Aircraft Designers / Manufacturers

[Koopernic]

Petter had a tendency to do that.
There is a reason that most Gnats are seen with two underwing tanks.
View attachment 577971

One story has the Gnat in contention with the Fiat G 91 for Nato light strike fighter.
One problem was the Gnats landing gear/tires were not suitable for the rough airstrip requirement, and larger tires requiring bulged landing gear doors were needed.
Petter refused to fit the larger tires and doors and Helped the G 91 win the competition.

Petter was reported to be not the easiest man to work with.

It sounds lucky that the area rule allowed the belly tank to be added to the English Electric Lightning with a reduction in supersonic drag.

 

[Zipper730]

Richard Palmer, who designed the Hughes H-1, was Vice President of Vultee.

It would appear Palmer was the designer. I wouldn't be surprised if William Burdick had some role in things too.

I'm curious what happened to both after the merger between Consolidated and Vultee? Were they fired? It seems that the designs went back to clunk again

 

[jetcal1]

It would appear Palmer was the designer. I wouldn't be surprised if William Burdick had some role in things too.

I'm curious what happened to both after the merger between Consolidated and Vultee? Were they fired? It seems that the designs went back to clunk again

Palmer died in another company product (Stinson) with his wife.

 

[GrauGeist]

I've never seen any one particular name mentioned fir the XP-54's design, but I do know that when Jerry amd his wife were killed in a plane wreck in '37, the company continued on with the design staff working on several projects.
So it appears it (and several other designs) were a collaboration based on Vultee's experience.

 

[Zipper730]

Palmer died in another company product (Stinson) with his wife.

When did he die?

 

[GregP]

I tought it was Alfred E. Newman of Mad Magazine fame:
https://image.cnbcfm.com/api/v1/ima...n-Norman-Mingo_r.jpg?v=1380550059&w=740&h=416

or Ed "Big Daddy" Roth of Ratfink fame:
https://i.pinimg.com/originals/e7/ac/5e/e7ac5ef88a3189f3c3bc71c68c8eed9a.jpg

 

[GrauGeist]

or Ed "Big Daddy" Roth of Ratfink fame

Ed Roth was also the supervisor of Knott's Berry Farm park attraction design and engineering for ages.