John Leland Atwood: Engineer at Heart & Aerospace Legend
Aviation legend Lee Atwood -- who was instrumental in designing the P-51 Mustang; the F-100, world's first operational supersonic jet fighter; the X-15 rocket plane; and the Apollo Command Module that took astronauts to the moon -- died on March 5, 1999, at the age of 94.
Mr. Atwood began his career at Douglas Aircraft Company, and served as president and chief executive officer of North American Aviation. Both are now part of The Boeing Company.
The following article, profiling Mr. Atwood's contribution to aerospace, was published in the Boeing News on Oct. 2, 1998.
As one of the founding members of the team that formed North American Aviation, Inc. in 1934, Lee Atwood became a living legend in the aerospace community. Atwood began his career when wood, fabric, and the slide rule were the building blocks for producing airplanes.
During a 1997 speech in Los Angeles, Boeing Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Phil Condit aptly described him. "Lee Atwood was born about 10 months after the Wright Brothers first flew -- and he's seen it all happen, from wood to wire, from cloth to aluminum, to people walking on the moon. It has been a magnificent journey."
A journey indeed -- with a great many significant milestones. Atwood's schooling centered on the discipline of engineering and very early in his career his talents were quickly noticed by James "Dutch" Kindelberger, then vice president of engineering at Douglas Aircraft Company. Having gained engineering experience helping to design the TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bomber for the Navy, and the DC-1/DC-2 commercial airplanes, Kindelberger (who was leaving Douglas Aircraft in 1934), asked Atwood to join him at what was to become North American Aviation.
Lee Atwood - recognition and significant awards:
1948 -- Presidential Certificate of Merit given by President Truman for contributions during WWII
1965 -- Honorary Fellow, AIAA (American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics)
1970 -- AFA (Air Force Association) Hap Arnold Trophy
1970 -- NAA (National Aeronautic Association) Wright Brothers Memorial Trophy
1974 -- Member, National Academy of Engineering
1976 -- NAA (National Aeronautic Association) elected Elder Statesman of Aviation
1984 -- International Aerospace Hall of Fame
1986 -- Aerospace Historical Preservation Committee of the California Museum Foundation, Award of Excellence
1987 -- International Academy of Astronautics
1994 -- Howard Hughes Memorial Award
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