04-2005 MARTIN K-III KITTEN

Martin Kitten K.III was an American prototype fighter plane in the biplane configuration from the First World War and the interwar period. The prototype's flight took place in 1918, but the machine never entered production. The drive was provided by a single engine ABC Gnat with a power of 45 HP. The length of the aircraft was 4.04 meters with a wingspan of 6.15 meters. The deck armament was probably to consist of two 7.7 mm Vickers machine guns. The K.III model was designed and built by American aircraft constructor James Martin. From the beginning, it was assumed that the new machine would be as small as possible, and it was also to be powered by a relatively low-power, but very light engine. It was also assumed that the model K.III would be a typical interceptor designed to counter enemy bombers and zeppelins. The machine was very innovative in some aspects - first of all it had a partially folded undercarriage without a tail skid, ailerons at the ends of the wings, and "K" -shaped struts. However, the machine did not live up to the hopes placed in it and did not achieve the expected performance. First of all, it did not enter production for this reason.