Walter Beech

Walter Herschel Beech
Walter Herschel Beech
Born	January 30, 1891; Pulaski, Tennessee
Died	November 29, 1950(aged 59)
Nationality	American
Occupation(s)	Test pilot, entrepreneur,United States Army Air Forcesaviator
Known for	Co-founder of theBeech Aircraft Corporation
Spouse	Olive Ann Beech

Walter Herschel Beech(January 30, 1891 – November 29, 1950) was an American aviator and early aviation entrepreneur who co-founded theBeech Aircraft Company(now called Beechcraft) in 1932 with his wife,Olive Ann Beech,and a team of three others.^[1]

Biography[edit]

He was born inPulaski, Tennesseeon January 30, 1891. Beech started flying in 1905, at age 14, when he built a glider of his own design. Then, after flying for theUnited States Armyduring World War I, he joined theSwallow Airplane Companyas a test pilot. He later became general manager of the company. In 1924, he,Lloyd Stearman,andClyde CessnaformedTravel Air Manufacturing Company.When the company merged withCurtiss-Wright,Beech became vice-president.^[2]

In 1932, he and his wife,Olive Ann Beech,along withTed Wells,K.K. Shaul, and investor C.G. Yankey, co-founded theBeech Aircraft CompanyinWichita, Kansas.^[3]Their early Beechcraft planes won theBendix Trophy.During World War II, Beech Aircraft produced more than 7,400 military aircraft. Thetwin Beech AT-7/C-45trained more than 90 percent of theU.S. Army Air Forcesnavigator/bombardiers. The company went on to become one of the "big three" in Americangeneral aviationaircraft manufacturing during the 20th century (along withCessnaandPiper).

Beech died from a heart attack on November 29, 1950.^[4]He and his wife are buried at Old Mission Mausoleum in Wichita.

In 1977, Beech was posthumously inducted into theNational Aviation Hall of Fame.^[5]at theNational Museum of the United States Air Force,and 1982, he was inducted into theInternational Air & Space Hall of Fameat theSan Diego Air & Space Museum.^[6]

In 2023, Beech was inducted, along with his wifeOlive,into the Paul E Garber First Flight Shrine in Kill Devil Hills, NC.^[7]

References[edit]

This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain:https://web.archive.org/web/20060228063018/http:// hill.af.mil/museum/history/walterbeech.htm

^Dick, Ron; Dan Patterson (2003)."Great Names".Aviation Century: The Early Years.Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills. p.206.ISBN 1-55046-407-8.
^"Walter Herschel Beech".Hill Air Force Base. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-11-04.Retrieved2011-11-14.Walter Beech began a long and distinguished career in aviation at the early age of 14, when he built a glider of his own design. Then, after flying for the U.S. Army during World War I, he joined the Swallow Airplane Company as a test pilot. He later became General Manager of the company. In 1924, Beech joined Clyde Cessna in co-founding Travel Air Manufacturing Company, which was to become the world's largest producer of both monoplane and biplane commercial aircraft....
^Edward H. Phillips (1996).The Staggerwing Story: A History of the Beechcraft Model 17.Eagan, Minn.: Flying Books International.ISBN 978-0-911139-27-3.
^"Walter Beech, 59, Leader In Aviation".New York Times.December 1, 1950.Retrieved2011-11-14.Walter Beech, founder and president of the Beech Aircraft Corporation died...
^"Enshrinee Walter Beech".nationalaviation.org.National Aviation Hall of Fame.Retrieved25 January2023.
^Linda Sprekelmeyer, ed. (2006).These We Honor: the International Aerospace Hall of Fame.Donning Co. Publishers.ISBN 978-1-57864-397-4.^{[page needed]}
^"Paul E. Garber Shrine - First Flight Society - Aviation organization on the Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, NC".First Flight Society.Retrieved2024-01-15.

External links[edit]

Walter BeechatFind a Grave

[1] Dick, Ron; Dan Patterson (2003)."Great Names".Aviation Century: The Early Years.Erin, Ontario: Boston Mills. p.206.ISBN 1-55046-407-8.

[2] "Walter Herschel Beech".Hill Air Force Base. Archived fromthe originalon 2011-11-04.Retrieved2011-11-14.Walter Beech began a long and distinguished career in aviation at the early age of 14, when he built a glider of his own design. Then, after flying for the U.S. Army during World War I, he joined the Swallow Airplane Company as a test pilot. He later became General Manager of the company. In 1924, Beech joined Clyde Cessna in co-founding Travel Air Manufacturing Company, which was to become the world's largest producer of both monoplane and biplane commercial aircraft....

[3] Edward H. Phillips (1996).The Staggerwing Story: A History of the Beechcraft Model 17.Eagan, Minn.: Flying Books International.ISBN 978-0-911139-27-3.

[4] "Walter Beech, 59, Leader In Aviation".New York Times.December 1, 1950.Retrieved2011-11-14.Walter Beech, founder and president of the Beech Aircraft Corporation died...

[5] "Enshrinee Walter Beech".nationalaviation.org.National Aviation Hall of Fame.Retrieved25 January2023.

[6] Linda Sprekelmeyer, ed. (2006).These We Honor: the International Aerospace Hall of Fame.Donning Co. Publishers.ISBN 978-1-57864-397-4.^{[page needed]}

[7] "Paul E. Garber Shrine - First Flight Society - Aviation organization on the Outer Banks in Kill Devil Hills, NC".First Flight Society.Retrieved2024-01-15.

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