Martin Kitten, a large tiny airplane

[Don Boose]

You did a great job on this big little airplane, Anne! I really enjoyed your build commentary and images.

There was a lot of interest in little combat aircraft at that time and later. In the mid-thirties the French explored the "jockey" concept of lightweight fighters, and the Curtiss XP-31 reflected that thinking. In the 50s there were such aircraft as the Folland Gnat and the Douglas A4D, and in the 1970s there were debates over the relative merits of large, heavily armed vs small agile fighters that resulted in the F-16 and F/A-18 (although those are a long way from the Kitten, the Sperry Messenger, and other "little" combat aircraft of the 20s).

What's the next project?

Don

[Amccombs3]

Haven’t decided on the next project yet. I am in the mood to make some quick models which do not rise to the level of “projects.” And the Sherman tank is glaring balefully at me. I had suspended work on that project until I got some superglue because the teeth on the tracks were falling off, but now that I have the Loctite Gel, I will at least get past that hurdle. i am also tempted by Orlik’s Northrop XP-56 “Black Bullet,” another oddball airplane in the Museum’s collection — and it has laser-cut frames!

One last remark from me on the Kitten is that this is the first time I (or probably anyone in living memory) has seen it with the landing gear extended!

[Kevin WS]

Great little excentric looking model!

Glad I was not the innocent pilot.

[Miles Linnabery]

Dear Ann:
Question? How come there are no markings, Numbers, Don't step here, Nose art on the plane?
Enjoyed your build,
Miles

[Don Boose]

Miles - I of course defer to Anne, who built the model and who has the actual airplane at hand, but based on the photographic evidence, the Martin K-III had no markings.

Of course, there is the unconfirmed rumor that the pilot, after laboriously climbing to 250 feet and returning safely to earth, painted a shark mouth on the machine . . .

One of the ground observers (a stocky naval officer) was then heard to say, "It looks like a Corsair." To which another stocky fellow wearing shorts rebutted, "It's a Sikorsky!" And the third, similarly attired, chimed in, "But a Corsair is a Sikorsky." A woman pilot carrying a slide rule muttered, "I think it looks like a dead chicken." Unfortunately, no photographs were taken.

Don

[Miles Linnabery]

Dear Don:
I figured that there was a story about the paint job, Thanks, and thanks for the photo of the real one, in Ann's model I did not pickup on the weird and wild spokes formation on the wheels.
Thanks,
Miles

[Amccombs3]

As I understand it, the spokes were also the entire shock absorption system. And no, it seems to have no markings whatsoever. Don’s explanation falls solidly into the “You had to be there” category.