In the fall of 1932, the U.S. Army Air Corps was on the hunt for a new bomber, something cutting-edge to keep the looming threat of war at bay. Henry Ford threw his tri-motor aircraft into the ring, taking it for a spin over Wright Field in Ohio. But military bigwigs weren't quite sold. The tri-motor, born in 1925, felt more like a blast from the past than a leap into the future.

The Air Corps was serious about finding a bomber that could go the distance—fly overseas and make it back in one piece. They opened up the floor for contenders, testing them out at Wright Field. Ford's tri-motor had its shot, and so did Boeing's Model 215. But it was the crew from Glenn L. Martin Aircraft Company, cruising in their YB-10 with retractable landing gear, that made the Air Corps sit up and take notice.

As the YB-10 gracefully touched down on the runway, it was the answer to their prayers. It could fly the miles, handle the overseas missions, and bring everyone back home safely. And just like that, with the YB-10, the Air Corps had found what they'd been looking for.

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Join Dark Skies as we explore the world of aviation with cinematic short documentaries featuring the biggest and fastest airplanes ever built, top-secret military projects, and classified missions with hidden untold true stories. Including US, German, and Soviet warplanes, along with aircraft developments that took place during World War I, World War 2, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and special operations mission in between.

As images and footage of actual events are not always available, Dark Skies sometimes utilizes similar historical images and footage for dramatic effect and soundtracks for emotional impact. We do our best to keep it as visually accurate as possible.

All content on Dark Skies is researched, produced, and presented in historical context for educational purposes. We are history enthusiasts and are not always experts in some areas, so please don't hesitate to reach out to us with corrections, additional information, or new ideas.