Frederick C. Durant | |
---|---|
Born | Frederick C. Durant, III December 31, 1916 [1] Ardmore, PA |
Died | October 21, 2015 98) Mount Dora, Florida | (aged
Other names | F.C. Durant |
Frederick Clark Durant III (December 31, 1916- October 21, 2015) was an American author, naval test pilot, chemical engineer, and expert in rocketry and spaceflight. [2] Durant served as a "key advisor" to U.S. military, intelligence, and space-flight programs, playing a central role in Project Orbiter, the first US satellite program. [3]
In his later years, Durant served as assistant director of the National Air and Space Museum and an editor of Encyclopædia Britannica. [1]
Durant was a descendant of Thomas C. Durant and engineer Joseph Harrison, Jr. [2] Durant's father was Frederick C. Durant Jr., an engineer educated at MIT and the Colorado School of Mines, who became president of a telephone company [2]
Fred C. Durant III graduated the Haverford preparatory school in 1934. [4] In 1939, Durant earned a B.S. degree in chemical engineering from Lehigh University. [2] [1] From 1939 to 1941, Durant was employed as a chemical engineer with the E.I. Du Pont de Nemours & Co., at Pennsgrove, New Jersey. [2]
In May 1941, Durant enlisted as a US naval aviation cadet. [2] Durant went on to serve as naval aviator and flight instructor. [2] In 1946, retired from the Navy at the rank of Commander in the Naval Reserves. [2] In 1951, Durant returned to service as a test pilot, ultimately flying some 30 different types of aircraft. [5]
In 1947, Durant began work as a rocket engineer with Bell Aircraft in Buffalo New York. [2] From 1948 to 1951, he served as Director of Engineering at the U.S. Naval Air Rocket Test Station at Dover, New Jersey. [2] In 1953, he became the president of the American Rocket Society [2] [1]
Durant was a Fellow of the British Interplanetary Society, [2] the German Society for Aviation and Space Flight (DGLR), [2] and the Institute of the Aeronautical Sciences [2] Durant was a consultant to the Department of Defense, Bell Aerosystems Co., Central Intelligence Agency, others. [2] From 1954 to 1955, Durant was part of Project Orbiter, along with von Braun. [2] [1] [3] [6]
In 1961, Durant moved to D.C., where he would stay until 1999. [1] In 1965, Durant became the assistant director of National Air and Space Museum. [2] He retired from that post in 1980. [2] During his time at the Smithsonian, Durant wrote articles for Encyclopædia Britannica on rockets and spaceflight. [2] In 1983, Durant collaborated with Ron Miller and illustrator Chesley Bonestell on a book entitled Worlds Beyond. [7] The book features a foreword by Arthur C. Clarke. [8]
Durant was a lifelong member of Society of American Magicians. [2] He married Celeste Bennett, who died from hepatitis [2] In 1947, Durant married Carolyn Jones ("Pip"). He was father to three sons and one daughter. Durant died in 2015, being preceded in death by his two of his sons: Derek and William. [2] [3]
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