Photo Credit: Michael O’Leary

The 404 Foundation Mission

404 Foundation intends to restore Martin N636X, a 1952 Martin 4-0-4 to flying status and travel to Airshows and other promotional events, presenting and preserving aviation and airline history, honoring our veterans, and promoting aviation education.

A. Traveling Air Museum: sole example
1. History of Glenn L Martin
Now hardly known, Glenn L Martin started building airplanes only 5 years after the Wright brothers first flight, and became the world’s largest aircraft manufacturer at the beginning of World War Two. Our airplane will be the ONLY flyable Martin in existence!

2. History of the Airline Industry

a. The USA has the best airline system in the world, dominated by four, or five giant companies. They got their start from dozens of smaller but noteworthy companies, now forgotten. Our Martin was one of 40 built for TWA. Eastern Air Lines operated a fleet of 60 Martin 404’s. Tributes to these and other airline companies are displayed on board our aircraft

b. The industry was built on the backs of the airline employees, and ours will be a traveling tribute to their efforts, esprit de corps, innovation and sense of humor

3. History of Corporate Aviation

This particular airplane was converted from a TWA airliner to a Corporate Aircraft and still sports it luxurious corporate interior. These conversions were the “Airliners of the Stars”, before the invention of the Lear Jet, and Gulfstreams of today, and carried notables Frank Sinatra, Herman’s Hermits, The Animals, Doobie Brothers, Chicago, and others.

B. Venue for other Museums:

The aircraft is commanding in presence on the ramp at any airshow, and lends itself well to other museum’s promotional efforts. The aircraft will be used specifically to raise awareness and generate interest in these, and other, sister organizations:

1. Planes of Fame Air Museum, Chino Ca, and their fundraising for their new museum in Santa Maria, CA

2. Glenn L. Martin Museum in Baltimore Md:

C. Venue available to Charities.

The aircraft lends itself well to promotions and will be made available to other organizations that honor veterans, and promote Aviation Education

1. Veteran’s organizations.

2. Women in Aviation

3. College & University Aviation programs

4. EAA Experimental Aircraft Association, and their youth programs

5. AOPA Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association, and their support of flight schools

I am fond of saying that if there is one child that we inspire at an airshow, that turns away from drugs or crime, and instead sets his eyes upon the skies and pursues an aviation career, then we have done our job.