Viewing page 8 of 31

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

and Martin made numerous aerial trips to and from San Diego in connection with the acceptance and delivery of these planes. 

An improved series of this machine, called the Model TT, was developed which expanded the Martin Company business in 1915. Smit was Chief Instructor in the schools again that year and Donald Douglas joined the Martin Company to design and develop new models, while Smith did much of the testing of these planes. In early June, 1915 Smith and mechanic W.E. Gibson left for Mexico to deliver and demonstrate a Martin Model TT plane to the Villa forces and were there about two weeks. 

At the Martin School that year Smith taught two wealthy sportsmen, W.E. Boeing of Seattle, Washington and Caleb Bragg of New York, both of whom bought Martin planes. Boeing's plane, a 125 H.P. Hall-Scott powered Model TT on floats, was shipped to Seattle in October and Smith was sent along to supervise the assembly and testing. He remained there until mid-November, giving additional instruction to Boeing, Ed. Hubbard and T.T. Maroney. That fall Smith also assisted Martin in setting up various aviation activities for the California National Militia at Greening, California.

On January 12th, 1916 Smith broke the World Altitude Record for seaplane with one passenger when he ascended to 12,362 feet, carrying Donald Douglas in a Martin Model S Hydro at Los Angeles. The machine was one of four new model planes to be delivered to the United States Army and was powered by a 125 H.P. 6 cylinder Hall-Scott engine. On February 11th Smith set another record, for two passengers, of 9,544 feet with this machine at North Island, San Diego, California, then on February 15th still another record was made, for three passengers, flying to 9,603 feet, all outstanding achievements at that time. The Martin Company was actively engaged in contract negotiations and the delivery and test of new planes for the Signal Corps at North Island, San Diego, and Smith was a part of that program throughout 1916, making a number of cross-country flights between the two points during this work. Early in the summer the new Martin Model R was announced and Smith assisted in its development. 

In August Martin merged his company with eastern interests, to become the Wright-Martin Aircraft Corporation, and he moved east to new offices in New York.

4