Richard V. Rhode (March 2, 1904 – November 13, 1994) was an American aeronautical engineer at Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory,[1] who researched aerodynamic loading.[2][3][4][5] He was awarded the Wright Brothers Medal in 1937 for this work. He continued doing secret aerodynamics-related research work during World War II, the results of which were later declassified.[6]

Early life and education

Rhode was born on 2 March 1904 in Kenosha, Wisconsin. He received a B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Wisconsin in 1925.

Career

After gradation he joined the NACA as an aeronautical engineer at the Langley Aeronautical Laboratory. He married Frances Elizabeth May in 1929 and had 4 children:[7] Elizabeth May, Mary Diana (deceased), Joseph George, II and Richard Valentine, Jr. In 1945 he became chief of the aircraft loads division. In 1949 he transferred to the NACA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., and became assistant director for research (aircraft construction and operating problems). When NASA came into existence in 1958, he became assistant director for advanced design criteria in the space vehicle technology division. There, he was responsible for advanced technology supporting the development of space vehicles.

Legacy

He retired in early 1967 and was awarded the NASA Medal for Exceptional Scientific Achievement.[1] He died on 13 November 1994 in North Carolina.

References

  1. 1 2 "Biographies of Aerospace Officials and Policymakers". National Aeronautics and Space Administration. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  2. ↑ R. V. Rhode and E. E. Lundquist (1931) "Strength tests on paper cylinders in compression bending and shear". NACA TN-370. Retrieved January 29, 2018.
  3. ↑ R. V. Rhode and E. E. Lundquist (1931) "Preliminary study of applied load factors in bumpy air". NACA TN-374.
  4. ↑ R. V. Rhode and E. E. Lundquist (1931) "The pressure distribution over a semicircular wing tip on an airplane in flight". NACA TN-379.
  5. ↑ R. V. Rhode (1931) "The pressure distribution over the wings and tail surfaces of a PW-9 pursuit airplane in flight". NACA TN-364.
  6. ↑ R. V. Rhode (1944) "Correlation of flight data on limit pressure coefficients and their relation to high-speed burbling and critical tail loads". NACA Advance Confidential Report L4127.
  7. ↑ I

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