Jerome Clarke Hunsaker (August 26, 1886 – September 10, 1984) was an American airman born in Creston, Iowa, and educated at the Naval Academy and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Life

He studied aerodynamics abroad and became an instructor at M.I.T. in 1914-16. In 1917, he was a member of the joint Army and Navy Technical Board to create an aircraft program and in 1918 was attached to the Inter-Allied Naval Armistice Commission.

He was president of Goodyear Zeppelin Company. He translated much of Gustave Eiffel's work on aerodynamics, including Resistance of the Air and constructed the first wind tunnel at M.I.T. He became Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department in 1933. Under him, graduate students were trained as aeronautical engineers. He designed the first modern airship built in the United States as well as the C and D class Navy airships, and with Westervelt and Richardson, also designed the Curtiss NC flying boats. He also served on the board of trustees of Science Service, now known as Society for Science & the Public, from 1955-1958.

Among his published works are: Stable Biplane Arrangements; Aërodynamic Properties of the Triplane; and Aëroplane Stability. He was awarded the Edward Longstreth Medal of the Franklin Institute in 1942 and the 1955 Langley Gold Medal awarded by the Smithsonian Institute.

Hunsaker is allegedly one of the original members of Majestic 12, and was the last surviving member.

 

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_Clarke_Hunsaker