martin baker 5 fighter 3d lwo - Martin Baker 5 by pbratt

The Martin Baker 5 was test flown on May 23rd 1944 by Bryan Greensted, Rotol's chief test pilot and after slight re design of the fin and rudder to cure some directional instabiliity the handling was found to be stunning. Infact something of a que developed of test pilots who wanted to fly her. On March 1st 1946 the Aeroplane and Armament Experimental Establishment issued it's first report, part if which is quoted here, '...It is considered the general design and layout of the Martin Baker 5 is excellent, and is infinitely better - from the engineering and maintainence apect - than any other similar type of aircraft.' this type of language is unusual in an official report. Infact the hardened professionals at Boscombe Down who had pretty much seen everything were enthralled by this amazingly good aircraft. Later that year Jan Zurakowski displayed the MB5 at Farnborough which the distinguished aviation historian Bill Gunston describes as 'the most staggering, breathtaking show I ever saw with a piston engined fighter.'

Unfortunately for the MB5 the jet engined Gloster Meteor had flown rather earlier and for all of it's limitations was 100 mph faster and represented the future. Therefore no production contract was awarded to Martin Baker's and the MB5 was the companies final aircraft. Sometimes quality just isnt enough.