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Einfacher Tradi zur Erinnerung an Edgar Schmued, den bekannten Flugzeugkonstruckteur, der in Hornbach geboren wurde.
DEUTSCH:
Obwohl er am 30. Dezember 1899 in Hornbach geboren wurde, war Edgar Schmued doch kein waschechter Pfälzer. Sein Vater, ein Zahnarzt, stammte aus Österreich, seine Mutter aus Stuttgart. Die österreichische Staatsangehörigkeit legte der Sohn, das vierte von sechs Kindern, auch zeitlebens nicht ab. Seine Begeisterung für Flugzeuge wurde durch die erste Begegnung mit einer Wright-Maschine ausgelöst, die Edgar im Alter von acht Jahren über sich fliegen hörte. Allerdings nicht in Hornbach: Familie Schmued war damals schon nach Landsberg an der Warthe gezogen. Dort schloss der spätere Flugzeugkonstrukteur die Gewerbeschule nur mit mäßigem Erfolg ab, verschlang aber gleichzeitig Technik-Bücher aus der örtlichen Bibliothek. An die Stelle eines Studiums, das an den finanziellen Möglichkeiten der Familie scheiterte, traten seine praktische Ausbildung in einer Maschinenfabrik und der Bau eines selbst konstruierten Flugzeugs. Nur über Wanddurchbrüche gelang es, die kleine Maschine aus dem Haus zu bringen. Mehrere Patente für neuartige Vergasertechnik meldete Schmued in den 20er Jahren an, als er für einen Automobil-Zulieferer in der Nähe von Hamburg arbeitete. Ihre Vermarktung scheiterte jedoch ebenso an der Wirtschaftskrise wie der Plan, endlich Flugzeuge zu bauen. 1925 folgte Schmued seinen zwei Brüdern nach Brasilien, wo er der Firma General Motors (GM) Verbesserungen der Wartungstechnik ihrer Autos anbot. Eine Anstellung bei GM in den USA folgte. Mit dem Einstieg der Firma beim amerikanischen Flugzeugbauer Fokker wechselte Schmued 1930 zu seinem Lieblingsfach. Die Konstruktion früher ein- und zweimotoriger Ganzmetall-Flugzeuge war seine Leistung, und selbst das Logo des Herstellers „North American Aviation" (NAA), für den er 22 Jahre arbeitete, entwarf Schmued auf seinem Zeichenbrett. Die bekannteste Konstruktion des langjährigen NAA-Entwicklungschefs ist das 1940 entworfene Jagdflugzeug P-51 Mustang; ebenso geht das Design des Jagdflugzeugs F-82, der F-86 Sabre und der F-100 Super Sabre auf Edgar Schmued zurück. Er starb am 1. Juni 1985 in Oceanside, Kalifornien.
Quelle: Die Rheinpfalz
ENGLISH:
Edgar Schmued, Austro-American aircraft designer (1899–1985) was famed for his design of the iconic P-51 Mustang and, later, the F-86 Sabre. Early life Edgar Schmued was born in Hornbach, Germany, 30 December 1899. At age eight, he first saw an airplane in flight and decided that aviation was to be his life's work. Edgar embarked early on a rigorous program of self-study to become an engineer, and later served an apprenticeship in a small engine factory. He also designed several innovative engine components for which he received patents. In his spare time, he continued the self-study of aviation. His experience in Germany led to employment with the General Motors Corporation in Brazil, and later with a General Motors subsidiary in the United States, the Fokker Aeroplane Company, where he began his career as an airplane design engineer. Aviation engineer The talented and inventive Schmued, by now a citizen of the United States, was employed by North American Aviation (NAA) in Dundalk, Maryland. In 1935, North American was relocated to Los Angeles, California, from General Motors. When his wife Luisa proved reluctant to relocate from the east coast, Schmued joined Bellanca but his time there was short-lived. While traveling to California to work again for North American, the Schmueds' car was involved in a head-on collision on Route 60. His wife was tragically killed while Schmued was seriously injured. North American Aviation After recovery, he went to work for "Dutch" Kindelberger in early 1936 as a preliminary design engineer. Schmued was involved in the XB-21 (designing the front turret), creating the NA-50 single-engine fighter for Peru then going on to design work on the NA-62 (later the B-25 Mitchell). Schmued would later became Chief of Preliminary Design. During his long tenure at NAA, he contributed greatly to the design of many airplanes. By far his most famous design was the highly successful P-51 Mustang of World War II. The legend began with NAA's President, "Dutch" Kindelberger asking, "Ed, do we want to build P-40s here?" Schmued had been long awaiting a question like this. His answer would begin the design process, "Well, Dutch, don't let us build an obsolete airplane, let's build a new one. We can design and build a better one." His adaptation of the then new laminar flow wing and other innovations made the P-51 performance outstanding in all respects and its flying qualities superb. This aircraft was still winning races and setting speed records for piston engine-powered airplanes decades after its production had ended. Although he was renowned as a workaholic at North American, Schmued undertook the design of the Morrow Victory Trainer in 1941 on an independent contract; it was dubbed the "Mini-Mustang" because of its close resemblance to the P-51. An urban legend has grown up about Edgar Schmued, possibly related to his German origins, claiming he had once worked for Willy Messerschmitt and that the Mustang was heavily influenced by the Bf 109. Just as familiar is the notion that the abortive Curtiss XP-46 was the basis of the P-51 design. Schmued was employed by North American Aviation, later a division of the Rockwell International Corporation, for 22 years. During his tenure, Schmued also designed the F-82 and, the other iconic NAA designs, the F-86 Sabre and F-100 Super Sabre. Later years After leaving North American, he spent five years as an aircraft designer for the Northrop Corporation, where he helped design the F-5 and the T-38. Edgar Schmued died at Oceanside, California, on 1 June 1985.
Source: Wikipedia
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