines Flight 421 revealed a serious structural problem in the wings. Structural metal fatigue was the problem in a major wing spar. Aluminum alloy 7075-T6 was used, which is susceptible to stress-corrosion cracking and low toughness. The airliner was grounded and modifications were made. The wing components were redesigned and the engines replaced. The changed type was designated the Martin 2-0-2A.
Operational history
On November 13, 1945 Pennsylvania Central Airlines purchased a fleet of 35 Martin 2-0-2s from the Glenn Martin Company for $7,000,000. Two weeks later, Colonial Airlines announced that they would purchase 20 airplanes for $4,000,000, scheduled for delivery in 1947. Early in the next year, Martin announced that Pennsylvania Central Airlines had ordered 15 more 2-0-2s, 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 cancelled their orders and only 31 2-0-2s and 12 2-0-2As were actually delivered to the airlines. The first scheduled flight was on Northwest between Minneapolis and Chicago on 13 October 1947.
The 2-0-2 was the first airplane subjected to the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Administration'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 10 days of flying. The 2-0-2 made such a test visiting about 50 cities in seven days. At each city, comprehensive inspections were made of the aircraft systems to assess how wear or malfunction would occur.
TWA and Northwest Airlines, initial customers of the 2-0-2, eventually sold theirs to California Central Airlines and Pioneer Airlines. Later, Allegheny Airlines acquired many of the 2-0-2s as part of the company's expansion plans, beginning June 1, 1955. Eventually, they acquired a total of 18 aircraft.
Only one of this type of aircraft is known to survive, at the Aviation Hall of Fame and Museum of New Jersey.
This airliner was eventually developed into the pressurized, 3 foot longer, same powered, slightly slower Martin 4-0-4, which was more successful.
Variants
The original version, marketed as the "Martinliner": an unpressurized twin for 40 passengers powered by two Pratt & Whitney R-2800-CA18 engines of 2,400 hp for take-off. Apart from the prototypes, 31 reached the airlines. Large orders from Pennsylvania Central, Colonial and Eastern (listed as the 2-0-2E) were cancelled before delivery.
Sub-series fitted out for each customer: 25 for Northwest Airlines, delivered in 1947; four for LAN Chile in 1947 and 1948; and two for Línea Aeropostal Venezolana in 1947.
Twelve aircraft completed for TWA with a strengthened wing and fuselage after the 1948 accident, R-2800-CB16 engines, more fuel and a maximum weight of 43,000 lb (19,500 kg). They were delivered between July and October 1950, and TWA marketed them as the "Martin Skyliner".
Overview and history adapted from Wikipedia (CC BY-SA) · technical figures from the manufacturer’s published specifications and standard aviation references
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This page was last updated on October 11, 2026
APA
Vuelopedia. (2026, October 11). Martin 2-0-2. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/m202
MLA
“Martin 2-0-2.” Vuelopedia, Fundación Poderia, 11 Oct. 2026, vuelopedia.org/en/model/m202. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.
Chicago
Vuelopedia. “Martin 2-0-2.” Fundación Poderia. Last modified October 11, 2026. https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/m202.
Harvard
Vuelopedia (2026) Martin 2-0-2. Available at: https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/m202 (Accessed: 17 October 2026).
BibTeX
@misc{vuelopedia_en_model_m202,
author = {{Vuelopedia}},
title = {{Martin 2-0-2}},
publisher = {Fundación Poderia},
year = {2026},
date = {2026-10-11},
url = {https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/m202},
howpublished = {\url{https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/m202}},
urldate = {2026-10-17},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17}
}Wikipedia
{{cite web |url=https://vuelopedia.org/en/model/m202 |title=Martin 2-0-2 |website=Vuelopedia |publisher=Fundación Poderia |date=2026-10-11 |access-date=2026-10-17 |language=en}}