Ralph A. D. Preston

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Preston pictured with Upson at the 1913 Gordon Bennett Race, in their balloon Goodyear.

Ralph Albion Drury Preston (b. 10 April 1889) was an aeronaut and engineer at Goodyear.

He was educated in the public schools of Natick, Massachusetts and received a B.S. from MIT in 1910. Then after some summer training in Britain he went to work for Goodyear in Akron. His first flight ("in a spherical balloon") was 28 August 1912. Became VP of Goodyear Aero Club. Received FAI balloon pilot's certificate on 3 September 1913.[1]

Preston, with pilot Ralph Hazlett Upson, won the 1913 National Balloon Race and the subsequent 8th Gordon Bennett International Balloon Race from Paris.[2] He then won the 1914 National Balloon Race as pilot, with M. D. Tremelin his aide.[1]

During the war he was lieutenant in the Navy balloon service.[2] In June 1917–June 1918 he was Manager and Chief Pilot at the Goodyear Balloon School for Navy officers.[1]

Member of Aero Club of America, Society of Automotive Engineers, American Society of Mechanical Engineers (junior)

A "Who's Who" publication in 1921 listed him still at Goodyear, residing at University Club in Akron, but the same publication in 1922 changed his occupation to "Investment Banker" and his firm to Dillon, Read and Co, NY. — Possibly reflecting a resolved error.[3][1]



References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 Who's Who, 1922, p. 85.
  2. 2.0 2.1 E. E. Helm, "Goodyear Performances"; Aerial Age Weekly Vol. 8, No. 6, p. 313; 21 October 1918.
  3. "Who's Who in American Aeronautics" in Aviation and Aircraft Journal, 23 May 1921, p. 659.


Names Ralph Albion Drury Preston
Birth date 1889-04-10
Death date 1954-05-16
Countries US
Locations Akron, Ohio
Occupations engineer, balloon instructor
Tech areas LTA
Affiliations Goodyear, Aero Club of America
Wikidata id