Jack L King 1922-2012

George Rodney (left) and Jack King at the controls of a Martin 2-0-2 airliner

Martin XP4M-1 Test Flight
Martin XP4M-1
The flight test team for the XP4M-1 flight of 11Feb1947. L-R 'Dutch'Gelvin,Rollo Kehaman,Charles Keports, Barney Meade and Jack L King.

Jack King started work as an assembly work for the Glenn L.Martin Company a the age of 17 in 1939. To increase his education and to srtive for a career avancement,he took polytechnic courses in aeronautical engineering and was quickly promoted to the drafting department. He also worked at the old Curtiss Wright Airport at weekends.To earn his pilot's license at the age of 18, he bartered eleven hours of work for on-half hour of flight time.

By World War II,he had received his instructor's rating. As with most young men, World War II interrupted their civilian careers and King was no exception. Assigned to Langley Field, he received B-25 training and was placed in the research dicisin due to his experience with Glenn L.Martin.

After the war, King returned to the Martin plant and worked in the Power Plant Department and designed cowlings for new airline equipment such as the Martin 2-0-2 and 4-0-4. Because he was a licensed mechanic and had logged considerable flight time, he was offeerd a job as a co-pilot in the Flight Test Department.

He flight tested many of the Martin Aircraft Companies designed, including the 202/404 Airliner, XP4M Mercator, XBTM-1 Mauler, accumualting over 20,000 hours flying in his career. Jack King has written several aviation books.