Gustave Whitehead

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Whitehead in 1901
Whitehead gliding in 1908

Gustave Whitehead (1874–1927), inventor in Germany under then name Gustav Weißkopf, moved to Connecticut. Developed a large number of experimental airplanes and reported flights in Whitehead No. 21 and Whitehead No. 22.

Zahm writes:

From the accredited reports it appears that Mr. Whitehead accomplished: (1) the first high flight, (2) the first long flight, (3) first closed-circuit flight, (4) first flight over and landing on water, (5) first with passenger, (6) first with internal combustion engine. And all at a time when no other plane on earth was making any sustained hops at all.[1]

The controversy over Whitehead's priority rages to this day.[2]

Patent data has him located at Bridgeport, Fairfield county, CT, filing in the United States and assigning 1/2 patent rights to Stanley Yale Beach.[3] The foreign filings taken as supplementary to patent have Stanley Yale Beach treated as a full-on co-inventor.

British patent data identifies him as a Mechanic.[4]


Patents whose inventor or applicant is Gustave Whitehead

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References


Names Gustav Albin Weißkopf; Gustav Weißkopf; Gustave Whitehead
Birth date 1874-01-01
Death date 1927-10-10
Countries US, DE
Locations Bridgeport, Fairfield county, CT, Leutershausen, Bayern, Germany
Occupations mechanic
Tech areas Glider, Airfoil, Stability, Frame, Fabric, Design, Airplane, Whole
Affiliations
Wikidata id