Alfred Loedding

Loedding in 1938[1]

Alfred Christian Loedding (February 17, 1906 - October 10, 1963) was an American aeronautical engineer.[2][3] He was a pioneer in the development of solid-fuel rockets.[3]

Early life

In 1928, Loedding was vice-president of the student flying club and was profiled for a model he made of Charles Lindbergh's plane The Spirit of St. Louis.[4][5] In 1930, Loedding graduated from New York University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Aeronautical Engineering. He received the school's Guggenheim award.[3] He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the air service.[6]

Career

In 1937, he was employed by Bellanca Aircraft.[2] He was profiled for his work on rocket planes.[1] From 1938 to 1950, the Army Air Force, later US Air Force. For three years he led the Jet Propulsion Lab at Wright Field.[7] He was involved in the development of solid-fueled rockets.[8][9] In 1939, he was involved in model plane contests, serving both as a judge and an award-winning participant.[10][11] In 1941, he accompanied Robert Goddard to Roswell army airfield for a test.[12][3] He later observed tests conducted by Jack Parsons and Aerojet. [13] Loedding was involved in Project Sign, the Air Force's nvestigation into flying discs or UFOs.[14] He conducted a 1949 lecture at University of Pittsburgh.[15] In 1958, Loedding was profiled after being awarded a patent for a solid-fueled military rocket.[16][7] In 1959, he was profiled and photographed with a model he called a 'flying pumpkin seed'.[17]

Loedding was instrumental to the development of air-to-air refueling systems.[3] Loedding died in 1963.[3] In 2013, his son Donald Loedding published a book that discussed his famous father.[18]

References

  1. ^ a b "Rocket Planes Visualized By New Castle Engineer". The News Journal. February 2, 1938. p. 3 – via newspapers.com.
  2. ^ a b "Alfred Loedding, 57, Succumbs". Richmond Times-Dispatch. October 11, 1963. p. 4 – via newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b c d e f "Nasa Official Dies". Daily Press. October 11, 1963. p. 44 – via newspapers.com.
  4. ^ "Baden Student Builds Model of Lindy's Plane". The Pittsburgh Press. March 18, 1928. p. 67 – via newspapers.com.
  5. ^ "Engineering Students Form Flying Club". The Brooklyn Daily Eagle. April 7, 1928. p. 3 – via newspapers.com.
  6. ^ "Commissions Given Three Reading Men". Reading Times. July 3, 1930. p. 13 – via newspapers.com.
  7. ^ a b "Ambridge Man Planning Practical Flying Saucer". The Pittsburgh Press. November 2, 1952. p. 10 – via newspapers.com.
  8. ^ "Local Group Hears About Rocket Planes". Palladium-Item. February 24, 1939. p. 5 – via newspapers.com.
  9. ^ "Rocket Ship To Be Shown Here Sunday". Palladium-Item. June 16, 1939. p. 1 – via newspapers.com.
  10. ^ "Large Number of Entries Expected in Design Test". Dayton Daily News. December 24, 1939. p. 17 – via newspapers.com.
  11. ^ "'Rocketair' Wins Originality-Event". The Pittsburgh Press. May 28, 1939. p. 25 – via newspapers.com.
  12. ^ Lehman, Milton (May 12, 1963). "This High Man: The Life of Robert H. Goddard". Farrar, Straus – via Google Books.
  13. ^ Carter, John (April 1, 2005). Sex and Rockets: The Occult World of Jack Parsons. Feral House. ISBN 978-1-932595-66-6 – via Google Books.
  14. ^ Tucker, S. D. (15 June 2017). Space Oddities: Our Strange Attempts to Explain the Universe. Amberley Publishing Limited. ISBN 978-1-4456-6263-3.
  15. ^ "Field Aids To Lecture At Pittsburgh College". The Journal Herald. March 30, 1949. p. 3 – via newspapers.com.
  16. ^ "Patents of the Week: 9 1/2-inch Military Rocket, Unique Fuel Invented". Tallahassee Democrat. October 25, 1958. p. 10 – via newspapers.com.
  17. ^ "Make Way For Flying Pumpkin Seed". Dayton Daily News. February 22, 1959. p. 101 – via newspapers.com.
  18. ^ Loedding, Donald R. (March 14, 2013). Global Warming: the Iceman Cometh (And Other Cultural Takes). AuthorHouse. ISBN 978-1-4817-2227-8 – via Google Books.