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During World War I he offered his services to the United States Government and was appointed consulting engineer and technical advisor to the U.S. Air Service. In 1917 Martin was awarded the Aero Club of America Medal of Merit for his automatic stabilizer. He continued his Elyria company during the war and, in addition, made two trips to Europe in 1918, one as first officer of the U.S.S. Red Cross. 

As the war ended Martin claimed nine patented aviation inventions, the major one being a mechanically-operated retractable landing gear. At that time he brought out the Martin K-111 single-seat, small, lightweight biplane with an English-built 45 [[strikethrough]] -horsepower [[/strikethrough]] h.p., 2-cylinder-opposed A.B.C. engine. This plane incorporated many of his patented ideas, including, the retractable landing gear, probably one of the first actual applications of this feature in America. This airplane is now in the National Air & Space Museum collection. 

In January, 1920, Martin offered the free use of his aeronautical patented inventions to the United States aviation industry and early that year moved his operations to Dayton, Ohio, establishing "Martin Enterprises." There he produced two military planes on contract, one a single-engine bomber, the other a large seven-ton bomber using shafts and gearing to drive the propellers. 

In 1922 Martin transferred his operations to Garden City, Long Island, where he became the proprietor of the Martin Aeroplane Factory. There, in addition to his aviation activities, he experimented with some aerodynamic automobile developments. 

In October, 1924, Martin sued several major aircraft companies, charging them with conspiring to monopolize the industry, and slandering him and his work. In 1926 the District Supreme Court of Washington, D. C., struck from their records this damage suit by Martin. The Martin Factory in Garden City was later taken over by Kirkham Products Corporation. 

Martin then engaged in consulting work and during World War II he again 

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