Martin Ocean Transport – Model 130 (a useful poster)

Martin Ocean Transport - Model 130 (From Fortune Magazine, 1936) (click for larger version)

We all know that Don loves details.  At The Periphery love details that are made visual, which is why we love this infographic from Fortune magazine detailing the inner workings and structures of the Martin Ocean Transport.  You could read the caption and learn that the plane needs to carry an anchor, winch, lifeboats, belts and ropes as well as the usual aeronautical equipment.  Or you could learn that the US government mandated that planes reserve 800 pounds of cargo weight to carry the mail.  Mostly though, I’m fascinated by the fact that the crew had to walk the length of the plane, through the passenger quarters, to get to the crew bunks.  So much for separating the labor from the customer.

You can look at more interesting infographics from mid-century issues of Fortune here.  In particular I recommend the graphics American Productivity (1946), the expanding universe of Standard Oil (1940), Coal, a raw material for gasoline (1947), The Circus, under the canvas, is self sufficient (1947), and one for Tod, The automobile industry shifts gears (1941).