Favorite Post-War aircraft designer.

[plan_D]

The Sikorsky R-4B Hoverfly was used in Burma in 1944-1945. It took part in the first operational use of a helicopter. Anton Flettner was also an interesting helicopter designer that moved to the U.S post-war, and I believe helped in the development of the Chinook. As he had produced a similar prototype in World War II.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Sikorsky was very similar to Kelly Johnson as he interfaced with his workers, at the same time he was a excellent businessman and marketeer. He had his hands in most aspects of his company when he was at the helm, and even when he was removed from the "board" still had a lot of influance in the way the product with his name on it was going to be produced. He demanded his production facilities to be spotless and the factory at Stratford Conn. has glazed parkay floors - it's one of the cleanest factories I even seen.

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Sikorski is an interesting choice. A good one, I might add.

The reason I chose Sikorsky and Bell for those is simply that those two companies and designers have designed the most innovative and used aircraft in the world. The aircraft that have changed Rotary wing aviation as we know it today.

Bell (Aurther Young)
UH-1 Iroquoi (HUEY)
AH-1 Cobra
Bell 206 family (OH-58's)

Sikorsky
VS-300
S-48 (R-4)
R-6
H-5
H-19 Chickasaw
H-34 Choctaw
H-52 (S-62 Seaguard)
Seaking
S-64 Skycrane (CH-54 Tarhe)
Jolly Green Giant
CH-53 Stallion family (ie Sea Stallion and Super Stallion)
S-70 (UH-60 Blackhawk family)
Comanche (Joing Project with Boing and was cancelled in 2004)

These cover pretty much the most innovative Rotary wing aircraft. They were all ahead of there time and started the revolution. Basically the Soviet Union and the rest of the world were trying to keep up with them.

 

[R988]

I'll give a vote for Kelly Johnson, some excellent and innovative designs from the skunkworks that really pushed the limit of technology forward and the state of the art to the limit.

Some of the really revolutionary aircraft have come from Lockheed over the years, P-38, U-2, F-117 etc. Certainly a company that appreciates creative thinking and novel concepts.

 

[Twitch]

Hans Multhopp for his many innovative designs from the Ta 183 to the space program lifting bodies. He worked for British and American companies and contributed greatly to many well known designs in the post-war era.

 

[delcyros]

I would go for Rutan as well. What about soviet jet designers? I could image, they had some brilliant minds, too.

 

[Glider]

Sir Sydney Camm. Sea Hawk, Hunter, Harrier, Not a bad days work

The Sea Hawk one of the most attractive early jets and quite effective as well.

Hunter, One of the worlds all time greats

Harrier, need I say anything?

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

i too quite like the post war Hawker works, and the De Havilland ones were quite nice too......

 

[Smokey]

There's only one mistake that I heard Kelly Johnson made - apparently he was against the C 130 project. Alledgedly he said that if Lockeed made the C130 Hercules, they would go bust.
Other than that he seems to have been a brilliant aircraft designer.

And Marcel Bloch refused to work with aviation companies in germany during WW2 and was sent to the Buchenwald camp.

The name Dassault came from the codename of his brother in the resistance, General Darius Paul Bloch

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcel_Bloch

 

[FLYBOYJ]

There's only one mistake that I heard Kelly Johnson made - apparently he was against the C 130 project. Alledgedly he said that if Lockeed made the C130 Hercules, they would go bust.

I'd like to know where you heard that! When the C-130 was designed and built there were already orders for several hundred aircraft - unless Lockheed screwed up on the production end (something Johnson had nothing to do with) there was no way Lockheed was going to loose money. The only logistic probelm Lockheed had at the stat of the C-130 program was setting up shop in Merrita Georgia - they already had an operating facility there as they were building B-47s.

At the time the C-130 started rolling down the production line Lockheed was still building P2Vs, F-104s, and the Connie - there were a host of other experimental and fight test going on at the same time (around 1955)....

 

[Dac]

I'll give a nod to Ben Rich for starting the revolution in stealth design.

 

[Glider]

I would also like to nominate Mikoyan - Gurevich. He never had the technology available to the designers in the west or engines of comparable power but he had the remarkable knack of getting the best out of the technology available.
Mig 9 certainly capable of taking on most of the first generation of fighters
Mig 15 was always a dangerous threat to the F86
Mig 17 could be compared to the later F86 and gave US forces a number of nasty moments in Indo China.
Mig 19 often overlooked but as good as most planes of its time
Mig 21 has performed well in the hands of well trained pilots and never considered an easy kill
Mig 23/27 roughly equal to the F4 and gave the Russians a decent strike plane for the first time.
Mig 29 using F4 technology was able to give the early F16's a good run for their money.

 

[Dyesis]

Are we getting carried away now?!? - the A-4s a great plane and distinguished combat record - but far from being a legend in the same class as the SR-71!! And if you look at design, systems innovation, complexities of systems, and the impact both aircraft made on aviation history, it's like comparing a Corvette to a Civic

Lots of folks are unaware that the A-4 Skyhawk (Scooter) was built with the capability of carrying an Atomic bomb... yet small enough that USMC Major "Boom-Boom" Cannon, flew an A-4 through a hanger at Marine Corps Air Station Tustin, Santa Ana, California.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Lots of folks are unaware that the A-4 Skyhawk (Scooter) was built with the capability of carrying an Atomic bomb... yet small enough that USMC Major "Boom-Boom" Cannon, flew an A-4 through a hanger at Marine Corps Air Station Tustin, Santa Ana, California.

Almost every attack aircraft of the period (mid 50s into early 60s) were designed with some kind of nuclear delivery system....

The A-4 was a great aircraft, very capable and innovative but comparing it to say the SR-71 is like comparing a bicycle to an Indy car...

Even the Skyraider (AD-4B) was able to carry nukes...

 

[Henk]

KELLY JOHNSON - SR-71 - NEED I SAY MORE!!!!!

Amen, that is a great aircraft and it is a shame it did not have a long career.

Northrop was also great.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Northrop was also great.

I put him and Ed Henniman a distant second...

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Amen, that is a great aircraft and it is a shame it did not have a long career.

It was operational for over 20 and actually in service close to 30 if you count NASA's operation...

 

[pbfoot]

And he certainly had a hand in the 104 probably the supreme fighter of the 60's in almost every catagory

 

[Henk]

I would love to see a SR-71 with my own eyes in action.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I've seen one take off from Edwards AFB and Palmdale. The ground rumbles as its on the roll. Very very loud! When it flies over it makes a howling sound. The one I saw at Edwards took off at dusk. What a site it was seeing the plume from the afterburner, I wish I had a camera!!